Richard Edgcumbe in Westminster Abbey - 1834

from Musical Reminiscences: Containing an Account of Italian Opera in England, From 1773. The Fourth Edition, Continued to the Present Time, and Including The Festival in Westminster Abbey., pages 281-2:

There being no good counter-tenor, the song “He was despised,” which is generally given to that voice, was assigned to a female contralto, a Miss Masson, who sung it correctly, but without feeling. As it is within the compass of a tenor, Harrison, Knyvett, and others, having sung it, Braham might have taken it, and would have given it all its deeply pathetic expression, which was totally lost. Miss Masson having just before sung “He shall feed his flock,” a simple quiet air, more suited to her powers, need not have had this also allotted to her.

cite as

Richard Edgcumbe, Musical Reminiscences: Containing an Account of Italian Opera in England, From 1773. The Fourth Edition, Continued to the Present Time, and Including The Festival in Westminster Abbey. (London, 1834), p. 281-2. https://led.kmi.open.ac.uk/entity/lexp/1448990999695 accessed: 3 December, 2024

location of experience: Westminster Abbey

Listeners

Richard Edgcumbe
Amateur Actor, Amateur Musician, Politician, Writer
1764-1839

Listening to

hide composers
He was despised
written by George Frideric Handel
performed by Miss Masson

Experience Information

Date/Time 1834
Medium live
Listening Environment in the company of others, indoors, in public

Originally submitted by Gorwel Owen on Tue, 01 Dec 2015 17:29:59 +0000
Approved on Sat, 22 Oct 2016 11:32:28 +0100