Page:A Dictionary of Music and Musicians vol 3.djvu/151

ROBIN ADAIR. series of 'Notes and Queries.' It is here sufficient to show by the correspondence between the poet Burns and George Thomson, that the air was known as 'Robin Adair' before Braham reintroduced it here. In the published correspondence between Thomson the music publisher, for whom Haydn and Beethoven both harmonized Scotch airs, and Burns, Thomson, writing in August, 1793, says, 'I shall be glad to see you give Robin Adair a Scottish dress. Peter [Pindar] is furnishing him with an English suit for a change, and you are well matched together. Robin's air is excellent, though he certainly has an out-of-the-way measure as ever poor Parnassian wight was plagued with.' To this Burns answered in the same month: 'I have tried my hand on "Robin Adair," and, you will probably think with little success; but it is such a cursed, cramp, out-of-the-way measure, that I despair of doing anything better to it.' He then sends 'Phillis the fair,' and, a few days later, writes again, 'That crinkum-crankum tune, "Robin Adair," has been running in my head, and I succeeded so ill on my last attempt, that I have ventured, in this morning's walk, one essay more.' He then encloses 'Had I a cave.'

It is difficult to tell who wrote the words of the present song of Robin Adair. The name of the author is not upon the original title-page. Peter Pindar's songs (Dr. John Wolcott's) are not included in his collected works, being then the copyright of Messrs Goulding & D'Almaine, who bought all for an annuity of £250, and, as Peter was christened in 1738 and died in 1819, it was a dear bargain. The popularity of Robin Adair dates from Braham's benefit at the Lyceum Theatre on December 17, 1811. He then sang the air with great applause, but as the vowels are long in 'Eileen,' and short in 'Robin,' he introduced the acciaccatura, which Dr. Burney calls the Scotch snap.' The change will be more intelligible in notes than in description. Thus:—

We give the line in its accurate transliteration, as kindly supplied by Dr. P. W. Joyce, the eminent Irish collector:—

[ W. C. ]

ROBIN DES BOIS. The title of the French version of 'Der Freischütz' at its first appearance in Paris (Odéon, Dec. 7, 1824; Opéra Comique, Jan. 15, 1835; Lyrique, Jan. 24, 1855) The libretto was made by Sauvage; the name of the characters were changed, the action and the story were altered, portions of 'Preciosa' and 'Oberon' were introduced, and the piece was made to end happily. The alterations were due to Castil Blaze, who to save expense scored the music himself from a PF. copy. Nevertheless, with all these drawbacks, so great was the popularity of the music that Castil Blaze made a large sum of money by it. For the translation by Pacini and Berlioz see, vol. i. p. 562. [ G. ]

ROBIN HOOD. An opera in 3 acts; words by John Oxenford, music by G. A. Macfarren. Produced at Her Majesty's Theatre, London, Oct. 11, 1860, and had a very great run. [ G. ]

ROBINSON,, was daughter of a portrait painter, who, becoming blind, was compiled to qualify his children to gain their own livelihood. Anastasia received instruction from Dr. Croft, Pier Giuseppe Sandoni, and the singer called The Baroness, successively. She appeared as Ariana in Handel's 'Amadigi,' May 25, 1715; and in 1720 at the King's Theatre as Echo in Domenico Scarlatti's opera, 'Narcisso.' She afterwards sang in the pasticcio of 'Muzio Sczevola,' in Handel's 'Ottone,' Floridante,' 'Flavio,' and 'Giulio Cesare'; in Buononcini's 'Crispo' and 'Griselda,' and other operas. Her salary was £1000 for the season, besides a benefit-night. She possessed a fine voice of extensive compass, but her intonation was uncertain. She quitted the stage in 1723, on being privately married to the Earl of Peterborough, who did not avow the marriage until shortly before his death in 1735, although, according to one account, she resided with him as mistress of the house, and was received as such by the Earl's friends. According to another account, she resided with her mother in a house near Fulham, which the Earl took for them, and never lived under the same roof with him, until she attended him in a journey in search of health, a short time before his death. The Countess survived until 1750. There is a fine portrait of her by Faber after Vanderbank, 1727.

Her younger sister,, intended for a miniature painter, preferred being a singer. She studied under Buononcini, and afterwards at Paris under Rameau; but though an excellent singer, was said to have been prevented by timidity from ever appearing in public. A fortunate marriage, however, relieved her from the necessity of obtaining her own subsistence. [ W. H. H. ]

ROBINSON,, born 1682, was a chorister of the Chapel Royal under Dr. Blow. He subsequently became organist of St. Lawrence, Jewry, and St. Magnus, London Bridge. Hawkins, in his History, describes him as 'a very florid and elegant performer on the organ, inasmuch that crowds resorted to hear him'; and elsewhere says: 'In parish churches the voluntary between the Psalms and the First Lesson was anciently a slow, solemn movement, tending to compose the minds and excite sentiments of piety and devotion. Mr. Robinson introduced a different practice, calculated to display the agility of his fingers in allegro movements on the cornet, trumpet,