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SIR HENRY ROWLEY BISHOP (1786-1855)

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Originally appearing in Volume V04, Page 1 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
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SIR HENRY ROWLEY BISHOP (1786-1855)  ,
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English musical composer, was born in
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London on the 18th of November 1786 . He received his
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artistic training from Francisco Bianchi, and in 1804 wrote the
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music to a piece called Angelina, which was performed at
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Margate . His next composition was the music to the
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ballet of Tamerlan et Bajazet, produced in 18o6 at the King's theatre . This proved successful, and was followed within two years by several others, of which
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Caractacus, a pantomimic ballet, written for Drury Lane, may be named . In 1809 his first opera, The Circassian's Bride, was produced at Drury Lane; but unfortunately the theatre was burned down after one performance, and the score of the
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work perished in the flames . His next work of importance, the opera of The Maniac, written for the
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Lyceum in 181o, established his reputation, and probably secured for him an appointment for three years as composer for Covent Garden theatre . The numerous works—operas, burlettas, cantatas, incidental music to Shakespeare's plays, &c.—which he composed while in this position, are in
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great
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part forgotten . The most successful were—The Virgin of the Sun (1812), The Miller and his Men (1813), Guy Mannering and The Slave (1816), Maid Marian and Clari, introducing the well-known air of " Home, Sweet Home " (1822) . In 1825 Bishop was induced by Elliston to transfer his services from Covent Garden to the
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rival house in Drury Lane, for which he wrote with unusual care the opera of Aladdin, intended to compete with Weber's Oberon, commissioned by the other house . The result was a failure, and with Aladdin Bishop's career as an operatic composer may be said to close . On the formation of the Philharmonic Society (1813) Bishop was appointed one of the
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directors, and he took his turn as conductor of its concerts during the period when that office was held by different musicians in rotation . In 183o he was appointed musical director at
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Vauxhall; and it was in the course of this engagement that he wrote the popular
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song " My
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Pretty Jane." His sacred cantata, The Seventh Day, was written for the Philharmonic Society and performed in 1833 .

In 1839 he was made

bachelor in music at Oxford . In 1841 he was appointed to the Reid chair of music in the university of
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Edinburgh, but Iv . Ihe resigned the office in r 843 . He was knighted in 1842, being the first musician who ever received that honour . In 1848 he succeeded Dr Crotch in the chair of music at Oxford . The music for the ode on the occasion of the
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installation of Lord Derby as chancellor of the university (1853) proved to be his last work . He died on the 3oth of
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April 1855 in impoverished circumstances, though few composers ever made more by their labours . Bishop was twice married: to
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Miss Lyon and Miss Anne Riviere . Both he and his wives were singers . His name lives in connexion with his numerous glees, songs and smaller compositions . His melodies are clear, flowing, appropriate and often charming; and his harmony is always pure,
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simple and sweet .

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