From "Northumbria on this day" by Chris Kilkenny.
10 May 1770
Death of Charles Avison, composer, organist, at St John's and St Nicholas Church. Born in 1710, he was the son of a "town wait", one of the musicians and watchmen. He studied under Francisco Germaniani in London, and copied his style. He turned down job offers in Dublin and York to become organist at St John's Newcastle, which had the biggest organ in the north. Apart from his own compositions, his contribution to local music was the series of concerts which he organised, held on Race week and Assize week, two major events in the local calendar. The concerts were held in the Groat Market Assembly rooms and Spring gardends, Gallowgate, where the works of different composers were performed. He is commemorated by a plaque set in the wall of St Andrews churchyard and by the work of the Avison society.
10 May 1733
On this day William Dixon started his manuscript collection of Northumbrian music, much of this music survives in the continuing Northumbrian tradition. His collection is far far older than the likes of Cecil Sharp, proclaimed as the "saviours of English folk music", but if you say that you defining Northumbria as not England.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Dixon_(piper)
Brought to you by Michael Bell
