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

In 1839 he was made See also:

bachelor in music at See also:Oxford . In 1841 he was appointed to the See also:Reid See also:chair of music in the university of See also:Edinburgh, but Iv . Ihe resigned the office in r 843 . He was knighted in 1842, being the first musician who ever received that See also:honour . In 1848 he succeeded Dr See also:Crotch in the chair of music at Oxford . The music for the See also:ode on the occasion of the See also:installation of See also:Lord See also:Derby as See also:chancellor of the university (1853) proved to be his last work . He died on the 3oth of See also:April 1855 in impoverished circumstances, though few composers ever made more by their labours . Bishop was twice married: to See also:Miss See also:Lyon and Miss See also:Anne See also: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 See also:harmony is always pure, See also:simple and sweet .

End of Article: SIR HENRY ROWLEY BISHOP (1786-1855)
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