Charles John Frederick Lampe

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Charles John Frederick Lampe (1739 – 10 September 1767) was an English composer and organist. He was the son of composer John Frederick Lampe and singer Isabella Lampe (née Young). Born in London a year after his parents married, he came from a family full of musicians. His father wrote stage music and his mother sang in many of his works. Isabella was part of the well-known Young musical family.

Charles was named after his grandfather, Charles Young, a notable organist and composer. His great-uncle Anthony Young was also a respected organist and composer. His aunt Cecilia was one of the era’s greatest English sopranos and married to composer Thomas Arne, while another aunt, Esther, was a famous contralto married to music publisher Charles Jones. His cousins Isabella, Elizabeth and Polly Young were singers, and his cousin Michael Arne was a composer.

In 1758 Charles became the organist at All Hallows, Barking-by-the-Tower, taking over from his grandfather and serving there until his death in 1767. From 1760 to 1761 he played with the Covent Garden orchestra. In 1763 he married Ann Smith, a singer at Marylebone Gardens. They lived in the Drury Lane area from around 1766 until Charles died in 1767 at the age of 28.

As a composer, Charles wrote mainly vocal songs for London’s pleasure gardens, as well as catches and glees. His songs include Britannia’s Invitation to her Sons to Partake of the Glory of the Intended Expedition (c. 1755) and Damon & Delia or the Retreat (1759), plus Six English Songs as Sung by Mr Lowe and Mrs Lampe Junr at Marylebone Gardens (1764). His music is light and appealing, often featuring the Scotch snap. He had other published works in catch collections such as The Catch Club or Merry Companions (c. 1765) and A Second Collection of Catches.