William Jackson (organist born 1730)
Encyclopedia
William Jackson was an English organist and composer.
Jackson was born and died in Exeter
, England
. He was a pupil of Sylvester, the organist of Exeter Cathedral
, and of J. Travers in London. After teaching for years at Exeter, he became organist and choirmaster at the cathedral in 1777. He composed the operas The Lord of the Manor (1780, libretto by John Burgoyne
) and Metamorphoses (1783), as well as several odes (Warton's Ode to Fancy, Pope's The Dying Christian to His Soul, and Lycidas) and a large number of songs, canzonets, madrigal
s, pastorals, hymns, anthems, sonatas for harpsichord
, and church services. His writings include 30 Letters on Various Subjects (London, 1782), Observations on the Present State of Music in London (1791), and The Four Ages, together with Essays on Various Subjects (1798).
Jackson was born and died in Exeter
Exeter
Exeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. He was a pupil of Sylvester, the organist of Exeter Cathedral
Exeter Cathedral
Exeter Cathedral, the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter at Exeter, is an Anglican cathedral, and the seat of the Bishop of Exeter, in the city of Exeter, Devon in South West England....
, and of J. Travers in London. After teaching for years at Exeter, he became organist and choirmaster at the cathedral in 1777. He composed the operas The Lord of the Manor (1780, libretto by John Burgoyne
John Burgoyne
General John Burgoyne was a British army officer, politician and dramatist. He first saw action during the Seven Years' War when he participated in several battles, mostly notably during the Portugal Campaign of 1762....
) and Metamorphoses (1783), as well as several odes (Warton's Ode to Fancy, Pope's The Dying Christian to His Soul, and Lycidas) and a large number of songs, canzonets, madrigal
Madrigal (music)
A madrigal is a secular vocal music composition, usually a partsong, of the Renaissance and early Baroque eras. Traditionally, polyphonic madrigals are unaccompanied; the number of voices varies from two to eight, and most frequently from three to six....
s, pastorals, hymns, anthems, sonatas for harpsichord
Harpsichord
A harpsichord is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It produces sound by plucking a string when a key is pressed.In the narrow sense, "harpsichord" designates only the large wing-shaped instruments in which the strings are perpendicular to the keyboard...
, and church services. His writings include 30 Letters on Various Subjects (London, 1782), Observations on the Present State of Music in London (1791), and The Four Ages, together with Essays on Various Subjects (1798).