The Beauties of Händel, Newly Arranged by John Davy &c. &c. Vols. 4, 5, 6 - Handel, George Frideric 1685-1759; Davy, John 1763-1824 (London Williams, 1820)
Contains 'Twas at the royal feast (Alexander's Feast), A serpent in my bosom warm'd (Saul), As steals the morn( Acis & Galatea), As when the dove (Acis & Galatea), Awful pleasing being (Joshua), Behold a ghastly band (Alexander's Feast), But oh! sad virgin (L'Allegro, il penseroso), But who may abide (Messiah), Come pensive nun (L'Allegro, il penseroso), Consider fond shepherd (Acis & Galatea), Constant lovers (Hercules), Daughter of Gods (Hercules), Disdainful of danger (Judas Maccabeus), Father of heaven (Judas Maccabeus), For behold darkness (Messiah), Go, baffled coward, go (Samson), Hail wedded love (Alexander Balus), Happy happy pair (Alexander's Feast), He chose a mournful muse (Alexander's Feast), Heart the seat of soft delight (Acis & Galatea), Here amid the shady woods (Alexander Balus), If God be for us (Messiah), Invocation to sleep (Semele), Mount Lebanon (Esther), O godlike youth (Saul), O grave where is thy victory (Messiah), O Lord in thee (Te Deum), O lovely peace (Judas Maccabeus), O sacred oracles (Belshazzar), O sing unto the Lord (Anthem), O! What pleasures (Alexander Balus), Oh! Fairest (Saul), Oh never bow we down (Judas Maccabeus), Pleasure, my former ways (Time and Truth), Powerful guardians (Alexander Balus), Praise the Lord (Esther), Revenge Thimotheus cries (Alexander's Feast), Softly sweet (Alexander's Feast), Take the heart (Jephtha), Thais led the way (Alexander's Feast), The prince unable (Alexander's Feast), The trumpets loud clangor (Samson), Their sound is gone out (Messiah), Then will I Jehova's praise (Occasional Oratorio), There were shepherds (Messiah), Thou art the king (Te Deum), Thou didst blow (Israel in Egypt), Thou shalt break them (Messiah), Thou sittest (Te Deum), Through the land (Athalia), Thus saith the Lord (Messiah), Thus when the sun (Samson), To song and dance (Samson), Traitor to love (Samson), Turn thee o Lord (= Verdi prati, Orlando), Vouchsafe o Lord (Te Deum), What passion (Dryden's Ode), When thou tookest (Te Deum), Who calls my parting soul (Esther), Why does the God of Israel sleep? (Samson), Would you gain (Acis & Galatea)
The first three volumes of the series 'The Beauties of Handel' were arranged and published by Joseph Corfe, and were printed in the more regular oblong format. These volumes IV, V, VI are in quarto format, and are arranged by John Davy.
John Davy was an illegitimate child and grew up with an uncle, a blacksmith. "Before he was six years old, Davy selected as many horseshoes, borrowed from a neighbouring smith, as formed a complete octave, hung them from a wall, and with a small rod imitated the chimes of the neighbouring church of Crediton "with great exactness". [wikipedia]He became a violinist in the Covent Garden Theatre orchestra and later a prolific composer for the Theatres Royal.
Frontispiece is a portrait of John Davy. Volume V starts with an image of The Virgin Mary. Volume VI with an image of the Handel monument at Westminster Abbey.
Ex libris (Mrs Mothing ?, 1829) ms on titlepage
Keywords: 18th Century (1701-1800); 19th Century (1801-1900); Vocal music; Popular music; Domestic music-making; Arrangement; United Kingdom