James Hook (composer): Difference between revisions

| birth_place = [[Norwich, England|Norwich]], England

| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1746|6|3|df=y}}

| instrument = Organ, Harpsichordharpsichord, Fortepianofortepiano

'''James ook (hook)Hook''' (3 June 1746 –– 1827) was an [[England|English]] composer and organist and a friend of [[composerJoseph Haydn]] and [[organistMuzio Clementi]].

Sometime between June 1763 and February 1764 Hook moved to [[London]].<ref name="McGairlGrove">McGairl, Grove Online</ref> There he became the [[organist]] at [[White Conduit House]], Pentonville, one of the tea gardens that were popular in 18th-century London. He worked as an organist, teacher and composer, and gained a reputation for composing vocal music. He married the artist and writer Elizabeth Jane Madden on 29 May 1766, at St. Pancras Old Church.<ref name="McGairlGrove" /> They had two sons, James (1772-18281772–1828) and Theodore Edward (1788-18411788–1841).

Hook was appointed organist and composer to [[Marylebone Gardens]] in 1768. In addition to his performances as an organist, and occasionally on the harpsichord, he was now invited to perform concertos between the main works in the theatres, and his short musical entertainments and comic operas were being produced for the [[pleasure gardens]] and in the London theaterstheatres.

He was appointed organist of St Johns Horselydown, Bermondsey, in 17721776, and frequently played concerts on newly built organs, both in London and in nearby counties, often playing his own compositions,. heHe was highly successful as a teacher of organ and harpsichord. Hook remained at Marylebone Gardens until the end of the 1773 season, and a year later was engaged in a similar position at [[Vauxhall Gardens]]. Hook had a pupil then named [[Margaret Martyr|Margaret Thornton]] and 1778 when she was singing Hook's songs in [[Vauxhall Gardens]]. She sang his songs there each summer until 1780. Thornton returned to Vauxhall as Margeret Martyr<ref name=mbio>{{Cite ODNB|title=Martyr [née Thornton], whereMargaret he(1761/2–1807), singer and actress |year=2005|url=http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-39772|language=en|doi=10.1093/ref:odnb/39772|last1=Baldwin|first1=Olive|last2=Wilson|first2=Thelma}}</ref> and Hook worked there until 1820.

On 18 October 1805 Hook's first wife, Elizabeth Jane Madden, died. A year later, on 4 November 1806, he married his second wife, Harriet Horncastle James.<ref name="AnnualRegister">''The Annual Register ... of 1806'' reports the marriage of "James Hook, esq. of Charlotte-Street, Bedford-Square, to Miss Harriet Horncastle James, daughter of Joseph J. esq."</ref> It was at this time that he produced his best work, ''Tekeli, or the Siege of Montgatz'', the life and adventure of [[Imre Thököly]].

In 1820 he unexpectedly left his position at Vauxhall, after almost a half century of service, and he died seven years later in Boulogne.

*''[[The Siege of St Quintin|The Siege of St Quintin, or Spanish Heroism]]'' (drama), 10 November 1808, Op. 122

'''Large Vocalvocal Worksworks'''

'''Chamber Musicmusic'''

'''Keyboard Sonatassonatas'''

*''Guida di musica, Second Part'', Consisting of Several Hundred Examples of Fingering … and *''Six Exercises'' … to which is added, a Short … Method of learning Thoro’Thoro' bass … (?1794), Op. 75

*{{Citation | last = Baker | first = Theodore | contribution = Hook, Ernest | year = 1992 | title = Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians, | edition = Eighth Edition | editor-last = Slonimsky | editor-first = Nicolas | volume = | page = 796 | place = New York | publisher = Schirmer Books | isbn = 0-02-872415-1}}.

* {{GroveOnline|Hook,Cite Grove James|last=McGairl, Pamela|16first=Pamela February|2010title=Hook, James}}

{{Authority control|VIAF=99759335}}

[[Category:English Classical-period composers]]