Co-authored by James D. Brown (also known for A Biographical Dictionary of Musicians) and Stephen S. Stratton, British Musical Biography is an alphabetical reference work to the key achievements of British musical artists, composers and authors from as early as 1042 AD to the end of the nineteenth century. It first appeared in 1897 as an experiment in publishing and was motivated partly by patriotism on the part of the authors. It includes the names of British composers and performers, their dates of birth and death, brief biographies, and details of important works, their first performance, and date of first publication. Interpreting their brief to include the whole of the British empire, the authors have included the names of well over 2,500 famous and lesser-known musicians born in Britain and its colonies.

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Text extracted from opening pages of book: BRITISH MUSICAL BIOGRAPHY: A DICTIONARY OF MUSICAL ARTISTS, AUTHORS AND COMPOSERS, BORN IN BRITAIN AND ITS COLONIES. BY JAMKS D. BROWN, AI'IHOK OK A ItlOOKAl'HICAL DKTIONAKY OK MUSICIANS, '* KTC., * AND STEPHEN S. STRATTON. WKMINOHAM: 8. 8-STKATTON, 247, MONUMKNT RoAD. I'ftfNTKD V CHAl* FIKM> ANI> SON, LT0, , DKRBV, TO THE INCORPORATED SOCIETY OP MUSICIANS THIS WORK IS DEDICATED BY THE AUTHORS. PREFACB. IN undertaking this work, the authors have been animated by the desire lo present the true position of the British Empire in the world of music. A country is musical only by the music it produces for itself, not by what it takes from others. In tins work, therefore, only what has been done by Britain's own sons and daughters is placed on record. It is probable that in no other nation is there, at the present time, greater musical activity, creative or executive, than is to be witnessed in our own; and this not only in the great centres of population and culture, but everywhere throughout the Empire* In this connection the work of provincial and colonial musicians has received its proper share of atten tion. The greater masters, already noticed at length in other similar publications, have been treated with brevity in order to afford space for mention of many worthy, if obscure, workers in the cause of Art, hitherto passed over by writers of biography. The very large number ( probably over 40,000) of persons engaged in the musical profession at the present time will explain the apparent preponderance of notices devoted to living musicians, This part of the work, however, is intended rather to be representative than complete; and from variouscauses, in many cases only a bare outline could be accomplished. While some names may seem to havo but slight claim to inclusion, it is hoped that no artist of eminence has boon omitted. The book being written from an independent standpoint, matters of opinion have been subordinated to the presentment of facts; and its usefulness as a work of reference has been one of the main objects of the authors. Accuracy has been striven for as regards dates of birth and death; first performance of important works; and first appearances of artists, which have been carefully collated, where possible, from contemporary notices, Many of these differ from dates hitherto accepted* Still, faults and omissions may be detected, and any information in correction thereof will be gladly received. The work is 11 PREFACE. issued by the authors themselves as a kind of experiment in publishing their object being a patriotic desire to record the achievements of British workers in the field of musical art. The authors are indebted to the following gentlemen for information or aid rendered during the progress of the work: Mr. Reginald I). Moore, Exeter; Mr. J. A. Browne, editor of tlio Kritixh Mitwi'tn; I> r. James ( J. Culwick, Dublin; Mr. Hponcer Ounven, Ijondon; Mr. T. \\ t Howling, Cape Town, South Africa; Mr. Umlyn Kvaim, Ommos, Montgomery; Mr. John Glen, Edinburgh; Mr. W. J. Ions, King's Norton; Mr. K. R Jones, Brisbane, Australia; Mr. J. A. Matthews, Cheltenham; Mr. (' IP. South, Salisbury; Mr. C, J. tt. Tirbutt, Heading; Mr. Herbert Thompson, Leeds; and Mr. F. II. Torrington, Toronto, ( Canada. Also tt> those artists wlio responded to tho a])]> licationH irnulo to them for personal information. In additionto the catalogues of i, he British Museum and other public libraries, general newspapt? rs, and other sources of information, the following works have boon drawn upon for particular detail**: Brown's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians; ( Srovo's Dictionary of Music and Musicians; tho works of Fotis and Meuclel-Heisstuaun; Dictionary of National Biography; JJOVO'H Scottish Church Music; Buptie** Musicians of All Times, and Musical Beotland; Roll of the Union of ( inuttuiti's in Music; Dttgnws in Music, Abdy Williams, etc, The ( hif nutlinritieH fur datos within tli

