The Horn Family 

Page Two

Charles Edward Horn

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To the right of the page I have drawn up the relevant miniature family tree. In the case of a subject marrying more than once, only the marriage relevant to our family is shown.

 

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Horn Homepage

       Johann Wolfgang Horn Born 1737. Married Sophia Dorothea Shenaman

  Charles Frederick Horn Born 1762, Married Diana Arbonean Dupont

                   Charles Edward Horn Born 1786, Married Matilda Ray/Maria Horton

             Charles Horn Born 1811 Married Jeannette Prosser/ Sarah Brown

                  Charles William Horn Born 1847 Married Emily Dady

                                 Annie Elizabeth Horn Born 1884 Married John Benjamin Deacon

Charles Edward Horn

1786-1849

Charles Edward Horn

 Charles Edward followed in his fathers footsteps as a composer and musician but he went one step further, he was also a singer. Much of his music is still in existence, he worked with many people on different projects and some of his time was spent in America and Ireland, indeed he died in Boston Mass. in 1849. Although he was credited with writing many songs and melodies he was also adept at taking already established tunes and re arranging them for his own purposes. "Cherry Ripe" and "The banks of Allanwater" are both examples of this. "Cherry Ripe" appeared in the Opera "Paul Pry"  published in 1826  and "The banks of Allan water" appeared in the opera "Rich and Poor" published in 1814. During his lifetime he composed the music for hundreds of  popular songs of the era, while at the same time producing large scale "Operas" Oratorios and cantatas. Perhaps his most famous Opera "Devils Bridge" was co-written with Samuel James Arnold and John Braham (b.1774 London) the acclaimed English tenor. It has been repeatedly written that Charles Edward Horn was not given the credit he deserved during his lifetime or posthumously.

He was born at 12 St Martins Street, Leicester Fields (a little north of Trafalgar square) on June 21st, 1786. His father, who was on the verge of establishing himself as a well respected musician and composer, had yet to make his mark. Growing up in a house filled with music left it's mark on young Charles. Visits from the cream of London's musical society were commonplace, visits from such eminent masters of the art as Joseph Haydn not quite so. Haydn (who had been invited to London by Charles Edward's Godfather, the violinist Johann Peter Salomon) visited London twice, in 1791-2 and 1794-5. It was during one of these brief spells in that he visited the Horn household and was subjected to the precocious talent that was Charles Edward. Haydn himself predicted he would one day turn out to be a clever musician.

By the age of six he was devising melodies to accompany poetry and boasted that he could set a newspaper to music if required. Having little time for anything apart from music young Charles Edward set himself the task of learning to play all the instruments his Father kept in the house, which he achieved with relative ease. Very soon the point was reached where he required more attention to his studies than his Father had time to give, so he  engaged the celebrated Baumgarten, a German musical theorist, to instruct him in the science of harmony and composition, remarking at the same time to Charles "you are so rapid at invention that you will not give yourself time to think; a stranger may, therefore, have more control over you than I have, and can explain to you any difficulties which may not be clear to your comprehension during your lessons." In a biography many years later it was written:

"This rapidity of invention was, perhaps, rather his bane than his good fortune, for it induced him to depend more on his genius than his well-grounded and steady pursuit of the science."

His talent for musical composition and seeming ability to master the musical instruments of the day were soon to be joined by an irresistible draw to the stage. His Father's former pupil John Braham had achieved much success on the London stage and after witnessing Braham's performance in "The Cabinet" at Covent Garden, Charles decided this was where his future lay. His opportunity came sooner than he might have expected, when a friend of his Father who was the second violoncellist with the opera, was suddenly taken very ill. Charles after much persuading on his part, was allowed to deputize. The violoncellist - whose name was Dahmen was ill for the entire season and Charles took immense pleasure in performing his part until Dahmen was fit to return. It is noted that during his time with the opera, Charles passed on his salary to Mr Dahmen knowing as he did that Mr Dahmen's pecuniary circumstances were "anything but in a prosperous condition". Soon after this Charles and some friends staged the first performance of one of Mozart's operas ever to be held in England. The group - which included G.E.Griffin (composer) and T. Alsager (a patron of music) - had acquired the score of Mozart's "Don Juan" and the first performance was at Hayward's Floor Cloth manufactory near the Borough. Such was the success of the first attempt it was performed again at the London Tavern in Bishopsgate (street.) As a result of the success of this second performance arrangements were made for the translation of Mozart's opera "La Clemenza di Tito" which was effected for the benefit of Mrs Billington whose suggestion it was.

