ORGANS, ORGAN-BUILDERS,
AND ORGANISTS IN
THE LETTERS OF SAMUEL WESLEY:
AN INDEX

As Robin Langley's article in JBIOS 17 has reminded us, Samuel Wesley (1766-1837) was a key figure in the history of English organ music in the early nineteenth century. (1) He was the most celebrated English organist, and arguably the finest English composer, of his generation. He was also one of the most active members of the English Bach movement: with K.F. Horn he produced the first English editions of the organ sonatas and the 'Forty-eight', and through his playing and lecturing probably did more than anyone else in the first two decades of the nineteenth century to further the cause of Bach's music in England. (2)

Wesley was also a prolific correspondent, and over six hundred letters survive in libraries and in private collections in the UK, the USA, and even further afield. They constitute the largest and most important corpus of letters by an English musician of this period, and are an invaluable source of information on many aspects of musical life in London in the early nineteenth century.
Despite their manifest importance, there has not up to now been a complete, or even a selected, edition of the letters, and Wesley as a correspondent is known only from the Bach Letters, originally published in 1875 by Wesley's daughter Eliza, and from a few other letters reproduced in whole or part in biographical studies and articles. (3)

The letters fall into two fairly distinct groups, according to their recipients and their subject matter. The first consists of the letters Wesley wrote to members of his immediate family: to his mother, his brother Charles, and his sister Sally, and later to Sarah Suter, with whom he lived from the breakdown of his marriage in 1810 until his death. For the most part, these letters are restricted to family matters, and although music is mentioned in passing from time to time, it is not an important part of their contents.

The second group consists of the letters written to those outside the family. Almost all are to fellow-musicians. There are over one hundred and seventy letters to Vincent Novello, twenty-four letters to Benjamin Jacob (the Bach Letters), and smaller numbers to other musicians of varying degrees of prominence and importance. These 'professional' letters are for the most part relaxed and informal in style. They discuss matters of common concern and retail the gossip and the other small change of a shared musical life in a way which is invariably witty and entertaining.

As one might expect from the importance that the organ had in Wesley's professional life, there are many references in the letters to organs, organs, and organ-builders. Many are no more than snippets: Wesley may state that he is going to meet a friend to play a certain organ, comment on an organ that he has recently played, or make a passing reference to a builder or his work. But in some cases the references give us important new information. One letter of 1809, for example, describes Wesley's own chamber organ, an instrument by Thomas Elliot, hitherto unrecorded, with three stops and 'an octave of double-base pedals'. Other references add small but significant details to what we know already from other sources.

The following index is to references to organs, organ-builders, and organists throughout Samuel Wesley's letters. Letters are identified by their recipient and date, the location being given in brackets. Incorrect or incomplete datings and ascriptions in library catalogues and printed sources have been corrected and/or amplified without comment. In the case of letters which have been published in whole or part, the entry is given in italics and the printed source is also given.

I am most grateful to Peter Horton and Christopher Kent for their suggestions and assistance in the preparation of this index.

The following abbreviations are used:

PEOPLE

SW Samuel Wesley

BJ Benjamin Jacob

CB Charles Burney

CW Charles Wesley (SW's brother)

DGW D.G.Wait

GB George Bridgetower

JL John Langshaw Junior

KS Knight Spenser

RG Robert Glenn

SGW Sarah Gwynne Wesley (SW's mother)

VN Vincent Novello

WC William Crotch

SOURCES
A The Argory, Co. Armagh

BL British Library

E Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia,

F USA Fitzwilliam Library, Cambridge

NRO Norfolk Record Office

O Osborn Collection, Yale University Library

P Private collection

R John Rylands University Library of Manchester

RCM Royal College of Music

RSM Royal School of Church Music

TCF Thomas Coram Foundation

B Letters of Samuel Wesley to Mr Jacobs, ed. Eliza Wesley (London, 1875).

Elvin Laurence Elvin, Bishop and Son, Organ Builders (Lincoln, 1984).

L James T. Lightwood, Samuel Wesley, Musician (London, 1937).

S G. J. Stevenson, Memorials of the Wesley Family (London, 1876).

WBS W. Barclay Squire, 'Some Novello Correspondence', Musical Quarterly 3 (1917),206-42.

WLC Wesley-Langshaw Correspondence: Charles Wesley, his Sons and the Lancaster Organists, ed. Arthur Wainwright (Atlanta, Georgia, 1993).

ORGANS

Brighton, Pavilion. Concerning Attwood's role in deciding on a new organ and the possibility that an existing organ, possibly the one from 'St Katharine's Church', recently demolished, should be used, SW to SS, 16 October 1827 (BL).

