John Garth [1722-1810]

Started by Scion7, August 28, 2016, 01:24:52 AM

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Scion7

Works list:

Opus
==============================================

1   6 Concertos, cello-strings-basso continuo (1760)
2   6 Sonatas, harpsichord/piano/organ, 2 violins, cello (c1768)
3   6 Voluntary's, org/pf/hpd (1771)
4–7   6 Sonatas, hpd/pf/org, 2 vn, vc (c1772, c1775, c1778, 1782)
–   30 Collects (1794)

An English composer, he lived in County Durham and is known to have been organist at Sedgefield and to have played an active part in local musical life. He was a friend of Charles Avison, whom he assisted with his publication of 50 of Benedetto Marcello's psalm paraphrases (i–viii, London, 1757).
In Darlington, in 1794, he married Nancy (Nanny) Wrightson (1749/50–1829).
Garth died at his home on 29 March 1810. Garth was buried on 5 April 1810 in the north aisle of St Cuthbert's, Darlington.

from The New Grove:

As a composer, Garth's main area of activity was the accompanied keyboard sonata: not the common form for keyboard with violin but a type used almost exclusively by composers in north-east England (Avison, Ebdon and Hawdon as well as Garth) where a trio sonata ensemble of two violins, cello and harpsichord is required, with the strings either doubling the harpsichord, providing harmonic support or resting. Garth was no doubt following Avison's example in using this unusual genre. The presence of crescendo marks suggests that he had the piano in mind. The first of Garth's five sets, op.2, achieved particular popularity . . . 




When, a few months before his death, Rachmaninov lamented that he no longer had the "strength and fire" to compose, friends reminded him of the Symphonic Dances, so charged with fire and strength. "Yes," he admitted. "I don't know how that happened. That was probably my last flicker."

Scion7





. . . and he showed up on a 1964 Supraphon LP:



When, a few months before his death, Rachmaninov lamented that he no longer had the "strength and fire" to compose, friends reminded him of the Symphonic Dances, so charged with fire and strength. "Yes," he admitted. "I don't know how that happened. That was probably my last flicker."