William Ayrton (musical writer)
Encyclopedia
William Ayrton was an English impresario
and music critic.
Ayrton was the younger son of Dr. Edmund Ayrton
, and was born in London. On 17 May 1803 he married Marianne, the daughter of the composer Samuel Arnold
. In 1816 he went abroad to engage singers for the Italian opera at the King's Theatre
, of which he undertook the direction in the following year, producing for the first time in England Mozart's Don Giovanni
, and introducing to English audiences such great artists as Giuditta Pasta
, Violante Camporese, Gaetano Crivelli
and Giuseppe Ambrogietti. In spite of a very successful season Ayrton was obliged by the disputes of the company to retire from the direction. In 1821 he again (under the management of John Ebers
) took the post of musical director, but owing to the factious opposition he encountered from the committee he was again forced to resign. The remainder of his life he devoted entirely to literary pursuits, in which, both as a critic and writer in music, he occupied for many years a position far in advance of his contemporaries. From 1823 to 1833 he edited and contributed largely to the 'Harmonicon,' a periodical the value of which has hardly been exceeded by any of its successors. In 1834-5 he published his 'Sacred Minstrelsy,' and in 1834-5-6 the work known as the 'Musical Library,' one of the earliest and best cheap collections of vocal and instrumental music. Ayrton was a F.R.S., a F.S.A., and one of the original members of the Royal Institution
and the Athenæum Club.
He died at Bridge Street, Westminster, on 8 March 1858.
Impresario
An impresario is a person who organizes and often finances concerts, plays or operas; analogous to a film producer in filmmaking, television production and an angel investor in business...
and music critic.
Ayrton was the younger son of Dr. Edmund Ayrton
Edmund Ayrton
Edmund Ayrton was an English organist who was Master of the Children of the Chapel Royal.-Life:Ayrton was born at Ripon and baptised on 19 November 1734. His father was Edward Ayrton , a 'barber chirurgion,' who became an alderman in Ripon on 14 August 1758, and mayor in 1760...
, and was born in London. On 17 May 1803 he married Marianne, the daughter of the composer Samuel Arnold
Samuel Arnold
Samuel Arnold may refer to:*Samuel Arnold , English composer and organist*Samuel James Arnold , dramatist*Samuel Arnold , U.S. Representative from Connecticut...
. In 1816 he went abroad to engage singers for the Italian opera at the King's Theatre
Her Majesty's Theatre
Her Majesty's Theatre is a West End theatre, in Haymarket, City of Westminster, London. The present building was designed by Charles J. Phipps and was constructed in 1897 for actor-manager Herbert Beerbohm Tree, who established the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art at the theatre...
, of which he undertook the direction in the following year, producing for the first time in England Mozart's Don Giovanni
Don Giovanni
Don Giovanni is an opera in two acts with music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and with an Italian libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte. It was premiered by the Prague Italian opera at the Teatro di Praga on October 29, 1787...
, and introducing to English audiences such great artists as Giuditta Pasta
Giuditta Pasta
Giuditta Angiola Maria Costanza Pasta , born in Saronno, Italy, was a soprano considered among the greatest of opera singers, to whom the 20th-century soprano Maria Callas was compared.-Studies and career:...
, Violante Camporese, Gaetano Crivelli
Gaetano Crivelli
Gaetano Crivelli was a famous Italian tenor.Although he was born not actually in Bergamo but in neighbouring Brescia, Crivelli can be regarded as one of the founders of that remarkable Bergamo tenor school which, beginning with Giacomo David and proceeding through such singers as Giovanni David,...
and Giuseppe Ambrogietti. In spite of a very successful season Ayrton was obliged by the disputes of the company to retire from the direction. In 1821 he again (under the management of John Ebers
John Ebers
John Ebers was an English operatic manager, notable for his promotion of Italian opera in London in the 1820s.-Early life:Ebers was the son of German parents, was born in London about 1785...
) took the post of musical director, but owing to the factious opposition he encountered from the committee he was again forced to resign. The remainder of his life he devoted entirely to literary pursuits, in which, both as a critic and writer in music, he occupied for many years a position far in advance of his contemporaries. From 1823 to 1833 he edited and contributed largely to the 'Harmonicon,' a periodical the value of which has hardly been exceeded by any of its successors. In 1834-5 he published his 'Sacred Minstrelsy,' and in 1834-5-6 the work known as the 'Musical Library,' one of the earliest and best cheap collections of vocal and instrumental music. Ayrton was a F.R.S., a F.S.A., and one of the original members of the Royal Institution
Royal Institution
The Royal Institution of Great Britain is an organization devoted to scientific education and research, based in London.-Overview:...
and the Athenæum Club.
He died at Bridge Street, Westminster, on 8 March 1858.