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The British Musical Biography

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BETTS.
6719:
Associate of the Philharmonic Society, and
6720:
musician in ordinary to Her Majesty. His
6721:
son, Gilbert Richard, A.R.A.M., born in
6722:
London, 1864, was a violinist and composer,
6723:
and member of the Royal Italian Opera orch-
6724:
estra. His " Song of the Western Men," for
6725:
chorus and orchestra, was produced by the
6726:
Highbury Philharmonic, March, 1890. He
6727:
has also written some songs and pieces for
6728:
violin. He was killed while descending the
6729:
Wetterhorn, September 9, 1896, by falling
6730:
through a snow bridge.
6731:
6732:
Betts, Arthur 45-L-13
Betts, Arthur, violinist and composer,
6733:
a native of Lincolnshire, born 1774 ? Studied
6734:
under Hindmarsh, Viotti, Dussek, and Stei-
6735:
belt. Was for 49 years a member of the
6736:
Royal Society of Musicians, and celebrated as
6737:
a violin connoisseur. Died in London, Sep-
6738:
tember, 1847, aged 73. His daughter was a
6739:
popular vocalist. Composed sonatas, duets
6740:
for violin and 'cello, arrangements, etc.
6741:
6742:
Betts, Edward 45-L-22
Betts, Edward, musician and writer of
6743:
18th century. He compiled " An introduc-
6744:
tion to the Skill of Musick, anthems, hymns,
6745:
and psalm tunes, in several parts," London,
6746:
1724.
6747:
6748:
Beugo, John 45-L-27
Beugo, John, musician and engraver,
6749:
born in 1759 ; died at Edinburgh in 1841.
6750:
He was a friend of Burns, the poet, whose
6751:
portrait he engraved in 1787, partly from
6752:
special sittings. He was an engraver of por-
6753:
traits and similar works in Edinburgh, and
6754:
an amateur musician. Among other works
6755:
he issued " The New Caliope, being a selection
6756:
cf British and occasionally foreign melodies,
6757:
newly arranged for the pianoforte, and en-
6758:
graved on copper, by John Beugo." Edin-
6759:
burgh, 1823-25, published in quarterly parts.
6760:
6761:
Bevan, Frederick Charles 45-L-39
Bevan, Frederick Charles, bass vocalist
6762:
and composer, born in London, July 3, 1856.
6763:
Began his career as a chorister at All Saints',
6764:
Margaret Street, London, and having a fine
6765:
voice was, at the age of eleven, chosen as
6766:
solo boy of the choir. Studied the organ
6767:
under C. E. Willing, and W. S. Hoyte, and
6768:
held, for a time, appointments at St. Martin's,
6769:
Haverstock Hill, and St. Margaret Pattens.
6770:
Sang in the Henry Leslie and Joseph Barnby
6771:
choirs, and, after studying with Schira, H.
6772:
Deacon, and P. Walker, obtained the post of
6773:
Gentleman of the Chapel Royal, Whitehall,
6774:
1877, and succeeded the late William Winn
6775:
at the Chapel Royal St. James's Palace, 1888.
6776:
Now widely known as a concert-singer, and the
6777:
composer of a number of songs — The silver path.
6778:
The sailor's sweetheart. The flight of ages, The
6779:
dream of my heart. The mighty river. Watch-
6780:
ing and waiting. My angel. The everlasting day,
6781:
and others extensively popular.
6782:
6783:
Bevin, Elway 45-L-60
Bevin, Elway, Welsh composer and or-
6784:
ganist, was born about the middle of the 16th
6785:
century [1560-70]. He studied under Tallis,
6786:
and was organist of Bristol Cathedral in 1589.

BIGGS.
6792:
Gentleman Extraordinary of the Chapel Royal
6793:
1605. Lost both places on its being discovered
6794:
that he was a Roman Catholic, 1687. He
6795:
died about 1640.
6796:
6797:
Works. — A Briefe and Short Introduction
6798:
to the Art of Musicke, to teach how to make
6799:
Discant of all Proportions that are in use:
6800:
very necessary for all such as are desirous to
6801:
attaine to knowledge in the Art ; and may,
6802:
by Practice, if they can sing, soon be able to
6803:
compose three, four, and five parts ; and also
6804:
to compose all sorts of Canons that are usuall,
6805:
by these directions, of two or three parts in
6806:
one, upon a Plain Song, 1631. A Short Ser-
6807:
vice in D minor, and Praise the Lord, anthem,
6808:
in Barnard's Collection. Other anthems exist
6809:
in manuscript. Bevin is usually credited
6810:
with having been the first in England to
6811:
systematise the rules for the composition of
6812:
canons.
6813:
6814:
Bexfield, William Richard 45-R-21
Bexfield, William Richard, composer
6815:
and organist, was born at Norwich, April 27,
6816:
1824. He studied under Dr. Zachariah Buck.
6817:
Organist of Boston Church, Lincoln, 1846.
6818:
Mus. Bac, Oxon., 1846. Unsuccessful candi-
6819:
date for the Music Professorship of Oxford
6820:
University. Organist of St. Helen's Church,
6821:
Bishopsgate Street, London, 1848. Mus. Doc,
6822:
Cantab., 1849. He died at Loudon, October
6823:
29, 1853.
6824:
6825:
Works. — Israel Restored, oratorio, pro-
6826:
duced, Norwich, October 16, 1851 ; and at the
6827:
Norwich Festival, September 22, 1852 ; repro-
6828:
duced. Royal Albert Hall, London, i\.pril 15,
6829:
1880. Church Anthems, in score, with por-
6830:
trait, London, [1849]. A set of concert fu-
6831:
gues for the organ, Loudon, [1845-1846.]
6832:
Musica di camera [1848] . Eight Chorales
6833:
for voices and organ [1845-1847 ?]. Six songs
6834:
[1847], part-songs, etc.
6835:
6836:
Bickham, George 45-R-41
Bickham, George, engraver and penman,
6837:
flourished in the first part of the 18th century.
6838:
He engraved " The Musical Entertainer,"
6839:
London, 2 vols. [c. 1737], a collection of songs
6840:
of some value. He died in 1769.
6841:
6842:
Bicknell, John Laurence 45-R-46
Bicknell, John Laurence, writer and
6843:
barrister-at-law, was born in 1740, and died
6844:
March 27, 1787. He wrote a poem called
6845:
" The dying negro," and is the reputed author
6846:
of " Musical travels through England, by
6847:
Joel Collier, Licentiate in Music." London,
6848:
1774 (various editions). In 1818 appeared
6849:
" Redivivus, an entirely new edition of that
6850:
celebrated author's Musical Travels." The
6851:
work is a satire on Burney, and is an amusing
6852:
production now getting very scarce. It has
6853:
also been ascribed to Peter Beckford, a writer
6854:
on musical and other subjects.
6855:
6856:
Biggs, Edward Smith 45-R-59
Biggs, Edward Smith, glee composer
6857:
and pianist, was born during the latter half of
6858:
the 18th century, and died about 1820. He
6859:
was a teacher of music in London.
6860:
6861:
Works. — Six duets and three trios, London,


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