Choir and Music                            39

eight years, and even in those eight years was not carried
out, St. Paul's seems to have retained its independence;
the organist of that chapel in 1838 was S. P, Taylor;
he was succeeded in 1843 by Mr, G. F. H. Hodges,
and the music was for a time under the influence of the
first director, but the combined rehearsals were never in
operation. On the other hand, the appropriation for
choirs, $1,500 for each church, was continued without
increase for thirty years.

The first appointment under the new system brings
upon the scene, at the distance of a century, the second
notable personage in the history of our music; curiously
enough, a native of the same place as Tuckey, whom we
have set down as the first. A short biographical notice
will introduce him before he takes his place in our history.

X

I839-1846

Edward Hodges was born at Bristol, England, in
1796. Not at first intended for the musical profession,
he developed at an early age " remarkable inventive fac¬
ulties, and some of his projects have since been adopted
in different branches of mechanical science." Taking up
the study of music, he became organist of Clifton Church,
and of St. James' and St. Nicholas' Churches in Bristol.
He introduced the modern C compass for organs into
England; as "the organ in St. James' Church, Bristol,
when remodelled under his direction, contained the first
CC manual, and CCC pedal made in England." {Grove's
Dictionary.) For the opening of this organ on May 2,
1824, he composed a Morning and Evening Service in C,