The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-07-01


bers?
Arise in thy beauty, thou star of my night.
There lives at the present mo ment in an OBJ
scure street in Baltimore an old man whose
years have reached far beyond the threescore
years and ten of Scripture, and who, in hap
pier days, composed that beautiful ballad
Kathleen Mavourneen," song that has
touched the hearts of the Irish people more
than any other probably since Moore wrote
his famous Irish ballads and arranged them
chiefly to the national airs of his native coun-
try.
f. Nichols Crouch, the subject Of this me-
mor, was born in England, 3lst July, 1908.
His family on both sides were distinguished
members of the legal profession, the celebrated
Judge Burrows on the fathe RS side, Counsel
lor Nichols on the m others. The Crouch
family were natives OF Devi zes, a market town
of considerable importance in the county Of
Wiltshire, West of Englan d, near which the
battle on Roundaway Down was fought be-
tween the forces of King Char les 1. and Oliver
Cromwell.
The grandfather Of the present subject was
organiSt of st. Luke's Church, Devices, for
nearly sixty years, and for several years also
filled the same honorable position in Clapham
Church, in the county of Surrey.
PLAYING AT NINE YEARS OLD.
AT the early age Of nine years Professor
Crouch, of whom we are writing, played the
bass at the Royal Coburg Theatre Greeted in
honor of the marriage of the Primo ess Char
lotte, only daughter of George IV.) Here it
was the subject of this memoir evinced that
character for perseverance which has followed
him through all his travels and professional
career.
From the Minor Theatre, las all are desig-
mated the Surry side of the river) he worked
himself into His Majesty's Theatre" and
played solo on the vloloncello before Rossini
Bochra, then in the zenith of his glory, was
conductor of the opera, and was SO pleased
with the boys devotion to his profession, that
he made him his pupil. AT the age of twenty
strong indications of vocal excellence mani
tested themselves, and Bochra transferred his
pupil to VIM. Hawes master of st. Paul's Ca
thedral, Westminster Abbey, and the Chapel
Royal boys.
STUDENT OF THE ROYAL ACADEMY.
Here young Crouch studied the Episcopal
High Church service and the mighty works of
Handel. In 1922 body of English noblemen,
with King George w. as high patron, estab-
lshed the Royal Academy of Music, in Hanoy-
er Square, London. To become royal stu
dent was the next aim of our ambitious ballad
ist but the princely fees demanded, to most
minds would have precluded all hopes of sue
cess. Not so with young Crouch. He wrote
plain statement OF his position and the love he
held for his profession, demanding of the board
of managers and the professors of the institu-
tion patient hearing and an examination.
That examination terminated in his being en-
rolled a royal student the week following, and
his masters, appointed by the managers were
DR.. Crotch and Thomas Atwood, harmony;
Signor Criyelli. italian singing; Thomas
HAYDEN. niano-forte: Richard Lindley, violin
cello; Signor Pistrucci, Italian language.
While studying under this galaxy of talent,
he, together with the students OIL the college
was in frequent attendance at buckingham
Palace the Pavilion at Brighton, and Windsor
Castle. BY royal command at the death OF
George ". he and the senior students We're
commanded to attend the Coronation OF Will
liam w. and Adelaide; after which. he with
others, was appointed gentleman OF Her Males
ty Queen Adelaide's private band.
IN MERCANTILE PURSUITS.
Then it was Crouch became principal violon-
cellist at Drury Lane Theatre under old Ste
phen Price'smanagement,o of American renown,
and here he wrote his first ballad, "Zephyrs OF
Love-" for Miss Annie Tree, and "The Swiss
Song of Meeting" for Madame Malibran After
servitude of years at the Patent theatres,
lured by the hope of gain he embarked in mer
camille pursuits, and, with others, under the
name of Chapman & Co., established one of
the largest rolling mills for the manufacture OF
zinc on the Dart stream, hartford, in Kent, for
ship.sheathing, roofing, &C., &c.. and finally
applied the metal to drawing purposes, substi-
tuting zinc plates for lithographic stones. This
art he patented under the name of zinco-
graphy.
