John Worgan, the composer, was born just outside the eastern boundary of the City of London and rarely traveled far from it, except for visits to Cambridge and his country home.
Instruments
Julian Perkins performs on a 1772 double-manual Kirckman harpsichord from Dumfries House, whose solid oak case contributes to its 'voluptuous sonorities' and orchestral textures.
Composition History
John Worgan's Pieces for the Harpsichord (1780) were composed 'purposely for forming the Hands of Young Pupils' and are ordered by technical difficulty and a 'cycle of fifths' to introduce keys.
Composer's Artistic Vision
John Worgan, the composer, was known for his 'open-minded, sometimes learned, eclectic and unpedantic habits of playing and composing,' influenced by his enthusiasms for Handel and Domenico Scarlatti.
Critical Reception
Despite being admired by Handel and described as 'an eagle over falcons' by Richard Mackenzie Bacon, John Worgan's music has been largely forgotten.
Composer Biography
John Worgan's most eminent son, George Boucher Worgan, was the surgeon on Captain Cook's First Fleet and brought the first piano to Australia in 1788.
Composer Biography
John Worgan, the composer, was a student of Thomas Roseingrave, from whom he developed a reverence for the genius of Domenico Scarlatti.
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