A First Concerto for the Harpsichord with Accompaniments for Violins, French-Horns &c. [Harpsichord part]
- London: Printed by Welcker in Gerrard Street St. Ann's Soho, 1773
London: Printed by Welcker in Gerrard Street St. Ann's Soho, 1773. Oblong quarto. Disbound. 1f. (recto title, verso blank), 5, [i] (blank) pp. Engraved.
In three movements, "Allegro Assai," "Largo," and an additional "Allegro Assai," with occasional figures above left hand part.
With a printed note under the imprint advertising other publications available from Welcker: the instrumental parts for the concerto, Rush's harpsichord pieces, and "Practical Rules for learning Composition. Originally wrote in Latin by John Joseph Feux and at great expense Translated at the Desire of several of the greatest Masters in this Kingdom."
Slightly worn and browned; a few small stains, mainly to blank margins; binder's holes to blank inner margins. Second edition. BUC p. 907. RISM R3197 (1 complete copy only in the U.S., at the University of California, Berkeley, and the harpsichord part only in every other citation).
Although the present concerto had accompanying instrumental parts, it also succeeds as a free-standing keyboard solo.
Rush was an English harpsichordist and guitarist. "According to Dibdin, he travelled and studied in Italy before emerging as a theatre composer in London. His greatest success came with two English operas performed in 1764 at Drury Lane Theatre, where Rush may have played in the orchestra. The Royal Shepherd, with a libretto devised by Richard Rolt from Metastasio’s Il re pastore, was staged on 24 February 1764. Intended as competition to Arne’s Artaxerxes, playing at Covent Garden, it was all-sung and required an enlarged orchestra. The overture was popular as a concert piece, in part because of the still exceptional use of timpani. ...
Rush was also active in instrumental music. He supplied overtures to both parts of the programme of Signora Gambarini’s benefit concert, advertised 21 January 1760. On 22 March 1770 he conducted and performed his works at a concert for the Lord Mayor, Sir William Beckford. His published series of concertos, of which the first (in F) was especially popular, suggests that he was successful as a harpsichordist. Rush’s instrumental works are ‘advanced’ and pre-Classical, and reveal a blend of national styles. Although Dibdin and the ABC Dario categorized Rush’s operas as too Italian for English tastes, these works must be granted a historical niche in a period of transition from the ballad opera to the age of Dibdin.
An extended visit to Holland, perhaps under the patronage of Sir Joseph Yorke (Baron Dover), minister to The Hague, was postulated by Roscoe; the notion is given credence by the publication of several works there." Ronald R. Kidd in Grove Music Online.
In three movements, "Allegro Assai," "Largo," and an additional "Allegro Assai," with occasional figures above left hand part.
With a printed note under the imprint advertising other publications available from Welcker: the instrumental parts for the concerto, Rush's harpsichord pieces, and "Practical Rules for learning Composition. Originally wrote in Latin by John Joseph Feux and at great expense Translated at the Desire of several of the greatest Masters in this Kingdom."
Slightly worn and browned; a few small stains, mainly to blank margins; binder's holes to blank inner margins. Second edition. BUC p. 907. RISM R3197 (1 complete copy only in the U.S., at the University of California, Berkeley, and the harpsichord part only in every other citation).
Although the present concerto had accompanying instrumental parts, it also succeeds as a free-standing keyboard solo.
Rush was an English harpsichordist and guitarist. "According to Dibdin, he travelled and studied in Italy before emerging as a theatre composer in London. His greatest success came with two English operas performed in 1764 at Drury Lane Theatre, where Rush may have played in the orchestra. The Royal Shepherd, with a libretto devised by Richard Rolt from Metastasio’s Il re pastore, was staged on 24 February 1764. Intended as competition to Arne’s Artaxerxes, playing at Covent Garden, it was all-sung and required an enlarged orchestra. The overture was popular as a concert piece, in part because of the still exceptional use of timpani. ...
Rush was also active in instrumental music. He supplied overtures to both parts of the programme of Signora Gambarini’s benefit concert, advertised 21 January 1760. On 22 March 1770 he conducted and performed his works at a concert for the Lord Mayor, Sir William Beckford. His published series of concertos, of which the first (in F) was especially popular, suggests that he was successful as a harpsichordist. Rush’s instrumental works are ‘advanced’ and pre-Classical, and reveal a blend of national styles. Although Dibdin and the ABC Dario categorized Rush’s operas as too Italian for English tastes, these works must be granted a historical niche in a period of transition from the ballad opera to the age of Dibdin.
An extended visit to Holland, perhaps under the patronage of Sir Joseph Yorke (Baron Dover), minister to The Hague, was postulated by Roscoe; the notion is given credence by the publication of several works there." Ronald R. Kidd in Grove Music Online.