A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Glee Club, The

GLEE CLUB, THE. This club originated in some meetings at the house of Mr. Robert Smith in St. Paul's Churchyard, commenced in 1783, at which motets, madrigals, glees, canons, and catches, were sung after dinner. The meetings were subsequently held at Dr. Beever's and other houses until, in 1787, it was resolved to establish a society to be called 'The Glee Club,' the first public meeting of which took place at the Newcastle Coffee House on Saturday, Dec. 22, 1787. The original members were, R. Smith, Dr. Arnold, Dr. Beever, Rev. J. Hinckes, T. S. (afterwards Dr.) Dupuis, J. Roberts, J. Heseltine, T. Aylward, C. Wright. T. Gregory, H. Desdier, L. Atterbury, and T. Linley. The professional members were, S. Webbe, J. Dyne, P. Hobler, J. W. (afterwards Dr.) Callcott, J. Hindle, J. Bartleman, S. Webbe, jun., and S. Harrison. In 1788 the Club removed to the Freemasons' Tavern, thence to the Crown and Anchor until Feb. 1790, when it returned to the Freemasons' Tavern, but removed once more, on July 6, 1791, to the Crown and Anchor, and again returned to the Freemasons' Tavern. In 1790 Mr. S. Webbe composed for the Club his 'Glorious Apollo,' which was ever after sung at the meetings as the opening glee, while Byrd's canon 'Non Nobis' was sung immediately after dinner, often followed by Dr. Cooke's canon 'Amen.' After 'Glorious Apollo' (first sung with three voices to a part and then full) the chairman, vice-chairman, conductor, sub-conductor, and secretary, each named a glee, and then the members according to seniority. Among the eminent visitors who have contributed to the music of the meetings were Samuel Wesley (who played Bach's fugues upon the pianoforte, or an extemporaneous effusion on some conspicuous passage in a glee recently sung), Moscheles, and Mendelssohn. The Club was dissolved in 1857 and the Library sold. The Club must be distinguished from another Glee Club formed in 1793, the original members of which were Shield, Johnstone, Charles Bannister, Incledon, Dignum, C. Ashley, and W. T. Parke, the last of whom ('Musical Memoirs,' ii. 175) states that 'it was held on Sunday evenings at the Garrick's Head Coffee House in Bow Street, Covent Garden, once a fortnight, when we amused ourselves by singing the works of the old and modern masters, after which we sat down to supper.'

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