Edward Francis Fitzwilliam
Encyclopedia
Edward Francis Fitzwilliam (1824– 20 January 1857, aged 32) was an English composer and music director.
Fitzwilliam, born at Deal, Kent
on 2 August 1824, was the son of Edward Fitzwilliam
, an actor, by his wife, Fanny Elizabeth Fitzwilliam
, actress.
, Old Hall, Hertfordshire, and at the institution of L'Abbé Haffrénique at Boulogne. Sir Henry Bishop was his instructor in an elementary course of harmony, and for a few months he resided with John Barnett
at Cheltenham
studying instrumentation.
, which was performed at the Hanover Square Rooms
on 15 March 1845, with much success. In October 1847 he was appointed by Madame Vestris musical director of the Lyceum Theatre, and remained there for two years.
About this time he wrote the cantata
"O Incomprehensible Creator," which was performed at Hullah's concert, 21 May 1851. At Easter 1853 he became musical director of the Haymarket Theatre, and held that position until his death. His principal compositions were "The Queen of a Day," a comic opera, and "A Summer Night's Love," an operetta, both produced at the Haymarket.
He also wrote the overture, act, and vocal music of the Green Bushes for the Adelphi Theatre
, the overtures and music of all the Haymarket pantomime
s, and of many that were brought out at the Theatre Royal, Liverpool. The music of Perea Nena's Spanish ballets, El Gambusino and Los Cautivos, were entirely his composition. His works were distinguished by an intelligence that gave promise of great excellence had he lived to fully master the technicalities of his art.
He married the actress Ellen Chaplin
on 31 December 1853. They had two children; Edward Wentworth and Marian.
.
Fitzwilliam, born at Deal, Kent
Deal, Kent
Deal is a town in Kent England. It lies on the English Channel eight miles north-east of Dover and eight miles south of Ramsgate. It is a former fishing, mining and garrison town...
on 2 August 1824, was the son of Edward Fitzwilliam
Edward Fitzwilliam
Edward Fitzwilliam was an actor of Irish descent and the husband of noted actress Fanny Fitzwilliam.Fitzwilliam was born of Irish parents near Holborn in London on 8 Aug. 1788, In 1806 he was actor and property man with Trotter, manager of the theatres at Southend and Hythe. At Gosport in 1808 he...
, an actor, by his wife, Fanny Elizabeth Fitzwilliam
Fanny Fitzwilliam
Frances "Fanny" Elizabeth Fitzwilliam was the actress daughter of Robert Copeland, manager of the Dover theatrical circuit....
, actress.
Education
He was educated at the Pimlico Grammar School, at St. Edmund's CollegeSt. Edmund's College, Ware
St Edmund's College is the oldest post-Reformation Roman Catholic school in England. It is an independent school in the British public school tradition set on in Ware, Hertfordshire. During two periods of its history, it has also incorporated a seminary....
, Old Hall, Hertfordshire, and at the institution of L'Abbé Haffrénique at Boulogne. Sir Henry Bishop was his instructor in an elementary course of harmony, and for a few months he resided with John Barnett
John Barnett
John Barnett was an English composer and writer on music.-Life:Barnett was the eldest son of a Prussian Jew named Bernhard Beer, who changed his surname on settling in England as a jeweller. According to some he was a cousin of the composer Giacomo Meyerbeer...
at Cheltenham
Cheltenham
Cheltenham , also known as Cheltenham Spa, is a large spa town and borough in Gloucestershire, on the edge of the Cotswolds in the South-West region of England. It is the home of the flagship race of British steeplechase horse racing, the Gold Cup, the main event of the Cheltenham Festival held...
studying instrumentation.
Career
In his twenty-first year he composed a Stabat MaterStabat Mater
Stabat Mater is a 13th-century Roman Catholic hymn to Mary. It has been variously attributed to the Franciscan Jacopone da Todi and to Innocent III...
, which was performed at the Hanover Square Rooms
Hanover Square Rooms
The Hanover Square Rooms or the Queen's Concert Rooms were assembly rooms established, principally for musical performances, on the corner of Hanover Square, London, by Sir John Gallini in partnership with Johann Christian Bach and Carl Friedrich Abel in 1774. For exactly one century this was the...
on 15 March 1845, with much success. In October 1847 he was appointed by Madame Vestris musical director of the Lyceum Theatre, and remained there for two years.
