The standard of congregational singing in mid-eighteenth-century parish
churches was often in a parlous state, a situation viewed with alarm by
many influential clergy and social commentators. In this authoritative
study, Maggie Kilbey explores attempts to improve parochial music-making
over the following century and the factors that played a part in their
success or failure. Using Hertfordshire as a basis, original research by
this respected author and historian uses a wide range of documentary
evidence to reveal a complicated picture of influence and interaction
between the gentry, clergymen, and their parishioners. Her innovative
approach to the social history of church music-making sheds light on
interactions between militia and church bands, singers, organists, the
role of charity school children, and the use of barrel organs. Because
of its proximity to London, Hertfordshire was particularly attractive to
elites with an interest in the capital, and fell under the influence of
metropolitan music-making more readily than less accessible parts of
England. The involvement of both fashion-conscious and socially aware
gentry was mirrored by those further down the social scale, and formed
part of a complex pattern of support for church music-making.
Unsurprisingly, this support was not universal, and often short-lived
once initial enthusiasm or funding ran out. Consequently, although many
attempts were made to 'improve' music-making in parish churches, sooner
or later these were considered to be failures, swiftly forgotten--and
then tried again. To make matters worse, church rate disputes hampered
efforts to improve or sustain parish music-making during the nineteenth
century, resulting in financial hardship for organists and other church
musicians. Yet this was followed by an 1850s 'singing craze' which led
to the formation of many church choirs, alterations to the church
fabric, and installation of organs. This investigation into patterns of
parochial music-making will appeal to both those with an interest in the
history of music-making, and also those with a general interest in the
social history of Hertfordshire.
