The myth of the forgotten composer--the posthumous reputation of Charles Avison.

It is commonplace for modern writers, when they discuss the music produced by 18th-century British composers, to refer to it as 'forgotten'. The implication is that there is a general assumption among the populace and music scholars that, from the end of that century until modern times, this music was unperformed and that the composers themselves were largely unknown. However, this is not the case. This article sets out to address this matter through a focus on the musician Charles Avison, and an exploration of his posthumous reputation. There is a discussion of the performance history of his musical works, the published arrangements based on his music, his writings, and the major revival of interest in him that began in the 1930s. Through a detailed search of British newspapers, periodicals and concert programmes it has been possible to shed light on the manner in which Avison has been held since his death, and ultimately to refute the notion that he was ever a forgotten composer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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