Harrow Observer, 16 November 1928, page 12

Enterprise

Mr Edward Cutler, KC, whom I knew well, organist at Whitchurch in those days, and an authority on Handel’s connection with the church, probed into the matter and came definitely to the conclusion that the “Air with Variations” was composed by Handel in 1720, but it was not until 1830 – that is, 72 years after Handel’s death and 110 years after it was written – that an enterprising music publisher re-issued the music under the title of “the Harmonious Blacksmith,” the title of which bears as much relation to the composition as “Kiss me Quick and let me go” does to the fox-trot of that name.” The legend of the rain, the shelter, the smithy, and even the blacksmith, was then invented and the sale pushed by methods which put even present-day film press agents to shame. The music sold like wildfire. A copy was to be found in every young ladies’ academy; it tinkled from every harpsichord, and the interest continued and culminated until 1868 a grave appropriately found in Whitchurch and the present headstone erected by public subscription, bearing, as “Socrates” says, a sunk medallion, a hammer, anvil, laurel wreath and the opening bar of the variations. The exercises which Handel wrote – Suites or Lessons as they were called in England – were probably the most popular pieces ever written for the harpsichord, and in the early editions no mention is made of the “Harmonious Blacksmith,” but the air is simply labelled “Air et Doubles” which was the common way of describing any theme with variations. Later researches show that the air was written by a second-rate musician named Wagenseil, that Handel was quick to see its potentialities, that he had no scruple in appropriating it for his own purposes, and used it deliberately in his “suites”. Sir Hubert Parry seems to hit the nail on the head when he says that the air was republished by a certain Lintott in Bath, and he called it “The Harmonious Blacksmith” in honour of his father, who had been a blacksmith.