Philip Hart (died 17 July 1749) was an English organist and composer.

Life

St Andrew Undershaft, St Mary Axe, EC2 - Organ - geograph

His father, James Hart (1647–1718), was a gentleman of the Chapel Royal, chorister of

Westminster Abbey Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, is an historic, mainly Gothic church in the City of Westminster, London, England, just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is one of the United ...

, and a composer. Philip Hart was for many years organist of churches in London: he became assistant organist of St Andrew Undershaft in 1696, sole organist from 1697 until his death; he was organist of

St Michael, Cornhill St Michael, Cornhill, is a medieval parish church in the City of London with pre-Norman Conquest parochial foundation. It lies in the ward of Cornhill. The medieval structure was lost in the Great Fire of London, and replaced by the present bui ...

from 1704 to 1723. On 28 May 1724 he was elected the first organist of

St Dionis Backchurch St Dionis Backchurch was a parish church in the Langbourn ward of the City of London. Of medieval origin, it was rebuilt after the Great Fire of London to the designs of Christopher Wren and demolished in 1878. Early history The church of St D ...

. He died, at an advanced age, on 17 July 1749, and was buried at St Andrew Undershaft on 22 July.Robert Evans, Maggie Humphreys. ''Dictionary of Composers for the Church in Great Britain and Ireland''. Bloomsbury, 1997
Page 149
/ref> Hart was said by the writer

John Hawkins John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second ...

to have been a sound musician, but to have "entertained little relish" for innovations. Hawkins also described Hart's frequent use of the "shake" in playing, and recorded how he was wont to discourse on music at

Thomas Britton Thomas Britton (14 January 1644 – 27 September 1714) was an English charcoal merchant best known as a concert promoter. Biography Born in Rushden, Northamptonshire, Britton moved to London at a young age and apprenticed himself to a small co ...

's house in the company of Handel, Pepusch and others.

Compositions

* "An Ode to Harmony", his setting of John Hughes's "Ode in Praise of Musick", performed on St Cecilia's day 1703 * ''Fugues for the Organ or Harpsichord'' * Anthems: "I will give thanks", and "Praise the Lord, ye Servants" * Many songs, including "A Song upon the Safe Return of His Majesty King William", written about 1700, "Sound the Trumpet", which was written in 1734 to celebrate the wedding of the

Prince of Orange Prince of Orange (or Princess of Orange if the holder is female) is a title originally associated with the sovereign Principality of Orange, in what is now southern France and subsequently held by sovereigns in the Netherlands. The title ...

and the Princess Royal, and others, like "Ye Curious Winds", in Handelian style. * The hymn tune "Hilderstone"; it was later included in ''Church Hymns'' (1874) and in ''Hymns Ancient and Modern'' (Standard Edition, 1916)

References

Attribution *

External links

*
Hilderstone, hymn tune by Philip Hart
at

Hymnary.org Hymnary.org is an online database of hymns, hymnodists and hymnals hosted by Calvin College's Calvin Institute of Christian Worship and Christian Classics Ethereal Library. The searchable database contains over one million hymn tunes and texts and ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hart, Philip 1749 deaths English classical organists British male organists 18th-century keyboardists 18th-century classical composers 18th-century British male musicians English classical composers Male classical organists