Stratford Normal School - Classic Yearbook (Stratford, Ontario Canada)

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The Classic June, 191 1 memorate the accession of George I., and the birthday of Princess Augusta. Dr. Arne composed an opera entitled Alfred, and in the advertisement it is announced that Alfred will conclude with a favorable ode in honor of Great Britain, beginning: 'AWhen Britain first at heavens command - The words were written by Thompson, who collaborated with Dr. Arne in work of this kind. Southey said: This will be the political hymn of Britain as long as she maintains her political power. 1Vagner, the great German composer, said: The first eight notes of the tune sum up the whole British character. He composed an overture on the tune. Dr. Arne, son of an upholsterer, was born in London, 1710. He was educated at Eton- His father intended him for the profession of the law, but his love of music predominated, and his father per- mitted him to follow the bent of his inclination. Dr. Arne was a great and prolific composer, opera after opera did he compose. His songs include Shakespeare's Blow, Blow Thou XYinter Vi'ind, also Shakespeare's XYhere the Bee Sucks, both beautiful settings. ' The writer in Groves Dictionary of Music says: This song will continue to be heard as long as love of country animates the breasts of Englishmen. Dr. Arne died 1778. Rule Britannia 1740. Dr. Arne 1710-1778. The next song I wish to refer to is Hearts of Oak. This has been a national and a very popular song ever since it was published, and is very popular still. The words were written by David Garrick, 1717-1779, actor and dramatist, and, as you will know, they appear in the third book of our Ontario readers. The music was composed by Dr. Boyce, 1710-1770, a very distinguished organist and composer. The song was first sung in 1759, and at once became immensely popu- lar. British feeling was strong in that yea1', for a French invasion was threatened, and the British admirals were keeping the foe at bay. Dr. Boyce, born 1710, was the son of a cabinet maker. He be- came a chorister at St. Paul's Cathedral, and afterwards was made organist and composer to the Chapel Royal. Some of his Hne anthems are still, and will long continue to be in use in choirs and places where they sing, He died in 1779, and was buried in the vault under the centre of the dome of St. Pauls Cathedral. Hearts of Oak, 1759. Dr. Boyce, 1710-1779. Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow, Creeps in this petty pace from day to day, To the last syllable of recorded time: And all our yesterdays have lighted fools The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle! Life's but a walking shadow: a poor player, That struts and frets his hour upon the stage, And then is heard no more: it is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing. 11

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The Classic Jung, 1911 SHORT TALK ON BRITISH NATIONAL MELODIES. CBy J. Bottomley, A. R. C. O.j POSSIBLY a short talk on some British national tunes might be somewhat appropriate today, in view of Empire Day. The first song I will refer to is the most important, and also it happens to be first in date. I refer to God Save the King. The British National Anthem, so well known the world over, is a tune that has lived for nearly 300 years. In a MS. book attributed to Dr. John Bull fwho was a famous musicianb, and dated 1619, the melody first appears, although it was not published until 1742. The most essential pecu- liarity of the tune is that it is in two sections of unequal length. The first G bars, the second 8 bars. The tune was a great favorite with VVeber, the great composer, he made use of it several times in liis compositions. It was also a great favorite with the great and immortal Beethoven. In Beethoven's journal, referring to one of his compositions wherein he uses the tune, Beethoven says: I must show the English a little what a blessing they have in 'God Save the Kingf Dr. John Bull was born in 1562. In 1582 he was appointed or- ganist of Hereford Cathedral. In 1591 he petitioned Queen Eliza- beth for a yearly allowance of S30 to relieve his great poverty, which altogether hindered his studies. In 1601 Dr. Bull went abroad for the recovery of his health. But according to one historian, Bull left England owing to his being possessed with crotchets, as many musi- cians are. In 1617 he was appointed organist of Antwerp Cathedral. He died in Antwerp 1628. He was a very ingenious composer and as a player he was in the very first rank. God Save tl1e King, MS. 1619, first published 1742-Dr. John Bull, 15132-1628. God Save tl1e King is sometimes ascribed to Henry Carey, who performed it in 1742. XVith regard to God Save the King, after it became so popular and spread to the continent, it was copied into a German song book fthe music, of coursej and Rev. Charles F. Smith, a Baptist clergy- man of Boston, got hold of the book, and in humming over some of the tunes was struck by the appropriateness of this one for a national air. He accordingly sought to apply it to that use and at once wrote the words of My Country 'Tis of Thee, and set them to this music. Smith was a graduate of Harvard 518293 and the first time the tune was sung in the C. S. was 4th of Julv, 1832. This was in the Park Street Baptist Church, Boston. and the author became famous for all time, at least in the U. S. He had, however, no idea that his tune was the British National Anthem, and the people of the U. S-, generally speaking, are still ignorant of its origin. Many think, or pretend, we stole it from them.-B. S. N. The next song I wish to mention is Rule Britannia. The music of this ode in honor of Great Britain was composed by Dr. Arne and was first performed August lst, 1740. The occasion was to com. 10 E 1 223 03703 3 1833 l

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The Classic June, 1911 A TYPICAL DAY AT THE NORMAL SCHOOL. LEAR and bright the moon shone over the city, the floor of heaven was all brilliancy with its millions o ftwinkling starsg not a breath of air disturbed the stillness. A peaceful Sabbath was having a peaceful close. I stood at my open window and gazed long at the scene. Suddenly in contrast to this peaceful scene there loomed up before me another, in which there were class-rooms, teachers and students, and suggesting at every point hurry and worry. My heart sank as I thought of it, but was it something in that quiet scene before me that stirred my better feelings and whispered to me, try, try again? Perhaps there was- At any rate ere my tired eyelids closed in slumber I had resolved to follow the motto, Play up, play up, and play the game. I had formed all sorts of beautiful resolutions, in fact I had reached the point where I was courageous enough to decide to brave the cold gray shadows of a November morning and actually rise at six o'clock, and with this happy thought in mind and anticipating all the pleasure I would have in feeling that I had a whole two hours in- stead of three seconds in which to hunt up the score of articles such as lesson slips, lesson plans, arithmetic exercises, etc, that were sure to have mysteriously disappeared in the night, I fell into a peaceful slumber. But, alas! it was not six o'clock that the chimes were so merrily ringing as I opened my eyes to greet another day, but precisely fif- teen minutes to eight. I shall spare you the scene of those next few minutes, suffice to say that I was like the pig that Dr. Silcox told us about, I was going so fast you couldn't count me. At last I was ready and seated at breakfast. But, oh, how I did envy that l-lest animal, the cow, that can bolt her food and chew it afterwards. I smiled as I thought of Gladstonels advice to chew thirty-two times for each mouthful you take. Of course, that is all right for Normal School masters, who are men of leisure, but for the student it is chew once for each thirty-two mouthfuls. Breakfast over, I made another desperate attempt to cram into 1.043 seconds half an hour's work, but in some mysterious way it was accomplished. Under one arm were Bagley, Langdon, Smith, public school readers, McMurry and half a dozen exercise books! under the other was a huge bundle made up of a precious collection of mounting paper and leaves, seeds and bottles. In one pocket was to be found a number of papers such as mathematical exercises, summary of chapter VII. in McMurry, report of music lesson and lesson plan. while in the other was a mixture of pens, pencils, erasers, penlinives, locker keys, college mission money and Literary Society fees. Nevertheless I was soon whirling rapidly towards the Normal School. Yes, I had climbed the last flight of stairs to the cloak room and deposited wraps, rubbers, etc. The last bell had sounded but 12