GREENE, MAURICE, Mu.% Doc., who as a composer of English Church music is second to none, and indeed has scarcely a rival, was the son of the vicar of St. Olave Jewry, London, and born at the latter end of the 17th century. He received his education in St. Paul's choir, under Brind, the organist, from whose instructions, aided by his own strong genius and remarkable industry, he profited so well that he was elected organist of St. Dunstan's in the West before he had completed his twentieth year. In 1718 he succeeded his master in the important situation of organist to St. Paul's cathedral. On the death of Dr. Croft., in 1726, he was appointed organist and composer to the Chapels Royal; and in 1736 was presented to the office of Master of his Majesty's Band, on the decease of Eccles, a name familiar to all who are acquainted with the dramatic histery of this country dering the conclusion of the 17th and the beginning of the 18th century. Previous to the latter promotion, the degree of Doctor in Music was conferred on him at Cambridge, his exercise for which was Pope's 'Ode on St. Cecilia's Day,' the author having, at tho request of Greene, made considerable alterations in his poem, and added a new stanza, which however forma no part of the odo in any edition of the poet's works. The university shortly after elected the composer professor of music, on the death of Dr. Tudway.
Dr. Greene took an active part in all musical affairs, and when Handel finally settled in this country, the English musician courted his acquaintance assiduously ; but having taken sumo offence, ho soon became one of the great master's bitterest enemies. He sup ported Bononcini (the same person who is immortalised in Swift's epigram), who was enabled, through the influence of Henrietta, duchess of Marlborough, and a strong party of the nobility, to get elevated to the rank of one of Handel'a ephemeral rivals. Greene introduced him at the Academy of Ancient Music, where the Italian practised a deception which caused his expulsion, on which Greene retired, and established another concert at the Devil Tavern,. Greene's enmity to Handel is said to have arisen from some contemptuous expressions which the great German uttered respecting Greene's com positions. Ilia sarcasms were perhaps directed at Greene's lighter
works ; of his church music he could never have thought con temptuously.
In 1750 Dr. Greene came into possession of a good estate in Essex, left him by his paternal uncle, a serjeantsat-law. He then resolved to digest. and publish a collection of the beet English cathedral music, and in five years made considerable progress in his favourite under taking ; but his health beginning to fail, be delivered his materials to the care of his friend and disciple Dr. Boyce, who completed the work, and gave to the world the matchless volumes so well known to every real amateur of classical English music. Dr. Greene died in 1755, leaving one daughter, married to Dr. Michael Vesting, rector of Wyke Regis, Dorsetshire. He was, as Dr. Burney, who knew him, informs ns, in figure "much below the common size, and had the misfortune to be deformed ; but his address and exterior manners were those of a Dian of the world, mild, attentive, and well-brecL" He enjoyed the friendship of Bishop Headley, at whose table he was always a welcome guest; and his interest with the Duke of Newcastle, of political memory, was strong. Among his compositions are some charming cantatas and songs ; but his fame is built on his 'Forty Authems for one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, and eight voices,' in two folio volumes. " These," says a writer in The Harmonicon,' "place him at the head of the list of English ecclesiastical composers, for they combine the science and vigour of our earlier writers with the melody of the best Italian masters who flourished in the first half of the 18th century." To Greene our cathedral establishments owe a great debt of gratitude ; his works constitute a very large portion of their musical wealth ; and as the harmony heard in those venerable edifices attracts numbers to them, Dr. Greene, as well as some few other com posers for our church, ought perhaps in strict justice to be ranked not only as skilful musicians, but among the promoters of the national religion.