The Life and Work of William and Philip Hayes

Abstract

William and Philip Hayes, father and son, between them occupied the Heather Chair of Music at Oxford for over half a century (1741-97). They were two of the most important provincial musicians of their age, who as composers contributed to all the main genres of the time except opera. The Hayeses' musical style reflects both a reverence for Handel (particularly in their choral works) and also an awareness of the insurgent galant idiom (clearly apparent in their sonatas). William Hayes was also active as a writer on music, publishing three substantial pamphlets between 1751 and 1768. He is perhaps best remembered today for his Remarks on Mr. Avison's Essay on Musical Expression (1753), in which he not only championed Handel against the apparent attacks of Avison, but also outlined his own musical aesthetic. The Hayeses were both ardent Handelians, and William was probably the single most active conductor of Handel's oratorios and choral works outside London during the composer's lifetime. Father and son were also important and knowledgeable collectors and copyists whose activities are well documented and whose unusually catholic tastes may be gathered from the surviving sale catalogue of their library. The fortunate survival of most of their autograph scores and many complete sets of performing parts considerably increases our knowledge of eighteenth-century performance practice. Their wide-ranging activities in all these fields are considered in two biographical chapters and six appendices. The thesis includes a complete descriptive catalogue of their works (with music incipits for instrumental items), and provides detailed consideration of their achievements in five major areas: sacred vocal music; cantatas, songs and convivial vocal music; concerti grossi and keyboard concertos; trio and accompanied sonatas; and large-scale vocal works (oratorios, odes and masques).