Talk:William Boyce (composer)

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I haven't yet found more than two sources that agree on Boyce's birth and death dates. There's a very wide range of dates given out there. For the moment, I've put in what allclassical.com says, because it's at least a modern source, and (generally) reliable. I'll check in Grove and see what that says next time I get a chance. --Camembert

There is no known source containing Boyce's birth date. Burney misleading writes that Boyce was 69 at the time of his death, however parochial registers show he was baptised on 11th September 1711, considering all his siblings were baptised within 4-10 days of their birth, modern scholars assume the same applies to Boyce. The last edition of Grove I checked has his birth year as 1710, date unknown so I would check their sources before citing their entry. 92.23.45.35 (talk) 16:17, 16 July 2008 (UTC)


 * The inscription on his grave in the crypt of St Paul's Cathedral also refers to his having died at age 69, but that's usually disregarded. --  JackofOz (talk) 09:21, 29 July 2008 (UTC)


 * Given all the conflicting information, and the lack of definite proof, it behoves us to not simply pick what we think is the likely date and assert it without qualification, as if it were universally accepted as factual, but to have a note explaining the different sources and saying why we've chosen the one we have. --  JackofOz (talk) 09:24, 29 July 2008 (UTC)


 * Also, given that he was born when England was using the Julian calendar but died after the introduction of the Gregorian calendar (1752), we need to make some statement about whether 11 September 1711 is a Julian date or a Gregorian date. --  JackofOz (talk) 09:31, 29 July 2008 (UTC)

Classical composer?
Although Boyce's productive life fits pretty squarely in the early Classical era, wasn't his output stylistically Baroque? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.109.82.96 (talk) 22:32, 17 December 2008 (UTC)
 * Yes and no. Stylistically he was conservative for the period in which he lived. As the article states, his chamber-music output includes trio sonatas, which is a form associated with the Baroque. However, he also composed a set of eight symphonies, a form more characteristic of the Classical period. The Category of "Classical-era composers" assigned to this article, which I suppose is what prompted your question, is apt since (as you yourself point out) he lived in the period referred to. I would say that, from a stylistic point of view, Boyce would be plausibly described as a "transitional" composer.—Jerome Kohl (talk) 22:47, 17 December 2008 (UTC)

"However, he also composed a set of eight symphonies, a form more characteristic of the Classical period." The symphonies are definitely in the baroque style. ---Dagme (talk) 01:57, 6 February 2017 (UTC)

Dr. Boyce?
I seem to remember reading that Boyce was also a medical doctor. Or is it simply old age toying with my memory? Any info on this? Opus131 (talk) 02:24, 9 July 2012 (UTC)
 * Guess not. I am inordinately fond of Boyce's symphonies: What a totally jolly and good-natured musical personality! Opus131 (talk) 06:59, 28 September 2012 (UTC)

Agreed! ---Dagme (talk) 01:58, 6 February 2017 (UTC)


 * His doctor was in music. Here is an explanation from the "Memoirs of Dr. William Boyce" written by the music historian John Hawkins (1719-1789):


 * ... Upon this occasion an Ode, written by Mr. Mason, was given to Mr. Boyce to set to music; and the same, and also an anthem suited to the solemnity, was publicly performed in the church of St. Mary on the first day of July in the above year, being Commencement-Sunday.
 * This performance seems to have answered two purposes, viz. the celebration of the Duke’s installation, and that of an exercise for a degree in music, which as an academical honour, Mr. Boyce was desirous of: he obtained it without any solicitation, and was, permitted by the university to accumulate the degrees of bachelor and doctor in his faculty.
 * From this point onwards, the memoirs refer to him as "Dr. Boyce". --User:Haraldmmueller 11:53, 15 October 2021 (UTC)