John Crosdill
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John Crosdill (1751–1825) was an English musician, cellist and
viol The viola da gamba (), or viol, or informally gamba, is a bowed and fretted string instrument that is played (i.e. "on the leg"). It is distinct from the later violin family, violin, or ; and it is any one of the earlier viol family of bow (m ...
ist.


Biography

Crosdill was born in London, England and was the son of violoncellist Richard Crosdill (1698–1790) with whom he is sometimes confused. John Crosdill, along with
James Cervetto James Cervetto (8 January 1748 – 5 February 1837) was an English cellist, playing in aristocratic venues and in important concerts of the day. He was the soloist for the premiere of Haydn’s Cello Concerto No. 2 (Haydn), second cello concerto. ...
(1747–1837), son of Italian émigré
Giacobbe Cervetto Giacobbe Basevi, known as Giacobbe Cervetto (1682 – 14 January 1783)Speare, Marija Đurić (2001)"Cervetto, Giacobbe Basevi" ''New Grove Dictionary of Musicians''. Retrieved 11 September 2018 (subscription required for full access). was an Anglo ...
(1682–1783), was one of the most visible cellists in London during the 1770s and 1780s. Crosdill was a skilled performer but not a strong composer. He played concertos, concertinas, continuo sonatas and chamber music; both solos and orchestral parts. Crosdill's musical training began when, at a young age, he became a chorister at
Westminster Abbey Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, is an Anglican church in the City of Westminster, London, England. Since 1066, it has been the location of the coronations of 40 English and British m ...
under the direction of John Robinson and
Benjamin Cooke Benjamin Cooke (1734 – 14 September 1793) was an United Kingdom, English composer, organist and teacher. Cooke was born in London and named after his father, also Benjamin Cooke (publisher), Benjamin Cooke (1695/1705 – 1743), a music publ ...
. He later took up violoncello under his father's tutelage.


Musical career

Crosdill made his first public appearance as a violoncellist at age nine when Emanuel Siprutini (1730–1790), his probable teacher, presented him in a duo. He was accepted into the
Royal Society of Musicians The Royal Society of Musicians of Great Britain is a Charitable organization, charity in the United Kingdom that supports musicians. It is the oldest music-related charity in Great Britain, founded in 1738 as the ''Fund for Decay'd Musicians'' by a ...
in 1768, at the age of seventeen. In the spring of 1775, Crosdill played at the King's Theatre in the oratorios sponsored by
Johann Christian Bach Johann Christian Bach (5 September 1735 – 1 January 1782) was a German composer of the Classical era, the youngest son of Johann Sebastian Bach. He received his early musical training from his father, and later from his half-brother, Carl ...
(1735–1782). He subsequently played for the oratorios at
Covent Garden Covent Garden is a district in London, on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit-and-vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist sit ...
in 1777 and at
Drury Lane Drury Lane is a street on the boundary between the Covent Garden and Holborn areas of London, running between Aldwych and High Holborn. The northern part is in the borough of London Borough of Camden, Camden and the southern part in the City o ...
in 1779, 1782 and 1784. Crosdill was the principal cellist for the
Three Choirs Festival 200px, Worcester cathedral 200px, Gloucester cathedral The Three Choirs Festival is a music festival held annually at the end of July, rotating among the cathedrals of the Three Counties (Hereford, Gloucester, and Worcester) and originally fe ...
, each year from 1769, (except 1778) and was principal violoncellist for the Concerts of Ancient Music from its establishment in 1776 until his retirement. On 10 March 1778 Crosdill became violist in the
Chapel Royal A chapel royal is an establishment in the British and Canadian royal households serving the spiritual needs of the sovereign and the royal family. Historically, the chapel royal was a body of priests and singers that travelled with the monarc ...
. In 1782, Crosdill was appointed chamber musician to
Queen Charlotte Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (Sophia Charlotte; 19 May 1744 – 17 November 1818) was Queen of Great Britain and Ireland as the wife of King George III from their marriage on 8 September 1761 until her death in 1818. The Acts of Un ...
and violoncello instructor to the
Prince of Wales Prince of Wales (, ; ) is a title traditionally given to the male heir apparent to the History of the English monarchy, English, and later, the British throne. The title originated with the Welsh rulers of Kingdom of Gwynedd, Gwynedd who, from ...
(later George IV). It was this appointment that made Crosdill the most fashionable violoncello teacher of his day. His resulting acclaim led to the performance of many private concerts for nobility including the Friday afternoon ladies' concerts which he organised. Crosdill's 1784 appointment to Composer and Master of the King's Band in Ireland by the Duke of Rutland, was controversial. Many elite professional musicians, including Dr
Charles Burney Charles Burney (7 April 1726 – 12 April 1814) 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 classicis ...
(1726–1814), thought Crosdill unworthy of this sinecure. Crosdill played in the annual productions of ''Messiah'' and was principal violoncellist for the 1784
Handel George Frideric (or Frederick) Handel ( ; baptised , ; 23 February 1685 – 14 April 1759) was a German-British Baroque composer well-known for his operas, oratorios, anthems, concerti grossi, and organ concerti. Born in Halle, Germany, H ...
commemorative concerts given at
Westminster Abbey Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, is an Anglican church in the City of Westminster, London, England. Since 1066, it has been the location of the coronations of 40 English and British m ...
. During his prime, Crosdill made many sojourns to Paris where he was a favourite of
Marie Antoinette Marie Antoinette (; ; Maria Antonia Josefa Johanna; 2 November 1755 – 16 October 1793) was the last List of French royal consorts, queen of France before the French Revolution and the establishment of the French First Republic. She was the ...
. There he studied with and became close friends with the Duport brothers,
Jean-Pierre Duport Jean-Pierre Duport (27 November 1741 – 31 December 1818) was a cellist of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Along with his brother, Jean-Louis Duport (also a cellist), he was active in the musical life of France and Germany. Jean-Pierre w ...
(1741–1818), and
Jean-Louis Duport Jean-Louis Duport (4 October 17497 September 1819), sometimes known as Duport the Younger to distinguish him from his older brother (and teacher) Jean-Pierre Duport, Jean-Pierre (1741-1818), was a cello, cellist, pedagogue, and composer. He is pe ...
(1749–1819). He was member of Giovanni Batista Viotti's (1755–1825) orchestra for the
Concert de la Loge Olympique The Concert de la Loge Olympique was a concert company founded in the 1780s by the fermier général Charles Marin de La Haye des Fosses and Count Claude-François-Marie Rigoley. The main conductor was Joseph Bologne de Saint-George. The orches ...
in 1780. Crosdill returned to England permanently in 1785. That year he spent the Spring concert season performing in the Pantheon Series and organised competition with Hanover Square Series for which James Cervetto (1747–1837) played. The Pantheon series included numerous performances by the Maras; vocalist
Gertrud Elisabeth Mara Gertrud Elisabeth Mara (née Schmeling) (23 February 1749 – 20 January 1833) was a German operatic soprano. Life Gertrude was born in Kassel, the daughter of a poor musician, Johann Schmeling. From him she learnt to play the violin, and whi ...
and her husband violoncellist Johann Baptist Mara (1744–1808). It was through his association with the Maras that Crosdill met Haydn in 1791 and purchased the "Mara" Stradivari in 1802. Crosdill taught many of the next generation of violoncellists, including Robert Lindley (1776–1855).