Bristol, various churches. SW's recitals in Bristol, SW to SS, 18 September (1829); CW's competing recitals and plans to involve George Cooper or SSW in SW's, DGW and SW to SS, 23 September 1829 (BL); to play at St. Mary Redcliffe (on 1 October) and at Clifton, DGW and SW to SS, 25 September 1829 (BL); CW's rival recital at St. James's, 24 September 1829, ibid; Cooper not required and SSW's involvement, SW to SS, 11 October 1829; SW to play at Moravian chapel (on 26 October) through the good offices of C. I. Latrobe, SW to SS, 21 October, 25 October 1829 (BL); derogatory reference to churchwardens and organist (Cornelius Bryan) at St. Mary Redcliffe, SW to SS, 27 October 1829 (BL).

Cambridge, Great St. Mary's. 'Utters the true ecclesiastical Sounds', SW to VN, June2l 1825(BL).

Cambridge, King's College. Concerning the organ by Avery, ('the best Builder since old Smith'): 'the only one which he ever had Honesty (or Shame) enough to compleat entirely', SW to VN, 22 December 1824 (BL); unable to gain admittance, SW to VN,June 21 1825 (BL).

Cambridge, Peterhouse. Described as 'a sweet little instrument', SW to VN, June21 1825(BL).

Cambridge, Trinity College. 'It is grievous to think how much Mischief has been done to the noble Instrument in Trinity Chapel by that Brace-of Quacks Flight & Robson', SW to VN, 21 June 1825 (BL); SW and VN play SW's 'Confitebor' on the organ, SW to SSW, 1 August 1825 (BL, L l06).

Co. Armagh, The Argory. Concerning a finger and barrel organ built by Bishop for Waiter McGeough, for which SW arranged the music; originally to be built by James Davis, SW to McGeough, 12 October 1822, 11 November 1822, SW to Bishop, 28 February (1823) (A, Elvin 97-9).

Great Yarmouth, St. Nicholas. Described by SW as 'the most magnificent Organ I have yet heard'; SW plays the 'St. Anne' fugue on it, SW to VN, 18 July 1815 (BL,L 177-8).

Lancaster, Parish Church. Proposed new organ for Lancaster; SW recommends Elliot, SW to JL, 26 December 1809 (E, WLC 71-2).

Leeds, Brunswick Chapel. SW opens the organ on 12 September 1828, SW to SS, 13 September 1828 (BL, L 207-8).

London, Argyll Rooms. Organ to be erected (by Flight & Robson) for SW's concert on 4 May 1813, SW to VN, 30 April (1813) mdn.d. (1813) (BL).

London, Camden Chapel. SW comments adversely on the organ, but 'Mr. Adams and honest Mr. Davis the Organ Builder are fixed to tell the real Truth about it on Wednesday next', SW to VN, 8 January 1825 (BL).

London, Christ Church, Blackfriars. Opening of the organ by SW on 10 May 1812, SW to VN, 6 May (1812)(BL).

London, Foundling Chapel. Planned visit with VN the previous evening, SW to VN, 11 November (1811) (BL); SW's application for organist's job, SW to unidentified recipient, 9 November (1813) (R), SW to Christopher Idle, 10 November 1813 (R); offers to play for services 'on Tuesday next', SW to Cox, 24 November 1813 (TCF); his offer to play on 28 November refused, Nightingale being engaged to play then, SW to RG, 25 November (1813) (BL).

London, St. George, Hanover Square. SW a candidate for the post of organist, SW to VN, 17 February 1824 (BL,L 190).

London, Lambeth Church. Vacancy at £70 per year; SW considers applying, SW to RG, 4 March (1815) (BL).

London, Portuguese Embassy Chapel, South Street. Humorous account of malfunctioning of organ, and role of G.P. England to tune and maintain it, SW to VN, (31 March) 1812 (BL, WBS 225, L 161-2 (part only)).

London, Royal Institution (l809). Mention of organ by Elliot erected for SW's 1809 course of lectures, SW to KS, 3 January 1811 (P).

London, Royal Institution (1828). Discussion of organ to be erected for SW's 1828 course of lectures and estimate of ten guineas for its hire for ten lectures, SW to W. H. Pepys, 19 December (1827), 1 Jan 1828 (F).

London, St. James, Clerkenwell. SW unable to be with VN for High Mass at the Portuguese Embassy chapel, as he had promised 'to meet Master Beale upon his Perch at St. James's, Clerkenwell', SW to VN, 8 February 1812 (BL).

