The music for unaccompanied flute by John Townsend in the manuscript volumes of the Hitchcock Collection

The flutist and composer John Townsend was the subject of a perhaps surprisingly extensive biography and works list in the Dictionary of musicians from the earliest ages to the present, published London, 1824, second edition, 1827. According to the Dictionary¹ , Townsend was born in Yorkshire (no date of birth given), and moved to Liverpool while still young, where he studied flute with Müller and later George Ware. Later he established himself in Manchester. He died at Lytham in 1864.

Works list (adapted from that found in the Dictionary) :

Flute works:

• New and complete Flute Preceptor;
• The Tank, with ten Variations, as a Duet for two Flutes;
• Life let us cherish, with six Variations, Solo for the Flute;
• Auld lang syne, with five Variations, Solo for the Flute;
• Copenhagen Waltz, with six Variations, Solo for the Flute;
• Fantasia for the Flute;
• The Watch Waltz, with six Variations for the Flute;
• Pot-Pourri for the Flute; in which is introduced the favourite Airs of the Blue Bells, My Lodging, and the Sprig of Shillelagh," dedicated to his pupils;
• Two Concertante Duets, for the Use of Amateurs, two Flutes
• Introduction and Bishop's Air 'Bid me discourse,' for the Flute, No. 1
• Introduction and Bishop's Air 'Home, sweet home,' with Variations for the Flute, No. 2
• The Carnival of Venice, arranged as a Rondo for the Flute
• Fal lal la, with eight Variations, for the Flute and Piano-forte

Vocal works (?)

• Twenty-one favourite easy Duets;
• Madame Saqui's three favourite Dances, as Duets;
• Forgive and Forget, song;
• Come, take the harp, song;
• Absent Matilda, song;
• You say you love, song
• The Bells of St. Andrew's Tower, song
• Love in the Burn," song

Piano works:

• The Bird Rondo, for the Piano-forte,
• Something and Any thing, for the Piano-forte;
• The Blue Bells, with ten Variations, for the Piano-forte;
• The Nightingale Rondo, for Pianoforte

Dances:

• Cornwallis Quadrilles;
• Twenty-four new Country Dances, for the Flute, Violin, Clarionet, or Flageolet
• Les Soirees d'Hiver
• First Set of Quadrilles, with proper Figures

Harmonicon Tutor

Of the items in the works list virtually all seem to have vanished since the Dictionary was published. Life let us cherish, published in Manchester ca. 1840 (under the general series title "National melodies, with variations as solos for the flute") is held at the library of Yale University. The Copenhagen Waltz (which is no. 3 in the "National Melodies" series, is held at the library of the University of New Hampshire, as is the Fa lal la Variations (both miscataloged as being by F. Townsend, rather than J. Townsend. Another volume in the set (tune not identified in the catalogue), dated 1820, is held at the University of St. Andrew's. A work for solo flute which seems to form part of the series begun with the Introduction and Bishop's Air, for which nos. 1 and 2 appear in the Dictionary's work list is also held at Yale (Introduction and Henry R. Bishop's air, "Should he upbraid"). Yale also holds a Fantasia for the flute, in which are introduced the favorite Venetian air of Bonna notte, and Sonnez sonnes, from Boieldieu's celebrated opera La dame blanche, published, London: Wheatstone, ca. 1810. Finally, Alexanders' Complete Preceptor for the Flute, 2nd edition, contains among the practice material an Arietta con variazioni for flute duet (including 7 variations), followed by a set of 21 Preludes in the Most Useful Major and Minor Keys, both ascribed to I. Townsend (most likely our John Townsend).

In addition to these published works, the manuscript volumes of the Hitchcock Collection², held at Florida State University, transmit eight surviving works for unaccompanied flute by Townsend. The first six of these (those from the volumes HC 245 and 246) are all embellished versions of traditional Scottish melodies, the sort of melody that would be known as a "slow air", not intended for dancing³. Such embellished airs form a substantial part of the flute publications of Charles Nicholson (a contemporary of Townsend), as found in the published collection of Nicholson's Beauties (London: Fentum), and which are also very present in the Hitchcock manuscript volumes. The "Allegro" (HC 247, p. 246 ff) is actually a Scottish tune as well, in this case a jig known by the title Kenmure's on an' awa Willie. Finally, and typically of the period, we find an arrangement of material from Rossini's Barber of Seville (premiered in Rome in 1816, with the American premiere in 1825) – the famous trio, Zitti zitti, set as a rondo for unaccompanied flute (HC 247, pp. 278 ff).

Works in MS Collections at Hitchcock:

HC 245

• p. 4 The Yellow Haired Laddie Em. By Townsend
• p. 64 Here's a Health by Townsend
• p. 65 The Land of the Leal Townsend
• p. 175 Gin a Body Meet a Body Townsend
• p. 176 Thro' Many a Wood Townsend

HC 246

HC 247

• 246 Allegro Townsend
• 278 Zitti Zitti Rossini arr. by Townsend

Download notes on the individual tunes in PDF format.

Notes:

1. http://books.google.com/books

2. http://www.music.fsu.edu/Quicklinks/Music-Library/Special-Collections/Personal-Collections/Ethan-Allen-Hitchcock-Flute-Music-Collection

3. http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/scotlandssongs/about/tunes/slowairs/index.asp

Tom Moore is a journalist, musician, and translator living in Rio de Janeiro. He has recorded Telemann for Lyrichord (USA) and Boismortier for A Casa Discos (Brazil). He writes about music for BrazilMax, Musica Brasileira, 21st Century Music, Opera Today, Flute Talk, Sonograma, Early Music America, and other venues.