In September1806, Charles Edward appeared at the Lower Assembly Rooms Cheltenham, accompanying Covent Garden's Charles Incledon on the Piano-Forte. The entertainment was entitled "Hospitality" (or the Harvest Home) and it contained songs "old and new penned by such Eminent Masters as Davy, Whitaker, Horn, Attwood and Shield".  Mr. Horn is described as being from "His Majesty's Ancient Concerts."

During his time at Cheltenham Charles met the young aspiring actress Matilda Ray. She was working at the "Theatre Royal" in Cheltenham where her father Edward Adam Ray, her sister and her brothers were regular performers in John Boles Watson's Company. They often took the lead roles in the plays they appeared in. Matilda and her sister were often dancing as well as acting and singing.  Matilda, particularly, soon became a favourite of the young men of Cheltenham. It is recorded that the local newspaper often had letters and poems dedicated to the fair Matilda from the impassioned youth of Cheltenham.
We believe Edward Adam Ray was at some time a theatre manager, maybe even the manager of the Theatre Royal Cheltenham. In his younger days he was trained as a "cooper" or barrel maker, later he described himself as a "gent". It was not until 1803 that the word actor appeared next to his name.  In the book 'Theatre in the Cotswold's'  by Anthony Denning,  Matilda's father, Edward Ray, was described as an actor 'of Bethnal Green'. In fact he was considerably more than that, Edward Adam Ray, with his business partner George Collins Gibbon leased a number of theatres in the west midlands/ Cotswold's area of England  and appear to have been quite successful. A biographical sketch researched, compiled and written by Peter Ray (a descendant of Edward Adam Ray) is available here. A series of playbills featuring Charles, Matilda and her Father are available to view here. Mostly they are from the Theatre Royal Cheltenham and are dated from September 1805 through to May 1820.

On the opening of the English Opera House at the Lyceum Theatre by Samuel James Arnold in 1809, Charles was recommended as the second tenor by Henry Bishop (later Sir Henry Bishop) The first place having been taken by T. Philips (known as Irish Philips). In December 1849  "The Critic" published  a "sketch of the life" of Charles Edward Horn and it lists as his first 'essay'  at the newly opened theatre, the new opera by M.P. King entitled "Up all Night." Further details can be found in  Oxberry's Dramatic Biography

"in the month of June, in the year 1809, he made his first appearance before a theatrical audience, in the character of  "Heartwell" in the opera of "Up All Night", at the English Opera House. He was more than tolerably successful in his new undertaking, and from that period has been gradually rising in the estimation of the public...."

   Further encouragement for Charles came from Samuel James Arnold soon after his stage success when he was asked to write the music for a  short melodrama. On its completion the show was produced and condemned on the same night. Such was the effect of this seemed rejection by the audience to his talent that Charles declared "I will never write anything more for the English public" It took a little more gentle persuasion from Mr Arnold to induce Charles to again raise his pen with the words " you young puppy, do you think to command success on a first appearance?"  Mr Arnold presented him with the farce called the "Beehive" and again Charles went to work with all his fervor and youthful exuberance restored. The result was the most successful musical piece that had been performed for years, the songs written for the top performers of the day - Mrs Mountain, Miss Kelly, Mathews and others proving to be extremely popular. Charles Edward Horn - the composer had arrived.

After this initial success Charles retired from the stage, reappearing three years later as "The Seraskier" in Stephen Storaces' "Siege of Belgrade" His time away from the limelight was used wisely, he went to Bath and sought further tuition from the master Rauzzini³ who taught all the greatest singers of the day. During his time there Rauzzini was taken ill and died .

