Thomas Arne English composer Date of Birth: 12.03.1710 Country: Great Britain

1. Biography of Thomas Arne
2. Early Life and Musical Education
3. Collaboration with David Garrick
4. The Masks and Other Works
5. The Oratorio and Instrumental Works
6. Legacy and Instrumental Works

Biography of Thomas Arne

Thomas Augustine Arne was an English composer, born on March 12, 1710, in London, England. He is revered in Britain as an outstanding figure in the musical culture of the 18th century.

Early Life and Musical Education

Arne was born into a family of upholsterers. Despite his father's desire for him to become a lawyer, Arne secretly began taking violin lessons from Michael Festing and pursued composition. He composed the music for the opera "Rosamund" with a libretto by J. Addison, which was highly successful at the Lincoln's Inn theatre. This success led his father to accept that his son would pursue a career in music, while his sister, Susan Mary, also participated in the production of "Rosamund" and went on to become a renowned tragic actress.

Collaboration with David Garrick

Arne was invited to work at the Drury Lane Theatre, where he collaborated extensively with the famous actor David Garrick. Together, they composed musical comedies and songs for Shakespearean plays, which are still remembered today for their vibrant and expressive melodies.

The Masks and Other Works

Between 1738 and 1740, Arne created three major masks, a specific English genre of dramatic plays with music: "Comus," "The Judgement of Paris," and "Alfred." The latter contains an ode in honor of Great Britain, known worldwide as "Rule Britannia." These three masks, along with his later work in the same genre, "The Fairy Prince" (1771), form the core of Arne's legacy. His opera seria in the Italian style, "Artaxerxes" (1762), was also highly successful.

The Oratorio and Instrumental Works

The peak of Arne's career as a composer was his oratorio, "Judith" (1761), known for its excellent choirs, beautiful arias, and masterful dramaturgy. This work places him alongside Handel's greatest compositions in the same genre. However, unlike Handel, Arne was a Catholic and did not compose music for Anglican services. Only a few of his Catholic compositions have survived, including a small but expressive choir called "Libera me Domini" from a requiem mass he composed upon the death of his friend.

Arne was awarded a Doctor of Music degree by the University of Oxford in 1759. He passed away on March 8, 1778, in his London home.

Legacy and Instrumental Works

Arne's instrumental works also hold great interest, including six keyboard concertos, eight overtures, eight exercises for harpsichord, and seven sonatas for two violins and continuo. His wife, Cecilia Young, played a significant role in his creative activities, using her lyrical soprano voice. English music historian Charles Burney regarded her voice as the best of the time.

In conclusion, Thomas Arne can be considered the most significant and influential English composer after Henry Purcell. In secular genres, Burney particularly favored Arne for his lightness, elegance of writing, and the variety of musical content.