WEDNESDAY 10th JUNE 2026
St Mary's Church, East Castle St, Bridgnorth. 12.30pm
BRIDGNORTH
LUNCHTIME CONCERT
A CONCERT OF MUSIC & SONGS ILLUSTRATING THE CREATIVE WORKS OF WOMEN IN THE 18TH/19TH CENTURY
St Mary's Church, East Castle St, Bridgnorth. 12.30pm
BRIDGNORTH
LUNCHTIME CONCERT
A CONCERT OF MUSIC & SONGS ILLUSTRATING THE CREATIVE WORKS OF WOMEN IN THE 18TH/19TH CENTURY
Anne Hunter born in March 1742 in Waterford, Ireland, was the eldest daughter of the military surgeon Robert Byrne Home and his wife Mary Hutchinson. Anne married the eminent surgeon, John Hunter in July 1771 and they had four children, two of whom died in infancy. As a young woman she had gained some note as a lyrical poet, her "Flower of the Forest" appearing in an Edinburgh periodical, in 1765. Thirty-two years later she wrote "Sports of the Genii" to a set of graceful drawings by Susan Macdonald eldest daughter of Lord-chief-baron Macdonald; these display humour and fancy. She published a volume of poems in 1802 which ran to a second edition the following year.
Joseph Haydn set a number of her songs to music, including "My Mother bids me bind my Hair," originally written to an air of Pleyel's. Her relationship with Haydn is ambiguous, though at the time of his visit she was a widow. Songs by Haydn on her texts include 'The Mermaid's Song', 'Fidelity', 'Pleasing Pain', and 'The Spirit's Song' and a libretto for 'The Creation', which was based on John Milton's Paradise Lost.
Anne began to publish her poetry anonymously in the 1790s, and later published two collections, ‘Poems’ (1802) which can be found at the Royal College of Surgeons of England and ‘The Sports of the Genii’ (1804), where the author is named as Mrs. John Hunter. During this period Anne also wrote an alternative libretto for Haydn’s ‘Creation’, which covers hefty themes such as the meaning of life and the purpose of humankind and depicts an attempt to render the sublime in music. The libretto is based on Milton’s Paradise Lost and it also includes some verses from The Book of Genesis. The manuscript copies of the libretto are in the Archives of the Royal College of Surgeons of England. They can be found at MS0014/17. The volume contains six manuscript pages, two letters, and nine pages of the libretto in typescript. The manuscripts were presented to the College in 1923 by Miss Hunter Baillie.
Anne Hunter died on 7 January 1821, aged 79. She lives on today arguably more in Haydn’s songs than in anthologies of poetry. Sadly there is no evidence that Haydn ever saw the version of his Creation, written by Anne.
On 15 September 1993, Anne’s version of The Creation had its first performance at The Royal Festival Hall in London, at a concert commemorating the bicentenary of John Hunter’s death. A cassette of this performance and a souvenir programme can be found in the Archives.
Extracts from Emily Blakey's research article 'A brief study of Anne Hunter and her collaboration with Joseph Haydn'. Royal College of Surgeons of England.
Joseph Haydn set a number of her songs to music, including "My Mother bids me bind my Hair," originally written to an air of Pleyel's. Her relationship with Haydn is ambiguous, though at the time of his visit she was a widow. Songs by Haydn on her texts include 'The Mermaid's Song', 'Fidelity', 'Pleasing Pain', and 'The Spirit's Song' and a libretto for 'The Creation', which was based on John Milton's Paradise Lost.
Anne began to publish her poetry anonymously in the 1790s, and later published two collections, ‘Poems’ (1802) which can be found at the Royal College of Surgeons of England and ‘The Sports of the Genii’ (1804), where the author is named as Mrs. John Hunter. During this period Anne also wrote an alternative libretto for Haydn’s ‘Creation’, which covers hefty themes such as the meaning of life and the purpose of humankind and depicts an attempt to render the sublime in music. The libretto is based on Milton’s Paradise Lost and it also includes some verses from The Book of Genesis. The manuscript copies of the libretto are in the Archives of the Royal College of Surgeons of England. They can be found at MS0014/17. The volume contains six manuscript pages, two letters, and nine pages of the libretto in typescript. The manuscripts were presented to the College in 1923 by Miss Hunter Baillie.
