Event Comment: Lyric Ode (never performed) "On
the Witches, Fairies, and Aerial Beings in
Shakespeare.
The Music entirely New." [
The Westminster Magazine for March commented: "This poem is said to be written by a young gentleman of
Oxford, and has many strokes of genius and inagination in it.
The music, we hear, is composed by
Mr Linley Jr, who has (since his return
from Italy) been a student under that most excellent musician
Dr Boyce. This composition must be allowed to be an
extraordinary effort of genius in so young a man.
The Fugue of
the overture is masterly.
The song of '
There in old Arden's inmost shade,' is well suited to
the scene described by
the poet....But what we think most deserving of praise is
the power our young composer has shown in
the chorusses....
From the general and sincere applause with which
the Ode was received, we may venture to pronounce, that if Mr Linley Jr pursues his studies, he will one day stand foremost in
the list of modern composers."