Who was Thomas Arne?
Music Composer. Date and Place of Birth: 12th March 1710, London, England. Family Background: Son of an Upholsterer in King Street, Covent Garden, London. Education: Eton College. Chronology/Biography of Thomas Arne: The young Arne was keen on the opera and legend has it that he smuggled himself into London’s Italian Opera dressed as a liveryman. Whatever, he met and became friends with the composer Michael Festing at the opera who taught him the violin and took him to various musical performances. 1732: His father was keen that he should follow the law and he was articled to a solicitor for three years after leaving Eton but was finally persuaded, probably by Festing, that he should follow music as a career. He began to teach his brother and sister to sing and the three of them performed at the Haymarket Theatre during April. 1733: Goes to see Handel’s opera “Athalia” with Festing. His first composition a setting of Addison’s “Rosamond” was performed then times at the theatre at Linco
