Boyce William, baptised 11 September 1711 London, †7 February 1779 Kensington (London), English organist, composer and music publisher. As a boy, he trained as a chorister at the choir school at St Paul’s Cathedral in London, which was run by Ch. King; he learned to play the organ from M. Green, the cathedral organist, and thanks to J.Ch. Pepusch, he became interested in early music. Between 1734 and 1768 (with short breaks), he was organist at various London churches, including Oxford Chapel, St Michael’s and All Hallows. In 1736, he became composer to the Chapel Royal, and from 1737 he was conductor of the Three Choirs Festival (choirs from Worcester, Gloucester and Hereford). In 1749, he received a Doctor of Music degree from the University of Cambridge. At the same time, he began composing music for plays staged at Drury Lane Theatre, Vauxhall Gardens and Ranelagh Gardens. In 1755, he took over from Greene as Master of the King’s Band of Musick and conductor of the Annual Festival of the Sons of the Clergy at St Paul’s Cathedral. Boyce’s work with the royal ensembles was reflected in his compositional output, which included numerous occasional pieces for court ceremonies. Boyce’s progressive deafness meant that from 1769 onwards he began to withdraw from his positions.
Boyce is one of the leading English composers of the 18th century. The main focus of his work is vocal sacred music, including anthems, rooted in the English musical tradition (Purcell), which were particularly popular. His overtures and stage works were also highly regarded. Contemporary music historians Ch. Burney and J. Hawkins provide interesting opinions on Boyce’s work and personality. Boyce gained a lasting historical position outside his country thanks to the publication of Cathedral Music…, which contributed to the popularisation of English church music from centuries past (Blow, Byrd, Purcell and others).
Literature: Ch. Cudworth Boyce and Arne, “Music and Letters” XLI, 1960; S.J. Sadie The Chamber Music of Boyce and Arne, “The Musical Quarterly” XLVI, 1960; G. Beechey Memoirs of Dr William Boyce, “The Musical Quarterly” LVII, 1971; R.J. Bruce William Boyce. Some Manuscript Recoveries, “Music and Letters” LV, 1974; H.D. Johnstone The Genesis of Boyce’s “Cathedral Music”, “Music and Letters” LVI, 1975; I. Bartlett Boyce and Early English Oratorio, “The Musical Times” CXX, 1979.
Compositions (all published in London):
Instrumental:
Twelve Sonatas for Two Violins with a Bass for the Violoncello or Harpsicord 1747
Eight Symphonys in Eight Parts Op. 2, ca. 1760
Twelve Ooertures in Seven, Nine, Ten and Twelve Parts 1770
Ten Voluntaries for the Organ or Harpsichord, ca. 1785
concerti grossi in manuscripts
Vocal:
sacred:
Fifteen Anthems, Together with a Te Deum, and Jubilate… 1780
A Collection of Anthems and a Short Seroice… 1790
secular:
serenada Solomon 1743
Lyra Britannica… Being a Collection of Songs, Duets and Cantatas, on Various Subjects, 6 vols., ca. 1745–55
numerous odes and songs (manuscripts, occasional prints)
Stage:
Peleus and Thetis, masque staged in London 1747
Lethe or Esop in the Shades, farce staged in London 1749
The Chaplet. A Musical Entertainment…, n.d.
Published collections:
Cathedral Music, Being a Collection in Score of the Most Valuable and Useful Compositions for that Service, by the Several English Masters of the Last Two Hundred Years… selected and revis’d by Dr. W. Boyce, 3 vols., London 1760–73, 2nd edition ca. 1788, new edition ed. J. Warren, 1849
The Original Songs, Airs and Chorusses, which were Introduced in the Tragedy of Macbeth, in Score, Composed by M. Locke, revised by Dr Boyce, London 1770
Editions:
8 Symphonien, ed. C. Lampert, Londyn 1928, revised edition Ch. Cudworth, London 1965, also ed. M. Gobermann, Vienna 1964
overtures, ed. G. Finzi, «Music Britannica» XIII, London 1957
individual trio sonatas from the collection Twelve Sonatas… edited by: M. Seiffert (Leipzig 1928), H. Murrill (London 1939, 1951) and S.J. Sadie (London 1968)
12 Voluntaries (including with M. Greene), ed. P. Williams, New York 1969
2 anthems, ed. J.R. van Nice, in «Recent Researches in the Music of the Baroque Era» VII-VIII, Madison 1970
