SATURDAY 13th JUNE 2026
Acton Round Church, ACTON ROUND 12 noon
LUNCHTIME CONCERT
DR CHARLES BURNEY
Acton Round Church, ACTON ROUND 12 noon
LUNCHTIME CONCERT
DR CHARLES BURNEY
DR CHARLES BURNEY was an English music historian, composer and musician. He was the father of the writers Frances Burney and Sarah Burney, of the explorer James Burney, and of Charles Burney, a classicist and book donor to the British Museum. He was a close friend and supporter of Joseph Haydn and other composers.
Charles Burney was born at Raven Street, Shrewsbury, the fourth of six children of James Macburney, a musician, dancer and portrait painter, and his second wife Ann (née Cooper). In childhood he and a brother Richard were for unknown reasons sent to the care of a "Nurse Ball" at nearby Condover, where they lived until 1739. He began formal education at Shrewsbury School in 1737 and was later sent in 1739 to The King's School, Chester, where his father then lived and worked. His first music master was a Mr Baker, the cathedral organist, and a pupil of John Blow. Returning to Shrewsbury at the age of 15, Burney continued his musical studies for three years under his half-brother, James Burney, organist of St Mary's Church, and was then sent to London as a pupil of Thomas Arne for three years.
Charles Burney was born at Raven Street, Shrewsbury, the fourth of six children of James Macburney, a musician, dancer and portrait painter, and his second wife Ann (née Cooper). In childhood he and a brother Richard were for unknown reasons sent to the care of a "Nurse Ball" at nearby Condover, where they lived until 1739. He began formal education at Shrewsbury School in 1737 and was later sent in 1739 to The King's School, Chester, where his father then lived and worked. His first music master was a Mr Baker, the cathedral organist, and a pupil of John Blow. Returning to Shrewsbury at the age of 15, Burney continued his musical studies for three years under his half-brother, James Burney, organist of St Mary's Church, and was then sent to London as a pupil of Thomas Arne for three years.
SATURDAY 13th JUNE 2026
St Mary's Church, East Castle St., Bridgnorth. 7.30pm
EVENING CONCERT
THE ENGLISH HAYDN ORCHESTRA on period instruments
Conductor: STEVEN DEVINE
St Mary's Church, East Castle St., Bridgnorth. 7.30pm
EVENING CONCERT
THE ENGLISH HAYDN ORCHESTRA on period instruments
Conductor: STEVEN DEVINE
BOCCERINI (1743-1805) was born into a musical family in Lucca, Italy. He was the third child of Leopoldo Boccherini, a cellist and double-bass player, and the brother of Giovanni Gastone Boccherini, a poet and dancer who wrote libretti for Antonio Salieri and Joseph Haydn. Luigi received his first music lessons at the age of five by his father, who taught him cello, and then continued his studies at the age of nine with Abbé Vanucci, music director of a local cathedral, at San Martino. When his son reached thirteen, Leopoldo Boccherini sent him to study in Rome with Giovanni Battista Costanzi. In 1757 Luigi and his father both went to Vienna, where the court employed them as musicians in the Burgtheater.
In 1768 Boccherini went to Madrid, entering in 1770 the employment of Infante Luis Antonio of Spain, the younger brother of King Charles III of Spain. There, Boccherini flourished under royal patronage, Later patrons included the French ambassador to Spain, Lucien Bonaparte, as well as King Friedrich Wilhelm II of Prussia, himself an amateur cellist, flutist, and avid supporter of the arts.
Much of Boccherini's chamber music follows models established by Joseph Haydn; however, Boccherini is often credited with improving Haydn's model of the string quartet by bringing the cello to prominence, whereas Haydn had frequently relegated it to an accompaniment role.
In 1768 Boccherini went to Madrid, entering in 1770 the employment of Infante Luis Antonio of Spain, the younger brother of King Charles III of Spain. There, Boccherini flourished under royal patronage, Later patrons included the French ambassador to Spain, Lucien Bonaparte, as well as King Friedrich Wilhelm II of Prussia, himself an amateur cellist, flutist, and avid supporter of the arts.
Much of Boccherini's chamber music follows models established by Joseph Haydn; however, Boccherini is often credited with improving Haydn's model of the string quartet by bringing the cello to prominence, whereas Haydn had frequently relegated it to an accompaniment role.