I feel thankful to DR. RIMBAULT for the "Old Concert Bill" which you have
printed in Vol. v., p. 556., and wish it may lead to more contributions
towards what does not exist, but is much to be wished for, a history of
_instrumental_ music in this country. Having had this subject in my mind a
good while, and having had occasion to observe how defective and erroneous
the supposed sources of information are, I have from time to time made
memoranda, which would be at the service of anybody who would undertake
such a {583} work as the correction of the _Dictionary of Musicians_, or
the compilation of a more complete work. My notes indeed are not of much
importance, but it is the kind of case in which every little helps. In this
concert bill, for instance, relating to a first-rate performance, we have
five names, Grano, Dieupart, Pippo, Vebar, and Baston, which are not in the
Dictionary. As to the first, I only know him by a set of solos for a violin
or flute, which I have; of the next three, I know nothing; and of the last,
I did not know that he performed Woodcock's music, or indeed that he
performed at all, though I knew him as a composer. And in a volume now
lying before me, "XII Concertos" by Woodcock are followed by "Six Concertos
in Six Parts for Violins and Flutes, viz.: a Fifth, Sixth, and Concert
Flute: the proper Flute being nam'd to each Concerto; composed by Mr. John
Baston," and printed for Walsh. He is not, however, named either as a
composer or performer in the Dictionary. It may be said that these are
obscure persons; but that is the very reason why some slight, plain notice
of them should exist somewhere; for the history of an art is not well
written, or well understood, if there is not some easy way of learning more
or less about the obscure persons who are every now and then coming on the
stage.
To this note, may I be allowed to add a couple of Queries which perhaps
some musical reader may be able and willing to answer.
1. Who was "_Joseph_ Jackson, Batchelor in Music, late of St. John's
College, Oxford;" and did he compose anything beside six sonatas for two
violins and a violoncello, which were "printed for the widow by Thompson
and Son in St. Paul's Churchyard," I suppose (from some other "just
published" music advertised on the title-page) about a century ago?