Charles Edward married actress Matilda Ray in the Parish Church Prittlewell, (in the county of Essex) where she was living with her sister. She was employed by the Southend Theatre Company at the time of the marriage. The local newspaper "Chelmsford Chronicle" covered the event with these words:

"On Sunday last was married, at Prittlewell Church, by the rev. W. Harper  A. M. Mr.  Charles Edward Horn of Bloomsbury square, London, to Miss Matilda Ray, from the late Theatre Royal Drury-lane"

In the early 1800's Southend, Essex was not the the attraction it is today. It was but a minor suburb of the parish of Prittlewell The theatre was described by one visitor thus:

"A building designated in large letters "Theatre Royal" which, but for this notice I should have taken for a very small Chapel or rather meeting house. It had one door for box, pit, gallery and stage"

However, in "White's" 1848 directory:

"The Assembly Room and the Theatre are fitted up in a superior style of elegance, and the latter was erected in 1804, and belongs to Thomas Trotter, Esq."

 

Southend Theatre

"Terrible" Thomas Trotter  Owned and operated several theatres in the south east of England, including Gravesend, Sittingbourne, Hythe and having as his base Worthing. The Southend theatre was built in 1804 and followed on from a previous theatre first opened in 1793 by Henry Thornton's company from the Theatre Royal, Windsor. Trotter secured the land at what is now Eastern Esplanade near the site opposite the former Castle Inn and Prospect Row, for 20 shillings annual rent from the Lord of Prittlewell manor. The area then was simply called "south end common". The agreement was for a "bricked building intended for the performance of theatricals" The original cost was estimated at £500 (raised in shares of £25 each) but that had been spent before the roof had been completed. On completion, Trotter found his own personal outlay to be £1,450.18s. The Theatre was sold at Robin's London Auction rooms Covent Garden in May 1826 for the sum of £720. The sale did not complete so Trotter remained in possession until his death. In 1859 it was owned by Susannah Clarke. The building was finally converted into cottages and shops and in 1873 parts of the original structure were converted into school rooms.
There can be little doubt that Thomas Trotter would have been responsible for hiring Matilda and her sister during the 1810 season. The local paper that carried the report of Charles and Matilda's marriage carried no other information regarding the theatre at Southend and even notices of forthcoming performances at Chelmsford theatre were conspicuous by their absence. 
There is however surviving evidence in the form of playbills. Southend museum has a trunk lid found in the attic of the Blue Boar Inn during refurbishment. It had a number of playbills pasted to it all dating from the early 1800's but none mentioned Matilda or her sister. 

 

One of the bills in pictures one and two advertise "Macbeth" playing on Friday August 16th 1811 but of more relevance to us, below the "Macbeth" bill is one for "The Beehive" written by Charles Edward which had opened at the Lyceum in January the same year. It is dated August 5th 1811. Sharing the bill with Macbeth was "Hit or Miss". Playing with "The Beehive" and topping the bill was a show called "Surrender of Calais", in the small print at the top are the words "Last night of `The Beehive`" Amongst the other bills are familiar titles like "Heir at Law", "Blue Beard", "Adel Githa" and "The Mountaineers".

In 1811,  whilst Charles Edward and Matilda were living in Rathbone Place (off Oxford Street London), the Church of  St. George the Martyr, Queen Square, Bloomsbury, was the venue of  the second baptism of Charles' only son, also named Charles  on the 5th May 1812. The first Baptism (we believe may have taken place at St Giles Church in St Giles Circus, was halted over a dispute regarding the Child's name. The original name chosen by Mrs Rowlatt the Childs Godmother, was to have been CHARLES MOZART HORN. It was a condition of her agreeing to be the "Lady Sponsor" or Godmother that she was to name the Child. The second Baptism was entered into the Parish Records with the note beneath that states: "Said to be baptized 21st June 1811"  There is no entry of the first Baptism in the Church Records of St Giles.