as representative of the firm, chance once more
brought him into the concert room at Ply
io aorlv Unico and hiUh
musical attainments won all hearts, and his
name becoming known to some OF the naval
and military officers stationed in the citadel,
government house, and dockyard, his stay was
made long enough to find himself ruined in
business by his commercial partners, but firmly
established as professor Of music by his ad-
miring friends. In Devonshire, on the banks
of the Tamar, he wrote:
"KATHLEEN MAvoURNEEN,"
and the greater portions of his Irish work,
'sEchoes of the Lakes" At the death of Will
liam w. he was commanded to attend the cor
onation of Queen Victoria. This he did; and
while in London, the firm of D'Almaine &Co.,
Soho square, offered him the supervisorship OF
the establishment at yearly salary, and to
contract for all his compositions for the next
seven years. This was agreed to, and he left
Deyonshire once more for the metropolis. AT
this particular period of time Captain Mary.
att was editing s'The Metropolitan Magazine"
Howard, sub-editing; Mrs. Crawford writing
her autobiography. Tbs popularity OF "Kath-
leen Mavourneen" created password among
the above named writers, an introduction was
sought, and the warmest friendship made be-
tween all parties.
the Magazine, and through its medium be-
came known to all the reigning poets and Tyr
lists of the time-Mrs. Crawford, Mrs. Abby,
Mrs. Hemans Mrs. Norton, Miss Milford,
Alaric A. Watts, Thomas Bayley. F.. w: N.
n Jtn In nit Nor-
penter, Gill, Lemon, Douglas Jerrold, A Beck
ett, Thackeray, Mckay. Campbell, Rogers,
Morton, Sheridan Knowles, and host OF 9TH
ers. These kindred spirits would meet at Mr..
Crouch's soirees, and from those pleasant
unions we date the creation OF
HIS LIST OF ENGLISH WORKS.
Echoes of the Lakes" Echoes of the
Past,' "Songs of the Olden Time" "Songs of
a Rambler" Songs of the Parish Wake
ssSongs of the Seasons - "Songs of the Abbeys
and Cathedrals,'' Sketches of the Emerald
Isle," "Hours of Idleness,' ? Roadside Sketch
es;" "songs Of shakspe@are, 90. "Fs,riee1dships lend
Melodies" "Songs of Erin," "Songs of the
Bards," Beauties of Other Lands" Let it
be understood these are elaborate works, each
distinct, separate and perfect in ITSELF We
have then to glance over his labors in the Mu-
scal Biiou for nine successive years-his MS.
operas, "Sir Roger de Coverly' and "The
Fifth of November, 1870" his many volumes
of poems and plays, and some idea may be
formed of his versatile genius and untiring
energy.
In addition to all these literary and musical
acquirements he possesses an indomitable en-
ergy in prosecuting the dissemination of music
as becomes an artist. He is the founder of
many musical societies, sacred and secular, and
produced in the Eastern States Rossini's
ssStabat Mater with his own translation, and
in Philadelphia Mehuls Oratorio "Joseph and
his Brethren" with original Scenes, Recita-
tions and Entire Acts, some Plays, Travesties,
Poems, Satires, and before the war edited the
musical department of Godey's Magazine, and
conducted the finest choir in the city, and di-
rected National Academy of Music in WASH
ington, d. c., founded upon the European
system.
MAX MARETzEK AND MR.. CROUCH.
In 1S49 Max Maretzek and the subject of
this memoir were fellow employees in her
Majesty's Opera in the Haymarket, London,
England, the former as chorus master, the
latter as violoncellist in the orchestra, under
the direction of Michael Costa, now enjoying
the title of knighthood conferred by the
Queen for transcendant abilities as musician.
At one of the rehearsals of Verdi's opera,
"Masn iedari," Max, in a cursory way, said,
"Crouch, 1 am going to open the opera in the
Astor Opera House, New York; if you will go
with me I'll give you the place of Cemballo in