(b Newcastle upon Tyne, bap. 16 Feb 1709; d there, 9/10 May 1770). English composer. He was probably a pupil of Geminiani in London. He was organist of St Nicholas's Church, Newcastle, from 1736 until his death, refusing offers of posts elsewhere. From 1735 he organized and directed subscription concerts and later promoted them with John Garth in Durham; among the famous performers was the violinist Felice Giardini. His main literary publication (not all his own work) was An Essay on Musical Expression (1752), which discusses aesthetics, composers and performance. Its judgments, for instance that Geminiani and B. Marcello (whose psalms he edited) were better composers than Handel, led to controversy.
Avison was the most important English concerto composer of the 18th century. His 60 concerti grossi for strings, published between 1740 (op.2) and 1760 (op.10), are tuneful works modelled primarily on Germiniani's. His own arrangements of them included versions as organ concertos; he also arranged harpsichord sonatas by D. Scarlatti as 12 concerti grossi. In his sonatas opp.5, 7 and 8 (1750-64) the two violins and cello are treated as accompaniments to the harpsichord; the harpsichord style is influenced by Rameau.
Born: February 16, 1709 in Newcastle-on-Tyne, England
Died: May 09, 1770 in Newcastle-on-Tyne, England
Biography
Charles Avison was an important English composer and musician of the last half of the eighteenth century. His father, Richard Avison, was a town musician in Newcastle who probably taught him at home. With the help of Ralph Jenison, a wealthy arts patron who was also a member of Parliament, and other wealthy men, Avison was able to continue his musical studies. There are contemporary accounts saying that he studied with Geminiani when that composer was in England. However, there is no solid basis for claims that he studied on the Continent.
The first documentation of his musical career was a benefit concert he gave in London at Hickford's Room on March 20, 1734. On June 1, 1736, he took up a position as organist of St. John's Church in Newcastle, which had just had an organ installed. Legend has it that he turned down job offers from London, Dublin, York, and Edinburgh in its favor. In October he accepted another position, at St. Nicholas Church (now Cathedral) and retained that position until his death.
He remained active in secular music. Taking a lead from the success of a subscription concert series in London, he started a similar enterprise in Newcastle in 1735. It was successful, and he received a formal appointment as its musical director in 1738. In 1737, he married Catherine Reynolds. Only three of their nine children survived to adulthood. Both surviving sons were also professional musicians, one of them succeeding him as organist at St. Nicholas.
He spread his musical activities more widely, initiating another successful set of subscription concerts, this time in Durham. In addition to his church activities and concert series, he also gave theatrical performances in both Durham and Newcastle. In addition, he took on students, teaching harpsichord, violin, and flute.
Avison is also known as an essayist on music. His set of Concertos, Op. 3 contained a lengthy preface on performing practice. He expanded on this in a book, An Essay on Musical Expression, which is also the first book of music criticism published in English. Of its three main parts, the first discuss the effect of music on emotion and character. The second is a systematic discussion and critique of certain composers and their styles. Part three is a systematic discussion of instrumental performing practice. The second edition of the book also contained a section on "music of the ancients" and a lengthy response to a book-length criticism of the original version. The book, which was so well-regarded that it was translated into German, was actually a joint work by a "junto," the other members of which declined to be identified. It remains a highly valued look into musical life and opinion and proper performance of music of the time.
Avison wrote 60 string concerto grossi, plus 12 more that are arrangements of harpsichord sonatas by Domenico Scarlatti. He also wrote concertos for organ or harpsichord, but many of these are arrangements of the string concertos or music of other composers, and they follow the example of Geminiani. His melodies are particularly pleasing and easy to remember and follow, but they are not particularly deep in content. He also wrote an amount of chamber music, including sonatas, which he seems initially to have modeled on Rameau's music. Especially good examples are his keyboard sonatas with accompaniment from other instruments, primarily two violins and cellos, which primarily add only supporting harmonies. He wrote little sacred music and only three such works survive, in addition to a portion of an oratorio that he wrote with several other composers. ~ Joseph Stevenson, All Music Guide
Charles Avison (pronounced /ˈeɪvɨsən/, baptized 16 February 1709, Newcastle upon Tyne – 9 May or 10 May 1770, Newcastle upon Tyne) was an English composer during the Baroque and Classical periods. He was a church organist at St John The Baptist Church[1] in Newcastle and at St. Nicholas's Church (later Cathedral). He is best remembered for his 12 Concerti Grossi after Scarlatti and his Essay on Musical Expression, the first music criticism published in English.
Little is known of Avison's early life. The son of Richard and Anne Avison, both musicians, he was baptised on 16 February 1709, at St. John's Church in Newcastle. (According to the New Grove dictionary, he was also born in this city.) It is likely that he had early contact with Ralph Jenison, a patron of the arts, and later a member of Parliament.
As a young man, he traveled to London to study under Geminiani. However, his ties to his hometown remained strong, and on 13 October 1735, he was accepted the position of church organist at St. John's Church in Newcastle. Shortly after, he also became organist at nearby St. Nicholas's. Despite numerous offers of more prestigious positions later in life, he never again left Newcastle.
On 15 January 1737, Avison married Catherine Reynolds. They had three surviving children: Jane (1744-1773), Edward (1747-1776), and Charles (1751-1795). Edward and Charles both later served as organists at St. Nicholas's, and Charles published a book of hymns.
In July 1738, Avison was appointed music director of the Newcastle Musical Society. He also collaborated with John Garth's subscription concerts in Durham, and was active in local theatres.
The foundation of Avison's contemporary fame was his Essay on Musical Expression, published in 1752. It was the first work on musical criticism published in English.
Avison was one of the subjects in Robert Browning's Parleyings with Certain People of Importance in their Day: "Hear Avison! He tenders evidence/That music in his day as much absorbed/Heart and soul then as Wagner's music now."
Avison died on 10 May 1770, after being caught out in an unusual blizzard that hit from May 2-4.[2] He is buried at St. Andrew's in Newcastle.[3]
Influence
Avison continued the Italian style tradition, which Geminiani had made so popular in London. In his Concerti Grossi, in particular, he carried on Geminiani's technique of modeling orchestral concertos after sonatas by older composers. His Essay on Musical Expression criticized Handel, who was much admired in England at the time.
Since 1994, the Avison Ensemble of Newcastle has been performing Avison’s music on period instruments.
The Ingenious Mr. Avison: Making Music and Money in Eighteenth Century Newcastle, by Roz Southey, Margaret Maddison and David Hughes. Newcastle-upon-Tyne: Tyne Bridge Publishing, 2009. ISBN 1857951298; ISBN 978-1857951295.