  "Said to be baptized 21st June 1811"  

The years following saw much traveling for Charles Edward, preserved letters dated 1819 written from Dublin and Limerick in Ireland, asking for replies to be forwarded to an address in Cork and letters from Northampton and Cheltenham give some idea of the miles he covered, long before the age of the railways.  In 1826 Charles Edward was declared insolvent, maybe it was this, combined with his turbulent marriage that made him set his mind on leaving for America. He sailed from Liverpool aboard the "SS Canada" his son and his brother in law Alfred Gustavus, waved him off.  His son was to join him a few years later years latter. During this first two year visit he was living at 160 Hudson Street New York. In October 1827 he made his American debut at the Park Theatre in New York. According to T. Allston Brown's "History of the American Stage" ¹  

  "Horn........First appeared in Philadelphia, Nov.1827 at the Chestnut, as Young Meadows in 'Love in a Village'".

Conversely the diaries of George Templeton Strong published in the book "Strong on Music" read thus;

'Joining in the tribute to Schlesingers memory  [Daniel Schlesinger 1799 -1839] was Charles Horn, the indispensable man of all music in New York. A famous actor/singer and composer of England before he made his American debut at the Park Theatre in 1827 as "The Seraskier" in the "Siege of Belgrade."'

The weight of evidence supports the view of George Templeton Strong who goes on;

"Horn had promptly assumed a dominant position in the city's related worlds of music and theatre. After having strenuously functioned in New York for more than a decade as a leading actor/singer, composer, arranger, conductor, teacher, pianist, accompanist, music publisher and general musical entrepreneur, Horn, who was having difficulties with his voice - never his strongest attribute - had recently announced his intention of retiring from the theatrical stage and devoting himself exclusively to the strictly musical aspects of his career - composing, conducting, teaching, accompanying, publishing and singing at concerts. At the Schlesinger memorial concert he was appearing only as a singer."

After returning home in 1829 he was living at 22, Albany Street, Regents Park but he obviously liked what he saw of America because in 1833, he returned there and was a major success. An unsubstantiated report puts Charles Edward, his (unnamed) wife, Charles jnr. and his (unnamed) wife performing together on stage together in New Haven, Connecticut in 1835/6. We know Matilda did not travel to America with Charles Edward, so this report is obviously inaccurate but it is the first time a written account of Charles jnr. and his wife appears in relation to a public performance. It is a well documented fact that Charles jnr had extensive tuition from his Father but we have nothing on record yet as to the musical talents (or otherwise) of Mrs C. Horn jnr.

 Charles Edward remarried in March 1838 (as reported in the "Baltimore Sun" dated March 23rd 1838)  to Marianne (or Marian, Mary Ann, Marion, many versions of her name are on record) Horton. She was said to have been born in Birmingham (England) around 1811.Marianne was the lesser known of two performing sisters, Priscilla being rather more successful on the London stage. Marianne apparently made her debut on the New York stage playing "Cinderella" at the Park Theatre on September 16th 1836, the following year, again as Cinderella, she played the Chestnut Theatre, Philadelphia during August. As far as we are aware there were no children in this second marriage. It is not clear what happened to Matilda Ray at this time. 

Charles and Marianne settled in New York and Charles continued doing what he excelled at, producing many works for the stage, writing songs and melodies and later setting up a publishing company  with a partner (W. J. Davis, a businessman and a skilled flautist.) The company of "Davis and Horn" Music Publishers is recorded at 411 Broadway NY. (1839) and in 1840 Charles alone is recorded;  "C.E Horn Music Publisher" 367 Broadway New York .  In June 1840  in response to Charles Edward's appointment as musical director at the fashionable  Niblo's Garden, (at the junction of Broadway and Prince Street) the New York Mirror reported:

"Among other valuable engagements is that of Mr Horn as Musical Director; a composer of great skill and merit, who will not fail to throw the fascinations of his own beautiful mind around those green groves and bowers of the muses"

In spite of the evident success he was having in America, Charles decided the time was right to return home to England. On January 31st 1843, many of New York's musical community gathered for a testimonial concert at  "Niblo's Garden"  and several of Charles own works were performed under his supervision in what was described as a "concert in his honour."  before he sailed.

