The Musical World of Charles Avison

Melodic Charm and the Powers of Harmony

Simon D.I. Fleming

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2024
• eBook ISBN:
  9781040253090
• Topic: Media & Performing Arts
• Subtopic: Classical Music

This book explores the works and influence of the eighteenth-century British composer Charles Avison. Although he spent most of his life in the northern town of Newcastle upon Tyne, Avison went on to have a marked impact on the musical life of Britain during the second half of the eighteenth century. His concertos become part of the national concert repertory, while his critical treatise, An Essay on Musical Expression, shaped debates about musical aesthetics. This book provides the first sustained examination of Avison's musical works and compositional techniques, and it traces how his music not only drew on influences from European composers but also reworked them and in turn, influenced others.

Considering Avison's musical compositions, the circumstances around their composition and dissemination, and their place in music history, the author confronts preconceptions about the quality of Avison's music, reveals new dimensions of his work as a composer, and demonstrates the enduring popularity and impact of his music. The author also draws on Avison's writings to consider how closely he adheres to his own musical aesthetics. Reassessing Avison's contribution to British music history, this study makes the case for understanding him as an important figure in the development and spread of musical styles across eighteenth-century England.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half-Title
• Portrait of Charles Avison (1709–70)
• Title
• Copyright
• Dedication
• Contents
• Library Sigla
• List of Figures
• List of Musical Examples
• List of Tables
• Acknowledgements
• 1 Introduction
• 2 Avison in Newcastle and London
• 3 Earliest Works: The Opus 1 Trio Sonatas of 1737
• 4 The First Concertos, 1740–47
• 5 Reworkings and the Scarlatti Concertos of 1744
• 6 Avison’s Vocal Music
• 7 William Hayes and the Concertos Opus 3 and 4
• 8 New Directions: The Accompanied Keyboard Sonatas Opus 5, 7, and 8
• 9 Looking Forwards: The Opus 6 Concertos of 1758 and Twenty Six Concertos … in Score
• 10 Looking Backwards: The Late Concertos, 1765–69
• 11 The Reception of Avison’s Music During His Lifetime
• 12 The Afterlife of Avison’s Music and His Reputation as a Musician
• 13 Concluding Thoughts
• Bibliography
• Index