Anne Hunter died on 7 January 1821, aged 79. She lives on today arguably more in Haydn’s songs than in anthologies of poetry. Sadly there is no evidence that Haydn ever saw the version of his Creation, written by Anne.
On 15 September 1993, Anne’s version of The Creation had its first performance at The Royal Festival Hall in London, at a concert commemorating the bicentenary of John Hunter’s death. A cassette of this performance and a souvenir programme can be found in the Archives.
Extracts from Emily Blakey's research article 'A brief study of Anne Hunter and her collaboration with Joseph Haydn'. Royal College of Surgeons of England.
Jane Austen Musical scenes not only gave Jane scope to develop plot and character. They also evoke gendered themes that sparked fierce debates in her time. Music figured among the genteel occupations often called ‘accomplishments’ in the period’s abundant literature on women’s conduct. The prominence of 18th-century debates on the accomplishments means it can be tempting to reproduce their terms, for example by considering music as a polite but trivial pastime, or as a mode of attracting a suitor. But Austen’s musical world was richer than a narrow focus on the accomplishments suggests. Letters and family memoirs show that alongside her work as a writer she played, sang, and copied music throughout her life. She attended balls, assemblies, concerts and musical theatre, experiencing the explosion of public musical entertainment Georgian England had to offer. Extracts from Professor Jeanice Brooks, University of Southampton: Jane Austen's Music: the world at home
Georgiana Cavendish, the Duchess of Devonshire, was an English aristocrat, socialite, political organiser, author, and activist. Born into the Spencer family, she was the first wife of William Cavendish, 5th Duke of Devonshire. The Duchess was famous for her charisma, political influence, beauty, unusual marital arrangement, love affairs, socializing, and notoriety for her gambling addiction, leading to an immense debt. She was the great-great-great-grandaunt of Diana, Princess of Wales.
The first of Georgiana's published literary works was Emma; Or, The Unfortunate Attachment: A Sentimental Novel written in 1773. She was among a few women whose work exemplified English theatre and popular songs of the late-eighteenth century, along with Harriet Abrams.
The Duchess had a small laboratory where she conducted chemistry experiments and studied geology, natural history; she was most passionate for mineralogy. In addition to her scientific curiosity, Georgiana wanted to contribute to her children's education. Her interest in science arose in part because she was related through marriage to the pneumatic chemist Henry Cavendish whose lab she visited in Clapham. The Duchess frequently engaged in scientific discussions with prominent figures of the era. Wikipedia
The first of Georgiana's published literary works was Emma; Or, The Unfortunate Attachment: A Sentimental Novel written in 1773. She was among a few women whose work exemplified English theatre and popular songs of the late-eighteenth century, along with Harriet Abrams.
The Duchess had a small laboratory where she conducted chemistry experiments and studied geology, natural history; she was most passionate for mineralogy. In addition to her scientific curiosity, Georgiana wanted to contribute to her children's education. Her interest in science arose in part because she was related through marriage to the pneumatic chemist Henry Cavendish whose lab she visited in Clapham. The Duchess frequently engaged in scientific discussions with prominent figures of the era. Wikipedia
WEDNESDAY 10th 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
JOHANN CHRISTIAN BACH. Born in Leipzig, Johann became Music Master to Queen Charlotte, putting him right at the centre of London society and music-making, and justifying historical references to him as ‘the London Bach’. He played a significant role in shaping the musical landscape of the 18th century.
JOSEPH HAYDN'S concerto for Trumpet in E flat was a ground-breaking addition to the trumpet repertoire, written for Anton Weidinger, who had invented a new kind of trumpet with five keys. The concerto has three movements, and uses many of the popular musical conventions of the time, including balance and symmetry. The Finale, which, like much of Haydn's music, is peppered with good humour and fun!
JOSEPH HAYDN'S concerto for Trumpet in E flat was a ground-breaking addition to the trumpet repertoire, written for Anton Weidinger, who had invented a new kind of trumpet with five keys. The concerto has three movements, and uses many of the popular musical conventions of the time, including balance and symmetry. The Finale, which, like much of Haydn's music, is peppered with good humour and fun!