Text extracted from opening pages of book: BRITISH MUSICAL BIOGRAPHY: A DICTIONARY OF MUSICAL ARTISTS, AUTHORS AND COMPOSERS, BORN IN BRITAIN AND ITS COLONIES. BY JAMKS D. BROWN, AI'IHOK OK A ItlOOKAl'HICAL DKTIONAKY OK MUSICIANS, '* KTC., * AND STEPHEN S. STRATTON. WKMINOHAM: 8. 8-STKATTON, 247, MONUMKNT RoAD. I'ftfNTKD V CHAl* FIKM> ANI> SON, LT0, , DKRBV, TO THE INCORPORATED SOCIETY OP MUSICIANS THIS WORK IS DEDICATED BY THE AUTHORS. PREFACB. IN undertaking this work, the authors have been animated by the desire lo present the true position of the British Empire in the world of music. A country is musical only by the music it produces for itself, not by what it takes from others. In tins work, therefore, only what has been done by Britain's own sons and daughters is placed on record. It is probable that in no other nation is there, at the present time, greater musical activity, creative or executive, than is to be witnessed in our own; and this not only in the great centres of population and culture, but everywhere throughout the Empire* In this connection the work of provincial and colonial musicians has received its proper share of atten tion. The greater masters, already noticed at length in other similar publications, have been treated with brevity in order to afford space for mention of many worthy, if obscure, workers in the cause of Art, hitherto passed over by writers of biography. The very large number ( probably over 40,000) of persons engaged in the musical profession at the present time will explain the apparent preponderance of notices devoted to living musicians, This part of the work, however, is intended rather to be representative than complete; and from variouscauses, in many cases only a bare outline could be accomplished. While some names may seem to havo but slight claim to inclusion, it is hoped that no artist of eminence has boon omitted. The book being written from an independent standpoint, matters of opinion have been subordinated to the presentment of facts; and its usefulness as a work of reference has been one of the main objects of the authors. Accuracy has been striven for as regards dates of birth and death; first performance of important works; and first appearances of artists, which have been carefully collated, where possible, from contemporary notices, Many of these differ from dates hitherto accepted* Still, faults and omissions may be detected, and any information in correction thereof will be gladly received. The work is 11 PREFACE. issued by the authors themselves as a kind of experiment in publishing their object being a patriotic desire to record the achievements of British workers in the field of musical art. The authors are indebted to the following gentlemen for information or aid rendered during the progress of the work: Mr. Reginald I). Moore, Exeter; Mr. J. A. Browne, editor of tlio Kritixh Mitwi'tn; I> r. James ( J. Culwick, Dublin; Mr. Hponcer Ounven, Ijondon; Mr. T. \\ t Howling, Cape Town, South Africa; Mr. Umlyn Kvaim, Ommos, Montgomery; Mr. John Glen, Edinburgh; Mr. W. J. Ions, King's Norton; Mr. K. R Jones, Brisbane, Australia; Mr. J. A. Matthews, Cheltenham; Mr. (' IP. South, Salisbury; Mr. C, J. tt. Tirbutt, Heading; Mr. Herbert Thompson, Leeds; and Mr. F. II. Torrington, Toronto, ( Canada. Also tt> those artists wlio responded to tho a])]> licationH irnulo to them for personal information. In additionto the catalogues of i, he British Museum and other public libraries, general newspapt? rs, and other sources of information, the following works have boon drawn upon for particular detail**: Brown's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians; ( Srovo's Dictionary of Music and Musicians; tho works of Fotis and Meuclel-Heisstuaun; Dictionary of National Biography; JJOVO'H Scottish Church Music; Buptie** Musicians of All Times, and Musical Beotland; Roll of the Union of ( inuttuiti's in Music; Dttgnws in Music, Abdy Williams, etc, The ( hif nutlinritieH fur datos within tli