London,St. Paul's Cathedral.SW comments on the heaviness of the touch of the organ, SW to CW, 15 January 1807 (R, S 5l3-l7); on Abbé Vogler's recital there (date unspecified), SW to CB, fragment, (ca.May 1808) (R); SW to perform the 'St. Anne' fugue 'upon that noble organ with the double base' SW to SGW, 18 January 1810 (R, S 518); to play some Bach fugues with VN, SW to RG, 18 May (1813) (BL,L 171).

London, St. Sepulchre, Holborn. Proposal to play Bach on the organ, SW to VN, 25 September (1824)

London, Savoy Chapel. Proposal to play the organ there, SW to VN, 18 September (1824) (BL).

London, Somerset House Masonic Lodge. SW to play the organ the following Wednesday, SW to VN (3 March 1816) (BL).

London, Somers Town. Opening of new organ on Sunday 24 June 1821, SW to RG, 15 June (1821) (BL).

London, Surrey Chapel. SW plays J. S. Bach; comments that the organ has a 'very deep and a very obstinate touch', SW to CB, fragment, (ca. May 1808) (R); comments to BJ about Rowland Hill's suggestion that SW should succeed him, SW m BJ, 8 December 1808 (RCM, B 20).

London, Surrey Institution. Use of organ by Elliot, probably with patent mechanism by Hawkes, for SW's lecture on tuning and temperament, SW to KS, 3 January 1811 (P).

London, Westminster Abbey. SW comments on the lightness of the action, SW to CW, I 5 January 1807 (R, S 516); objections of the guides to the organ being played, SW to VN, 25 September (1824) (BL, WBS 236, L 190-1).

London, SW's own chamber organ. By Elliot, consisting of three stops and an octave of'double base' pedals, SW to JL, 26 December 1809 (E, WLC 71-2).

London, 'the organ intended for the theatre'. SW to VN, 22 September (1825) (HL).

London, unidentified chamber organ. SW replies to unidentified advertiser in The Times saying that he has an organ for sale at a price of 120 guineas; it was built 'expressly for himself', is nine feet high, has 'one octave and half of German pedals and is of a powerful quality', SW to unidentified addressee, 26 April 1831 (RSCM).

Margate. SW and Samuel Webbe II plan to perform at the parish church, SW to VN, 1 October (1812) (BL, WBS 226-7, L 98~9).

Norwich, Cathedral.SW has played for choir services three times already on his visit, SW to SGW, 12 October 1814 (E,3 518-19,L 174-5).

Norwich, St. Petcr Mancroft. SW to play 'at the church 'on 20 October, SW to SGW, 12 October 1814 (E,S 5l8-l9, L 174-5).

Ramsgate. SW and Samuel Webbe II plan to perform at the parish church, SW to VN, I October (1812) (BL, WBS 226-7, L 98--9).

Surinam, West Indies. Davis 'has built an excellent organ fin a church at Surirmm in the West lndies', SW to GB, 4 September (1812?) (fiL, L 137-8).

Tamworth, St. Editha. SW plays at the Tamworth Music Festival, September 1809; the 'new choir organ' (by Buckingham) obscures his view and he has to use a mirror, SW to BJ,25 September 1809 (RCM,B 34, L 151-2).

ORGAN-BUILDERS

William Allen. CW's loss of £60 through Allen's failure to pay a commission to him for recommending him for the organ at Lincoln Cathedral, SW to Sarah Wesley, 14 June (1826) (R), SW to Revd. Thomas Jackson, 10 October 1828 (R); see also CW to Thomas Allan, 19 April 1828, 5 May (1828) (R).

John Avery.'The best Builder since old Smith'; the organ in the chapel of King's College, Cambridge described as 'the only one which he ever had Honesty (or Shame) enough to compleat entirely', SW to VN, 22 December 1824 (BL).

James CBishop. Commission to build a finger and barrel organ for Waiter McGeough of the Argory, Co. Armagh (originally given to James Davis, later transferred to Bishop on Davis'.9 retirement); SW to arrange music for the barrels, SW to McGeough, 12 October 1822, 11 November 1822 (A, Elvin 978), SW reminds Bishop that £50 commission was agreed to him by Davis, SW to Bishop, 28 February (1823) (B, Elvin 99); Bishop and Davis accused of having swindled SW out of £50, SW to VN, 8 March 1824 (BL).

