Charles Dickens and Music

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Title: Charles Dickens and Music
Author: James T. Lightwood
Release Date: August 25, 2005 [EBook #16595]
Language: English
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[Illustration]
TOM PINCH AT THE ORGAN.
Frontispiece.

CHARLES DICKENS AND MUSIC
BY JAMES T. LIGHTWOOD
AUTHOR OF 'HYMN-TUNES AND THEIR STORY'
London
CHARLES H. KELLY
25-35 CITY ROAD, AND 26
PATERNOSTER ROW, E.C.
First Edition, 1912

IN PLEASANT MEMORY OF MANY HAPPY YEARS AT
PEMBROKE HOUSE, LYTHAM
PREFACE
For many years I have been interested in the various musical references
in Dickens' works, and have had the impression that a careful
examination of his writings would reveal an aspect of his character
hitherto unknown, and, I may add, unsuspected. The centenary of his
birth hastened a work long contemplated, and a first reading (after
many years) brought to light an
amount of material far in excess of
what I anticipated, while a second examination convinced me that there
is, perhaps, no great writer who has made a more extensive use of
music to illustrate character and create incident than Charles Dickens.
From an historical point of view these references are of the utmost
importance, for they reflect to a nicety the general condition of ordinary
musical life in England during the middle of the last century. We do not,
of course, look to Dickens for a
history of classical music during the
period--those who want this will find it in the newspapers and
magazines; but for the story of music in the ordinary English home, for
the popular songs of the period, for the average musical attainments of
the middle and lower classes (music was not the correct thing amongst
the 'upper ten'), we must turn to the pages of Dickens' novels. It is
certainly strange that no one has hitherto thought of tapping this source
of information. In and about 1887 the papers teemed with articles that
outlined the history of music during the first fifty years of Victoria's
reign; but I have not seen one that attempted to derive first-hand
information from the sources referred to, nor indeed does the subject of
'Dickens and Music' ever appear to have received the attention which,
in my opinion, it deserves.
I do not profess to have chronicled all the musical references, nor has it
been possible to identify every one of the numerous quotations from
songs, although I have consulted such excellent authorities as Dr.
Cummings, Mr. Worden (Preston), and Mr. J. Allanson Benson
(Bromley). I have to thank Mr. Frank Kidson, who, I understand, had
already planned a work of this description, for his kind advice and

assistance. There is no living writer who has such a wonderful
knowledge of old songs as Mr. Kidson, a knowledge which he is ever
ready to put at the disposal of others. Even now there are some
half-dozen songs which every attempt to run to earth has failed, though
I have tried to
'mole 'em out' (as Mr. Pancks would say) by searching
through some hundreds of song-books and some thousands of separate
songs.
Should any of my readers be able to throw light on dark
places I shall
be very glad to hear from them, with a view to making the information
here presented as complete and correct as possible if another edition
should be called for. May
I suggest to the Secretaries of our Literary
Societies,
Guilds, and similar organizations that a pleasant evening

might be spent in rendering some of the music referred to by Dickens.
The proceedings might be varied by readings from his works or by
historical notes on the music. Many of the pieces are still in print, and I
shall be glad to render assistance in tracing them. Perhaps this idea will
also commend itself to the members of the Dickens Fellowship, an
organization with which all lovers of the great novelist ought to
associate themselves.
JAMES T. LIGHTWOOD. LYTHAM,
October, 1912.
I truly love Dickens; and discern in the inner man of
him a tone of
real Music which struggles to express
itself, as it may in these
bewildered,