William Shield

Like Haydn and Beethoven, not to mention several other composers of his time, Shield was a great plunderer of folk tunes (in his case mostly from his native Northumbria).

[3][4] These included one on Robin Hood (1784), text by Macnally, as well as instrumental music, but he is principally known for his English light opera Rosina (1781).

William Shield died on Sunday 25 January 1829 (the date celebrated as Robbie Burns Day) at his house at 31 Berners Street, London.

[5] Victorian chroniclers skirted round the problem, but when the will was proved on 6 March 1829 the estate was claimed by, "Ann Stokes, alias Shield, Spinster, belonging to Marleybone".

John 'Mad Jack' Fuller commissioned sculptor Peter Rouw (1771–1852), of Portland Lane, London, to create a memorial to mark the grave of his friend William Shield in Westminster Abbey.

Fuller subsequently had the tablet installed at his home church, St Thomas à Becket, Brightling, Sussex where it remains.

A medallion portrait of William Shield in profile is accompanied by this inscription: Sacred to the memory of / WILLIAM SHIELD esquire / master of His Majesty's band of music / who died January 25th 1829 / aged 80 years / and is buried in Westminster Abbey / This gentleman's name[,] independent / of his high character and virtues / in private life[,] has a claim to be enroll'd / amongst the most eminent musical / composers that have hitherto prov'd / an ornament to the British nation / John Fuller of Rose Hill Esq, DDD.

The Gateshead Youth Orchestra regularly performs music by Shield, including the overtures to Rosina and The Travellers in Switzerland.

A fine and elaborate setting of an older tune with this name "For Old Lang Syne, by Mr. Beck", with variation appears in the Balcarres Lute Book, from Scotland.

In the final allegro, what is essentially the modern form of the tune appears on the oboe; as this section contains Scotch snap rhythms, with a drone accompaniment on bassoon 'in imitation of bagpipes', it may well be that the use of this melody by Shield is also a quotation.

[15] Like Shield, Gow does not claim to have composed it; it is closely related to older strathspeys such as Coming Through the Rye, and The Miller's Wedding.

To date these include Rosina, The Woodman, The Farmer, The Poor Soldier and Robin Hood all performed by Rocket Opera and the William Shield Festival Orchestra, led by Bradley Creswick, conducted by John Treherne.