Sarah Bates (née Harrop, October 1758 – 11 December 1811) was an

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Culture, language and peoples * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England * ''English'', an Amish ter ...

singer born in

Lancashire Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated ''Lancs'') is a ceremonial county in North West England. It is bordered by Cumbria to the north, North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire to the east, Greater Manchester and Merseyside to the south, and the Irish Sea to ...

. She was married to the conductor

Joah Bates Joah Bates ( – 8 June 1799) was an English musician. Life Joah Bates was baptized at the parish church in Halifax on 8 March 1740 O.S. (8 March 1741 N.S.). He was the son of Henry Bates, an innkeeper and parish clerk. He received his early ...

Early life and education

Sarah Harrop was born at Woodbrook, Saddleworth on the western edge of Yorkshire. Her parents were Robert and Elizabeth (born Harrop). Her father was a clothier and her brother, Robert, was the organist for the nearby Hey Chapel. She was educated and worked in Halifax.

Singing career

On one occasion she sang in public in Halifax where she was heard by Dr. Howard, of

Leicester Leicester ( ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city, Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area, and the county town of Leicestershire in the East Midlands of England. It is the largest city in the East Midlands with a popula ...

, who prophesied that she would one day throw all the English, nay even the Italian female singers far behind her. While she resumed her ordinary occupations, Dr. Howard sounded her praises in

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

, until at last the Sandwich Catch Club deputed him to bring her to

, where she met with very great success. In London she studied

Italian music In Italy, music has traditionally been one of the cultural markers of Italian national cultures and ethnic identity and holds an important position in society and in Italian politics, politics. Italian music innovationin scale (music), musi ...

under Sacchini, and the compositions of

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 ...

and the older masters under her future husband. She was a successful concert singer, both before and after her marriage with Joah Bates, which took place in 1780. Her chief success was made in

sacred music Religious music (also sacred music) is a type of music that is performed or composed for religious use or through religious influence. It may overlap with ritual music, which is music, sacred or not, performed or composed for or as a ritual. Reli ...

, which she delivered with much impressiveness. Among her secular songs the most famous was

Purcell Henry Purcell (, rare: ; September 1659 – 21 November 1695) was an English composer of Baroque music, most remembered for his more than 100 songs; a tragic opera, ''Dido and Aeneas''; and his incidental music to a version of Shakespeare's ...

's "Mad Bess".

Angelica Kauffman Maria Anna Angelika Kauffmann ( ; 30 October 1741 – 5 November 1807), usually known in English as Angelica Kauffman, was a Swiss people, Swiss Neoclassicism, Neoclassical painter who had a successful career in London and Rome. Remembered prima ...

painted her portrait depicting her as

Erato In Greek mythology, Erato (; ) is one of the Greek Muses, the inspirational goddesses of literature, science, and the arts. The name would mean "desired" or "lovely", if derived from the same root as Eros, as Apollonius of Rhodes playfully sugge ...

, the muse of lyric poetry, which was exhibited at the

Royal Academy The Royal Academy of Arts (RA) is an art institution based in Burlington House in Piccadilly London, England. Founded in 1768, it has a unique position as an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects. Its ...

in 1781 and is now in the possession of the

Princeton University Art Museum The Princeton University Art Museum (PUAM) is the Princeton University gallery of art, located in Princeton, New Jersey. With a collecting history that began in 1755, the museum was formally established in 1882, and now houses over 117,000 work ...

Death

She died at Foley Place on 11 December 1811.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bates, Sarah 1758 births 1811 deaths People from Saddleworth 18th-century English singers 19th-century English singers 18th-century British women singers 19th-century British women singers English women singers 18th-century English women singers 19th-century English women singers