ABSTRACT

'At present Green, an Englishman and an excellent mechanic, is deservedly in possession of the public favour.' 1 Thus Burney, writing in the late 1780s, sums up the organ building scene following the death of Snetzler. Burney here refers to Green's total output, not solely to his chamber organs; a correspondent in The Gentleman's Magazine is more specific in stating that 'the private or chamber organs made by him were very numerous'. 2 Although they were not as numerous as the remark suggests, surviving examples indicate that by the 1770s Green was already emerging as Snetzler's preferred successor in the provision of chamber organs. Here fashion again played its part, for as Snetzler faded gently away after the late 1770s, making only a handful of organs, the attention and patronage of King George III that had formerly been bestowed on him were transferred to the fortunate Green, Where the King led, society followed. The fact that Burney thought it necessary to stress Green's Englishness is an interesting comment on the dominance of Snetzler up to that time.