The British Musical Biography

[E] Smith, Robert Archibald, composer,
born at Reading, Berks., November 16, 1780.
Son of Robert Smith, silk weaver, a native
of East Kilbride, who settled at Reading in
1774, during a heavy depression of trade in
Paisley. He very early gave indications of
his possession of musical ability, but was
apprenticed to the weaving trade, which he
followed in Reading, and in Paisley, from
1800, where he became intimate with Tanna-
hill, Motherwell, etc. He married Mary
MacNicol in 1802. Teacher of music, and
precentor in the Abbey Church, Paisley,
1807. Musical director of S. George's, Edin-
burgh, August, 1823. He died at Edinburgh,
January 3, 1829, and is buried in S. Cuth-
bert's churchyard.

[W] Works. — The Scotish Minstrel, a selec-
tion from the vocal melodies of Scotland,
ancient and modern, arranged for the piano-
forte, Edinburgh [c. 1821-24], 6 vols. The
Irish minstrel, a selection from the vocal
melodies of Ireland, ancient and modern,
Edinburgh, n.d. [1825]. Flowers of Scottish
Song, Glasgow, n.d. Select INIelodies, with
appropriate words, chiefly original, collected
and arranged with symphonies and accom-
paniments for the pianoforte, Edinburgh,
n.d. [1827.] Devotional Music, original and
selected, arranged mostly in four parts, with
a Thorough- bass for the Organ or Pianoforte,
1810 ; New edition by John Turnbull, Glas-
gow, n.d. Anthems in four vocal parts, with
an accompaniment for the Organ or Piano-
forte 1819. Sacred Harmony, for the
use of S. George's Church, Edinburgh, being
a collection of Psalm and Hymn tunes

[+] Edinburgh [1820] (with Rev. A. Thomson) ;
other editions, and a modern one edited by
Jas. S. Geikie, Edinburgh, n.d. Sacred
Music, consisting of the tunes, sanctuses,
doxologies, thanksgivings, etc., sung in St.
George's, Church, Edinburgh, Edinburgh,
1825. Edinburgh Sacred Harmony for the
use of churches and families, arranged for
four voices, Edinburgh, 1829, 2 vols. The
Sacred Harmony of the Church of Scotland,.
n.d. [1828] . Sonr/s : Jessie, the Flow'r o'
Dunblane (1808); Bonnie Mary Hay;
wha's at the window?; The lasso' Arran-
teenie ; The Harper of Mull ; Loudon's
bonnie woods and braes ; On wi' the tartan ;
Maid of the sea ; Highlander's farewell ;
The willow. Duets : Row weel, my boatie,
row weel; etc. Psalm tunes: Morven, St.
Mirren, Invocation, St. Lawrence, Kelburn,
Selma, Paisley Abbey, and many others, all
published in his collections. Anthems: How
beautiful upon the mountains ; The earth is
the Lord's ; etc. An Introduction to Singing,
comprising various examples, with scales,
exercises, and songs, etc., Edinburgh [1826].

[+] Smith was one of the best musicians whom
Scotland produced in the first part of this
century. His works are now as much used
as ever they were, and his songs and psalms
are in constant use in Scotland. lie com-
posed many fine Scottish melodies, and did
not scruple occasionally to pass a number of
them off as antiques. He performed on the
viola and violoncello, and played the former
instrument at the Glasgow Musical Festival
of 1821. His violoncello, together with some
manuscripts, is preserved in the Public
Museum of Paisley.

entry id: 381-R-17