23
history of music; he was industrious in putting into score the works of Italian masters; he adapted their motetts with great skill to English words; there are found in his handwriting four books of madrigals of the Prencipe di Venosa. To understand the merit of all this, we must turn to Purcell, who about this time was labouring at the same end. Purcell is said to have caught his enthusiasm from an Italian band of Mary of Modena's; but he had long studied the works of Carissimi, Colonna, and above all, Stradella; and under their influence he originated a reaction against the light and immoral French music of the Court of Charles II, and an introduction of what Hawkins calls a more elegant and pathetic melody than had before been known in England; or in Purcell's own words, 'To bring the seriousness and gravity of these masters into vogue among our countrymen, whose humour 'tis time should begin to loathe the levity and balladry of our neighbours.' Aldrich was well placed to carry out this change, for Oxford, let us ever remember, was the musical heart of England, the sole asylum to which music could fly from the wars and tumults of the Rebellion. Here sprang into life the weekly meetings at the house of Mr, Ellis, opposite the Theatre, the first voluntary concerts in England.
Aldrich's anthems are still sung, but perhaps better known are his catches. Two of these are in the Pleasant Musical Companion, 'Hark the bonny Christ Church bells!' and ' A Smoaking Catch.' Aldrich had taken part in the great festival on May 29, 1684, when Tom first rang out of his new tower, to which he had been brought from the steeple of the cathedral, and left behind him the six old bells from Osney—Douce,
