In England, the best violoncello as well as violin bow-maker was John Dodd, who lived and died at Kew; indeed, his cello bows are considered superior to his violin bows. See Ed. Heron Allen “On Violin-making, &c.”
B.
Bartholomew Johnson.
The Gentleman’s Magazine of 1814 records his death thus in the Obituary, February 14: “At Scarborough, in his 104th year, Mr. Barth. Johnson, a celebrated musical character. He possessed to the last a vigorous mind and strong retentive memory.”
In the “History of Scarborough from the earliest date,” by Joseph Brogden Baker, among the biographical notices, is the following:—
“Johnson, Bartholomew.
“Johnson, Barth., was born at Wykeham, near Scarborough, October 3rd, 1710. He resided at Scarborough from the time of his apprenticeship to the time of his death. He was for seventy years one of the ‘town waits.’ As a musician, and for the many excellent traits in his character, he universally preserved the esteem of a highly respectable circle of friends. His constitution naturally was vigorous, and he lived to a great age. In 1810 he completed his hundredth year, which was celebrated by a jubilee dinner and musical performance at the Freemasons’ Lodge, Scarborough, and a medal was struck as a memorial of this event; about ten o’clock at night the good old man bore a part in a quartette, performing on the violoncello the bass to a Minuet which he himself had composed upwards of sixty years before. Lord Mulgrave, the Honourable Henry Phipps, the Bailiffs, and about seventy gentlemen, visitors and residents of Scarborough and the neighbourhood, honoured the meeting with their company. Congratulatory letters from the borough members were read, whilst several poetical compositions, suitable to the occasion, from the classic pens of Archdeacon Wrangham and Thomas Hinderwell, Esq., were recited and sung. Lord Mulgrave afterwards commissioned the late J. Jackson, R.A., to paint the portrait of the venerable old man, which was presented to the Corporation by his lordship and now adorns the council chamber of the Town Hall. In 1814 he departed this life in the 104th year of his age.”
A similar account, from which, perhaps, the above facts were taken, is to be found in “The History and Antiquities of Scarborough,” by Thomas Hinderwell, Esq.
C.
Reinagle.
A whimsical circumstance, which I cannot forbear mentioning, happened to Reinagle:—
The celebrated Mr. Curran introduced himself to Reinagle and invited him to dine with some musical friends at his country house, five miles from Dublin. Reinagle, anxious to embrace the opportunity of enjoying that great man’s society, most willingly assented, upon which Curran, being in great haste, would not permit our musician to seek for any conveyance, but requested him to ride double on his horse. In this ludicrous way, sitting behind Mr. Curran, they reached his house, to the amusement of many friends they met on the road.