Marriage

Social eyebrows were raised when Crosdill married Elizabeth, née Thresher, the wealthy widow of Robert Colebrook, (brother of Sir George Colebrooke), on 31 May 1785 at St. Marylebone Church, London. Elizabeth was many years Crosdill's senior and her comfortable income from interests in
Wiltshire Wiltshire (; abbreviated to Wilts) is a ceremonial county in South West England. It borders Gloucestershire to the north, Oxfordshire to the north-east, Berkshire to the east, Hampshire to the south-east, Dorset to the south, and Somerset to ...
, allowed him to retire from public performance. He did, however, perform two years at the
Three Choirs Festival 200px, Worcester cathedral 200px, Gloucester cathedral The Three Choirs Festival is a music festival held annually at the end of July, rotating among the cathedrals of the Three Counties (Hereford, Gloucester, and Worcester) and originally fe ...
in
Gloucester Gloucester ( ) is a cathedral city, non-metropolitan district and the county town of Gloucestershire in the South West England, South West of England. Gloucester lies on the River Severn, between the Cotswolds to the east and the Forest of Dean ...
and the coronation of
George IV George IV (George Augustus Frederick; 12 August 1762 – 26 June 1830) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and King of Hanover from 29 January 1820 until his death in 1830. At the time of his accession to the throne, h ...
on 19 July 1821. His wife, who died in 1807, bequeathed all her estates to her surviving sisters, with Crosdill's name only mentioned in the probate note. Sources give conflicting information about his death in early October 1825. Most say he died in Escrick,
Yorkshire Yorkshire ( ) is an area of Northern England which was History of Yorkshire, historically a county. Despite no longer being used for administration, Yorkshire retains a strong regional identity. The county was named after its county town, the ...
, at the home of a nephew of his friend Beilby Thompson. Others maintain that he died at his house in London. By his will signed at 45
Berners Street Berners Street is a thoroughfare located to the north of Oxford Street in the City of Westminster in the West End of London, originally developed as a residential street in the mid-18th century by property developer William Berners (property d ...
on 30 August 1825 and proved at London on 25 October 1825, his son from a subsequent marriage, Lieutenant Colonel John Crosdill of the
East India Company The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company that was founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to Indian Ocean trade, trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (South A ...
, inherited a substantial fortune. Crosdill left bequests of 19 guineas each for remembrance rings to numerous friends including the musicians
Benjamin Blake Benjamin Blake (22 February 1751, in Hackney Central, Hackney, London – 1827 in London) was an English violinist, viola player and composer. About Most of what is known about him comes from information he supplied for Sainsbury's dictionary i ...
and
William Shield William Shield (5 March 1748 – 25 January 1829) was an English composer, violinist and violist. His music earned the respect of Haydn and Beethoven. Life and musical career Shield was born in Swalwell near Gateshead, County Durham, the son ...
, his Berners Street neighbour. Lieut-Col Crosdill presented the
Royal Society of Musicians The Royal Society of Musicians of Great Britain is a Charitable organization, charity in the United Kingdom that supports musicians. It is the oldest music-related charity in Great Britain, founded in 1738 as the ''Fund for Decay'd Musicians'' by a ...
with £1000 in accordance with his father's will.


References

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Crosdill, John English classical cellists 1751 births 1825 deaths Members of the Royal Society of Musicians Choristers at Westminster Abbey English classical violists Musicians from London 18th-century British classical musicians 18th-century English musicians 19th-century English musicians 19th-century British classical musicians