James Davis. Plans for meeting of SW and some friends at Davis's manufactory in Frmcis Street, Tottenham Court Road; 'has built an excellent instrument for a church at Surinam in the West Indies', SW to GB, 4 September (1812?) (BL, L 137-8); another meeting 'at Davis's', SW to VN, 24 July 1812 (BL); £50 commission agreed to SW by Davis firm recommending him to McGeough, SW to Bishop, 28 February (1823) (A, Elvin 99); Davis and Bishop accused of having swindled SW out of £50, SW to VN, 8 March 1824 (BL); comments adversely on the organ at Camden Chapel, but 'Mr. Adams and honest Mr. Davis the Organ Builder are fixed to tell the real Truth about it on Wednesday next' SW In VN, 8 January 1825 (BL).

Thomas Elliot.SW to dine with Elliot and to try out an Elliot organ( ? ), SW to BJ.1, (17 November 1808?) (RCM, B 15); builder of SW's own organ, recommended for Lancaster, SW to JL, 26 December 1809 (E, WLC 71-2); his views on tuning and temperament, SW to C.1. Smyth, 10 January 1810 (BL); on the use of Elliot's organ at SW's course of lectures at the Surrey Institution, and the need for modification so as to be able to demonstrate points about tuning and temperament, SW to KS, 3 January 1811 (P).

George Pike England. Tuning and maintenance contract on Portuguese Embassy Chapel organ SW to VN, (31 March) 1812 (BL, WBS 225).

Flight & Robson. Builders of organ to be erected at Argyll Rooms for SW's concert on 4 May 1813, SW to VN, 30 April (1813) and n.d. (1813) (BL) (see also details inadvertisements and reports: it had 'a general swell throughout all the Stops, and Double Base Pedals' and was erected in six hours); SW enquiries about a barrel organ by Flight & Robson ordered by Mr. Fuller, for which he was arranging the music SW to William Shield, 12 September 1815 (BL).

William Gray. Incapacitated because of an injury to his leg, and so unable for a few weeks to complete the organ for Mr. Hoare, SW to CW, 15 January 1807 (R,S513 17).

ORGANISTS

(I. 0.?) Atkins. SSW has 'taken his roosting perch with Atkins' SW to SS, 26 January I830(BL).

Thomas Attwood. Mentioned in derogatory terms, SW to CW, 15 January 1807 (R, S 513-17, L 142-3); further derogatory comment, SW to VN, 12 May 1824 (BL, WBS 233-4); comment on his role in the commissioning of a new organ for Brighton pavilion and the possibility that the organ from 'St. Katharine's Church' (recently demolished) might be used, SW to SS, 16 October 1827 (BL).

William Beale. SW unable to be with VN for High Mass at the Portuguese Embassy chapel, as he had promised 'to meet Master Beale upon his Perch at St. James's, Clerkenwell', SW to VN, 8 February 1812 (BL).

Robert Cooke. Description, SW to CW, 15 January 1807 (R, S 513-17, L 145).

George Cooper. SW proposes to play Bach at Cooper's church, St. Sepulchre, SW to VN, 25 September (1824) ((BL, WBS 236,L l90-l); possibilityof Cooper coming to Bristol to join SW at his recitals there in 1829, SW to SS, 18 September (1829), DGW and SW to SS, 23 September 1829, DGW and SW to Sarah Suter, 25 September 1829 (BL).

John Eager, organist of Great Yarmouth. Described at length, SW to VN, 18 July 1815 (BL, L 177-8).

John George Emmett. Recipient of five letters from SW, 23 Nov (1826), n.d. (21 September 1828?), 15 January (1829), 23 April 1830, 27 February 1835 (BL).

Timothy Essex. Sarcastic reference, SW to VN, 17 February (1813) (BL).

H. J. Gauntlett. Mentioned, DGW and SW to SS, 23 September 1829 (BL); SW to Emmett, 23 April (1830?); passing reference to 'the Gauntletts', SW to SS, 17 January 1830(BL).

Robert Glenn. Organist of St. Margaret Fattens and music master at Christ's Hospital, later SW's son-in-law. Recipient of over twenty letters, 1812-29 (BL, R, E, P).

Tom Grenville. Blind organist, at one time at the Foundling Hospital, a possible candidate for an organist's post at Huddersfield, SW to RG, 24 July (1812?) (BL).

George Eugene Griffin. Described as 'an excellent Organist, & a most worthy & amiable Man', SW to CB, 23 June (1808?) (0).

James Hook. Tells SW that he has recently published a Voluntary dedicated to SW; SW impressed by his performance of a 'Praeludium' at a Vauxhall concert, SW to VN, 23 June 1813 (BL, WBS 227-8).

