# A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Oxford

From volume 2 of the work.
​OXFORD. An outline of the history of musical studies at the University of Oxford has been given under the head Bachelor. The regulations for the degree of Bachelor of Music have undergone change since the issue of that article, and are now (June, 1880) as follows. Every candidate for the degree of Bachelor in Music must previously matriculate at the University, i.e. enter his name on the books of some College or ​Hall, or as an Unattached Student: but he is not required to have resided or kept terms. He must show to the Professor of Music either a certificate that he has passed Responsions, or a certificate that he has passed the 'Previous Examination' at Cambridge, or a certificate from the Delegates of the Examination of Schools, or evidence that he has satisfied the Delegates of Local Examinations as a Senior Candidate in English, in Mathematics, in Latin, and in either Greek, French, German, or Italian. The candidate has then to undergo the following examinations, etc. The First Examination is held annually in Hilary Term, and comprises merely Harmony and Counterpoint in not more than four parts. It is conducted partly in writing, partly vivá voce. Candidates who have obtained their certificate of having passed the First Examination must in the next place compose an exercise, which must be sent to the Professor of Music, for the inspection and approval of the Examiners. The exercise must be a vocal composition, either secular or sacred, containing pure five-part harmony, with good fugal counterpoint, and with accompaniment for at least a quintet string-band. It should be of such length as would occupy in performance from twenty to forty minutes. Each candidate must send with the exercise a written declaration signed by himself, stating that it is entirely his own unaided composition. No public performance of the exercise is now required for the degree of Bachelor of Music. The Examiners having signified their approval of the exercise, the candidate must present himself for the Second Examination, which is held annually in Michaelmas Term. The examination embraces the following subjects:—Harmony, Counterpoint in not more than five parts, Canon, Imitation etc., Fugue, Form in Composition, Musical History; a critical knowledge of the full scores of such standard classical compositions as shall be previously selected by the Professor of Music and duly announced. This examination is conducted, like the former, partly in writing, partly vivá voce. Before being presented for his degree, the candidate must deliver the bound MS. full score of his exercise to be deposited in the library of the Music School. The fees for this degree amount to about £20. The principal change introduced in the new regulations, which were passed in 1878, is the provision requiring a candidate for a degree in Music to have passed a mixed literary examination recognised by the University. It was imagined, when this test was added to the Musical examination, that it would add to the value of Musical degrees: its real effect has been to sever the connection between the University and the musical world, which, through the apathy and mismanagement of the University in past times (see Bachelor, Choragus), had become a very slight one, but was beginning to gain strength under the sensible rules in operation before 1878. The number of persons taking the Bachelor's degree had risen from 3 in 1866 to 21 in 1878. Immediately after the passing of the new statute it fell to 12 in 1879, although the operation of the new statute did not affect persons who had passed the First Examination before 1878. In 1877, when the last examination was held under the old statutes, i.e. in independence of any literary test, the number of persons passing the First Examination was 53; in 1878, when the literary test was added, it fell to 2; in 1879 it was 3, and in 1880 the same.
Between the degree of Bachelor and that of Doctor in Music an interval of five years must intervene. This period may be so computed, however, as to include both the Terms in which the respective degrees are conferred. A certificate is required, which must be signed by three credible witnesses, stating that the candidate has studied music for the last preceding five years. The examination and the exercise of candidates for the Doctorate will be found under the article Doctor. The fees amount to about £15. The exercise for this degree must be performed at the candidate's expense.
The following names of Oxford Doctors may be added to the list given under Doctor:—Wilson, 1644; Child, 1663; Christopher Gibbons, 1664; Benjamin Rogers, 1669; Pepusch, 1713; William Hayes, 1749; [App. p.737 "Robert"] Wainwright, 1774; Philip Hayes, 1777; Dupuis, 1790; Aylward, 1791, Clement Smith, 1800; [App. p.737 "William"] Marshall, 1840; Sir F. A. G. Ouseley, 1854; E. G. Monk, 1856; J. Stainer, 1865; W. Pole, 1867; J. F. Bridge, 1874; J. Varley Roberts, 1876. The degree of Doctor of Music, honoris causâ, was conferred without examination, in 1879, upon Sir Herbert Oakeley, Professor of Music in the University of Edinburgh (M.A. Oxon, 1856), Mr. G. A. Macfarren, Professor of Music in the University of Cambridge, and Mr. Arthur Sullivan. [App. p.737 "add that in 1883 an honorary degree of Mus. D. was conferred upon Mr. C. V. Stanford."]
[ C. A. F. ]