A simply harmonized, unaccompanied English song. Early glees, from the 17th century, were for three or more male voices (alto, tenor, bass was a popular combination); texts were often about eating and drinking, but also love, patriotic themes and the hunt. The genre gradually became more refined and by the late 18th century glees were also written for mixed voices. Societies such as the Glee Club and the Anacreontic Society were formed, but glee singing remained essentially an amateur activity, in taverns and the home, which lasted well into the 19th century. Leading glee composers included Thomas Arne and Samuel Webbe.
