Complete Encyclopaedia of Music/B/Beale, William

Beale, William. An English composer of madrigals, glees, and other vocal music. He was educated as a chorister of Westminster Abbey, and was an excellent part singer. In 1813, he obtained the prize cup given by the Madrigal Society, his composition on that occasion being "Awake, sweet Muse." W. Beale published at Birchall's, in 1820, a collection of glees and madrigals, which did him great credit. "He borrows," says an eminent modern critic, "from the old school, with the lofty and independent air of a man who is conscious he can repay ; and as he has given us sufficient proof of his ability to copy other styles, we trust that he will go on to form and improve a style of his own." Certainly we may add, that the peculiar harmony of the old madrigals has never been so well imitated as by Beale, since the publication of Dr. Cooke's "In the merry month of May." Among various songs by Beale, the cantata of "Brutus" is especially worthy the attention of amateurs.