Valentine, Thomas

Wiki entry: none at time of writing.

International Music Score Library Project [IMSLP] entry: Thomas Valentine

Thomas Valentine (1790-1878) was born in Liverpool, but spent most of his life teaching in Birmingham. I picked up a collection of his music; when I first sequenced some of his music, none of my pieces were known to IMSLP, but they have since gained a copy of Kelvin Grove. He wrote salon music, often themes with showy but easy variations, and teaching pieces.

Piece	MP3	Midi	Genre
The Keel Row		MIDI	piano salon CD2
	Subtitled A Favorite Northern Melody, this is Arranged with Variations for the Piano Forte and dedicated to Miss Harriet Swanwick (of Prestbury, Cheshire). There are six variations, of which the last is inevitably marked Brillante and includes a cadenza and a coda.
I See Them on their Winding Way		MIDI	piano salon
	This piece is subtitled Tempo di Marcia, A SECOND Military Divertimento for the Piano Forte in which is introduced the Favorite Air `I see them on their Winding Way'. It was composed around 1828, dedicated to Mrs W. Firmin, and published by Hime & Son, Liverpool. Unusually for Valentine, the piece is not a set of variations, but consists of a march followed by the `favourite air'. This was from an unpublished poem, I see them on their winding way, About their heads the moonbeams play, ... written by Bishop Reginald Heber (1783-1826), hymn writer and bishop of Calcutta, on seeing troops manoeuvring at night, and set after his death by B. Hime to a tune similar to that used here. Hime is presumably related to the Hime and Son who published and sold Valentine's piece; Mrs Firmin seems to have escaped the web's attention, but there is lots about Bishop Heber.
Kelvin Grove		MIDI	piano salon
	Kelvin Grove is the fourth of a set of six pieces under the title Les Belles Fleurs. Unsurprisingly, it consists of variations on a well-known theme. The final Alla polacca [polonaise] is fun to play. Sequenced from the Cramer, Addison & Beale [Regent Street] version. The IMSLP copy was published by the Royal Harmonic Institution [two of whose founding members were Cramer and Beale]; I don't know which is the original! The RHI version is dedicated to Miss Ellen Hume, and listed as Valentine's Op. 29. The somewhat eccentric accents are as marked in the score. Kelvin Grove was originally a traditional song with words about a `bonnie lassie' who becomes pregnant. This was tidied up in 1819 by John Sim and in 1837 by Thomas Lyle, and it is this version that became popular in the late 1830s: Let us haste to Kelvin Grove, bonnie lassie, O, Thro' its mazes let us rove, bonnie lassie, O, Where the roses in their pride Deck the bonnie dingle side, Where the midnight fairies glide, bonnie lassie, O, [and so on]. In modern times, it has become a hymn [Will you come and follow me if I but call your name?] of the Iona Community.
Roy's Wife of Aldivalloch		MIDI	piano salon
	Roy's Wife of Aldivalloch is described as a favourite Scotch air. There are a number of versions on the Web, several with lyrics. In brief, and somewhat inevitably, Roy's Wife is unfaithful, according to a late 18thC poem by Mrs Grant. More information is available, for example, here, but there is much more. Sequenced in 2022 from the copy in my collection, which was published by H. Falkner [active 1816-1844]. The piece is marked Andantino con Espressione. The usual variations include a scherzo and an alla marcia, which brings the piece to a rousing conclusion.
Auld Lang Syne		MIDI	piano salon
	Auld Lang Syne is described as A favorite Scotch Air, and is, as usual, a theme with variations. This is sequenced from the third edition, implying a degree of popularity, which was published at Falkner's Opera Music Warehouse, 3 Old Bond Street, and was dedicated to a Miss Brettell [who may, or may not, have been one of Valentine's pupils]. At a guess, the piece was written around 1840; for further evidence, see the information section of the associated Midi file. Auld Lang Syne was a common source of Theme and Variations salon music. The theme is marked Andante; the finale is Brillante but designed to lie under the fingers; worth noting is the previous variation, which is literally off-beat, and requires you to keep your fingers in good order! Sequenced in 2022 from the copy in my collection. Pedalling is the score is very sparse; I have followed the score rather than add a lot more.

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Andy Walker, anw [at] cuboid4.me.uk [remove digit to construct address]