"Participating at this farewell event were Madame Maroncelli, Mrs. Loder, Mrs. Ferguson, Miss Lewis (Horn's pupil) and Mrs King, Scharfenberg, Austin Philips, Etienne, Masset, Timm, U.C.Hill an amateur friend and the Horns"

An announcement in the "Herald" stated the program included four new works composed by Mr. Horn in this country, viz, "The Remission of Sin", "Ahmed al Kamel", "The Maid of Saxony" and "The Christmas Bells".
In a follow-up article dated February 1st, rather than print a review of the concert the "Herald" wrote, despite Charles Horn's contention that he was leaving for England to meet a professional engagement, that he was departing with uncertain plans for return.

"We are confident that Mr. Horn, return when he may, will meet as hearty a welcome as he received a farewell. May prosperity and happiness attend him and may his shadow never be less."

The writer of the article may well have been justified in writing those words because whatever the reason was for returning to England there was to be no instant return to his adopted homeland.  The "Musical Examiner," dated Saturday, March 18th, 1843 reported:

"Mr. Charles Horn - - The Composer of "Cherry Ripe" and other very popular vocalities, arrived in London on Wednesday  evening, from America after an absence of nine or ten years."

In November of 1843 the "Musical World" indignantly reported that Mr Charles Horn, along with some other eminent names of the day had been "blackballed" by the "Society of British Musicians."  He had been recommended for membership by Mr Macfarren and Mr Clinton, themselves prominent members of the society but much to the disgust of the editor and many other people the vote had gone against him by fourteen to ten. This apparent rejection by the British Society did nothing to harm Charles' reputation with the the public, indeed it may even enhanced it. The reaction of the music press was swift and vitriolic.

"These disgraceful, these laughable occurrences have given us such a sickener of the "Society of British Musicians," that we shall not easily get over it"

Letters were written to the editor on the subject, of which this is a small part of one:

".........I have always watched with very great interest the proceedings of the “Society of British Musicians” but believe me Mr, Editor, after your exposure of the conduct of the majority of its members, I feel no further anxiety for its well being........"

When questioned, the Society answered:

"Mr Horn's reputation being already made, he wanted nothing of the "British Society" and the "British Society" nothing of Mr Horn."

That being the case, when questioned on Mr Macfarren's rejection who has yet to make his mark, the Society's response, through the same mouthpiece was:

 "Mr Macfarren, having no reputation, could be of no benefit to the Society"

"Bravo logic" retorted the editor, it seems the contradiction was so obvious it went  unnoticed. Rejection or no Charles Edward continued what he knew best. In June 1846 at the Princesses Theatre in Oxford Street he had another benefit concert. The performances were “Catherine and Petruchio,” and  the first act of “Der Freischutz” in which Charles, by popular demand, played the part of "Caspar"  

December 1846 "The Critic"  a great admirer of Horns work reported:

"Mr. C. E. Horn has been making a very successful musical tour of the provinces. At Manchester he has been greeted by crowded audiences, who appeared to welcome one of the most original and popular of our English composers with a heartiness that contrasts pleasingly with the affections of the would be fashionable of the metropolis, who can recognise no beauty in music that is not imported from Italy. Mr Horn sustains the reputation of our national music, and as such deserves all the encouragement which those who love their country can give him."

After settling back in London at various addresses in Great Russell Street and Westbourne Grove, Charles finally decided to go back to America. He left London aboard the ship "Margaret Evans,"  arriving in New York on October 21st. It is possible this return was planned and it is also possible that by this time Charles Edward was a naturalized American but on his return 1847 he was invited to be the conductor of the Handel and Haydyn  Society in Boston Mass. It was in Boston that Charles Edward spent his final years. As yet we have not been able to find his last address, but we do have a copy of the Order of Probate which lists the contents of his home. Sometime after Charles death in 1849 Maria re-married to an American named Mr Zust. She is said to have returned to England in 1860.

In the latter part of 2001 I wrote to various organizations and Institutes in the USA requesting information and copies of some of the archive material they were holding regarding Charles Edward Horn. Among some of the responses was a letter from the Handel and Haydyn Society and the Boston Public Library