Karl Friedrich Horn. Discussed in connection with Bach, SW to BJ, 17

October 1808, 19 October 1808 (RCM, B 6-7, 11); SW to WC, 25November 1808(NRO); discussed in connection with his and SW's edition of the organ trios, SW to BJ, 3 March 1809 (RCM, B 25).

Mr. Howard. Had asked SW to assist or deputise for him at a charity sermon on 10 November I 799, SW to Street, 9 November (1799) (BL).

John Immyns. Mentioned in discussion of a vacancy at the Foundling Hospital following the death of William Russell, SW to VN, 4 January 1814 (BL).

Benjamin Jacob. Organist of Surrey Chapel and Bach-enthusiast, recipient of 24 letters, August 1808 - February 1816 (RCM, B).

August Klengel. SW thinks he must be a good organist, from hearing him play the piano, SW to VN, 23 (22?) May (1816?) (BL).

A. F. C. Kollmann. Mentioned in connection with J.S. Bach, SW to CB,7 July 1808 (O); published part of a Bach organ trio in his 'Essay on Practical Musical Composition' (1799), SW to BJ, 17 October 1808 (RCM,8 8).

John Langshaw Junior. Organist of Lancaster; recipient of letter describing SW's own organ (by Elliot) and recommending Elliot for new organ for Lancaster, 26 December 1809 (E, WLC 71-2).

Joseph Major. Mentioned in several letters, including SW to VN, 16 August (1812) (BL).

John Charles Nightingale. Deputy to Russell at the Foundling Hospital; reference to 'his Deptford church', SW to RG, 25 November (1813) (BL).

Vincent Novello. Organist of Portuguese Embassy Chapel; recipient of over 170 letters, May 1811-December 1825 (BL).

'The pedalist' (unidentified). SW notes a letter from Bennet concerning 'the pedalist's manners' towards SS; SW willing to give 'the young sprig' lessons for 50 guineas 'on the nail', SW to SS, 17 January 1830 (BL).

Alfred Pettett. Norwich organist; recipient of eight letters, July 1815 - July 1816, March-April 1824 (BL).

John Purkis. Mentioned in passing, SW to VN, 14 September (1814) (BL).

William Russell. Concerning his death in 1813, and his post at the Foundling Hospital, SW to RG, 25 Nov (1813) (BL); committee on performance of his oratorio Job for the benefit of his widow, SW to VN, (17 March 1814) (BL); publication of Job, SW to VN, 10 May (1825) (BL).

Charles Stokes. Mentioned,SW to VN, 11 August (1812) (BL).

James Turle. Mentioned as a singer in the Portuguese Embassy Chapel choir, SW to VN, (15 January 1816) (BL).

Georg Joseph Vogler. Profitable recital at St. Paul's (date not stated), SW to CB, fragment, (ca.May 1808) (R).

'Mr Warren'. Mentioned in passing as a young organist (father's address Upper Larkhall Place, Clapham), SW to unknown addressee, (June 1825?) (R).

Samuel Webbe I (1740-1816). 'Seeking a deputy for his Sardinian organ' at a salary of £10 per year, SW to VN, 18 August (1813) (BL).

Samuel Webbe 11 (1768-1843). A friend and colleague of SW, frequently mentioned in SW's letters to VN (BL); on concert tour with SW to Ramsgate and Margate, SW to VN, 1 October 1812 (BL, WBS 226-7).

Samuel Sebastian Wesley. Letter from SW, 1 August 1825 (BL); with SW in Bristol, SW to SS, 1 1 October 1829 (BL); has 'taken his roosting perch with Atkins' (I. 0. Atkins?), SW to SS, 26 January 1830 (BL); SW encloses some of SSW's compositions as his exercise for his B.Mus., SW to (WC), 30 March 1836.

NOTES

I. Robin Langley, 'Samuel Wesley's Contribution to the Development of English Organ Literature', JBIOS 17 (1993), 102-116. See also Francis Routh, Early English Organ Music (London, 1973); Nicholas Thistlethwaite, The Making of the Victorian Organ (Cambridge, 1990) and 'Bach, Mendelssohn, and the English Organist', JBIOS 7 ( 1983), 3449.

2. See Nicholas Temperley, 'Bach Revival' in New Grove.

3. Letters of Samuel Wesley to Mr Jacobs, ed. Eliza Wesley, (London, 1875); facsimile edition as The Wesley Bach Letters with an Introduction by Peter Williams (London, 1988); G. I. Stevenson, Memorials of the Wesley Family (London, 1876); James T. Lightwood, Samuel Wesley, Musician, (London, 1937); W. Barclay Squire, 'Some Novello Correspondence', Musical Quarterly 3 (1917), 206-42.

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