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Charles AvisonEnglish composer of the Baroque and Classical eras
Date of Birth: 16.02.1709
Country:  Great Britain |
Content:
Biography of Charles Avison
Charles Avison was an English composer of the Baroque and Classical eras. He is best known for his 12 Concerti Grossi after Scarlatti and the essay "Essay on Musical Expression," the first English-language musical criticism.
Early Life and Education
Charles Avison was born in Newcastle in the early 1709 and was baptized on February 16. He was the son of Richard Avison and Anne Avison, both musicians. Charles received his education at one of the two charitable schools associated with St John The Baptist Church. It is likely that he became acquainted with Ralph Jenison, a local arts patron and later a Member of Parliament, in his childhood.
As a young man, Avison went to London to study under Francesco Geminiani, a renowned Italian violinist and composer who lived and worked in England. However, his connection to his hometown remained so strong that on October 13, 1735, he accepted an offer to become the organist at St John The Baptist Church and returned to Newcastle. Soon after, he also took the position of organist at the neighboring St Nicholas's Church.
Personal Life and Career
On January 15, 1737, Avison married Catherine Reynolds. They had three surviving children: Jane Avison (1744-1773), Edward Avison (1747-1776), and Charles Avison (1751-1795). Edward and Charles later served as organists at St Nicholas's Church, and Charles also published a collection of hymns.
In July 1738, Avison was appointed the musical director of the Newcastle Musical Society. He also collaborated with John Garth, who organized subscription concerts in Durham, and actively participated in the local theater scene.
Legacy
Avison's essay "Essay on Musical Expression," published in 1752, became the basis for his contemporary fame. In the essay, he critiqued Handel, whom England admired at that time. It was the first work of musical criticism published in English, as Italians held a firm leadership in that field.
Charles Avison passed away on May 10, 1770, after falling ill during an unusually strong snowstorm for that time of year. He was buried in St. Andrew's Church in Newcastle.
In Robert Browning's poem "Parleyings with Certain People of Importance in their Day," Avison is compared to Wagner, suggesting that Avison's music captured hearts and souls in his time, just as Wagner's did in Browning's contemporary era.
Today, the Avison Ensemble of Newcastle, established in 1994, performs Avison's works on period instruments, continuing the tradition of the Italian style popularized in London by Geminiani.
