| Share page | Visit Us On FB |
|
FAMOUS SONGS
in the second edition of a well-known song book during Mallet's life-time with Thomson's initials, and apparently Mallet made no stir.
David Mallet earned much notoriety as a purloiner of other people's wares, and his im-posture with regard to " Margaret's Ghost" is -ancient history to students of old ballads and Percy's " Reliques." I will give an extract from a contribution by the talented author of " Popular Music of the Olden Time" to " Notes and Queries," November 20th, 1886. "I will now refer to 'Alfred.' It was performed a a second time at Cliefden House, with great success, and soon ' Rule Britannia' became a national song. In 1745 'Alfred' was altered into an opera by Dr. Arne, the principal vocal parts being taken by Mrs. Arne, Miss Young, Mrs. Sybilla, and Mr. Lowe, at Covent Garden (this was for the benefit of Mrs. Arne), and turned into a musical drama at Drury Lane, both in the same year. In 1748 James Thomson, the poet, died from fever, and that suggested to Mallet the idea of robbing his friend and fellow-countryman (they were both Scottish) of his share of the credit he had gained by the triple production of 'Alfred,' and especially by the ode; but Dr. Arne, who outlived Thomson and Mallet till 1788, stood always in Mallet's way.
207 |
||