About this time he wrote the cantata
Cantata
A cantata is a vocal composition with an instrumental accompaniment, typically in several movements, often involving a choir....
"O Incomprehensible Creator," which was performed at Hullah's concert, 21 May 1851. At Easter 1853 he became musical director of the Haymarket Theatre, and held that position until his death. His principal compositions were "The Queen of a Day," a comic opera, and "A Summer Night's Love," an operetta, both produced at the Haymarket.
He also wrote the overture, act, and vocal music of the Green Bushes for the Adelphi Theatre
Adelphi Theatre
The Adelphi Theatre is a 1500-seat West End theatre, located on the Strand in the City of Westminster. The present building is the fourth on the site. The theatre has specialised in comedy and musical theatre, and today it is a receiving house for a variety of productions, including many musicals...
, the overtures and music of all the Haymarket pantomime
Pantomime
Pantomime — not to be confused with a mime artist, a theatrical performer of mime—is a musical-comedy theatrical production traditionally found in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Jamaica, South Africa, India, Ireland, Gibraltar and Malta, and is mostly performed during the...
s, and of many that were brought out at the Theatre Royal, Liverpool. The music of Perea Nena's Spanish ballets, El Gambusino and Los Cautivos, were entirely his composition. His works were distinguished by an intelligence that gave promise of great excellence had he lived to fully master the technicalities of his art.
He married the actress Ellen Chaplin
Ellen Chaplin
Ellen Chaplin [married name Fitzwilliam] , was an actress.The wife of Edward Francis Fitzwilliam, whom she married on 31 December 1853, was the eldest daughter of Thomas Acton Chaplin who died in November 1859....
on 31 December 1853. They had two children; Edward Wentworth and Marian.
Death
After suffering for two years from consumption, he died at 9 Grove Place, Brompton, London, 19 January 1857, aged 33, and was buried (27 January) in Kensal Green cemeteryKensal Green Cemetery
Kensal Green Cemetery is a cemetery in Kensal Green, in the west of London, England. It was immortalised in the lines of G. K. Chesterton's poem The Rolling English Road from his book The Flying Inn: "For there is good news yet to hear and fine things to be seen; Before we go to Paradise by way of...
.
Works
- Farewell to Love, canzonet ... the poetry by J. B. Buckstone (1854)
- Tarantella [sic]. For the piano forte, etc (1853)
- Songs of a Student, the poetry selected from the words of Lord Byron, Shelley, Coleridge, Leigh Hunt. Sir Edward Bulwer Lytton, L. Blanchard, S. Godolphin, Mrs. Hemans,etc (1850)
- The Ranelagh schottische. [P.F.] (1854)
- Hope is still a fair deceiver, etc.[Song.] (1847)
- "When should lovers breathe their vows." Ballad ... the poetry by L. E. L[andon] (1844)
- A Set of Songs. The poetry chiefly selected, etc (1853)
- I love him ... Ballad, and the cavatina. As dazzling rays of sunrise ... The poetry by B. Cornwall (1835)
- Maidens oft will sigh and languish, Cavatina. Sung ... in S. Brooks' ... Comic Drama ... "Anything for a Change," etc (1850)
- Songs for a winter night, the poetry chiefly selected from the most eminent authors, etc (1855)
- Te Deum, composed for Solo voices and chorus (1852)
- O Incomprehensible Creator! Cantata (1850)
- The happy bride, written by E. J. Gill. [Begins: "She lingers at the cottage door."] (1853)
- I wandered by the brook side. The poetry by R. M. Milnes (1856)
- You've been well paid, [song] in Buckstone's opera Love's Alarms (1854)
- Sweet isle of the Ocean. Ballad (1848)
- Dramatic songs, for Soprano, Contralto, Tenor and Bass voices. and Appendix (1856)
- [The green bushes.] The Jug of Punch; Irish Ballad (Nelly Machree; Duett) sung in the Drama of the green bushes, written by J. B. Buckstone (1845)
- Guarded slumber. Serenade [begins: "Sweet river"] the poetry by C. Webbe (1846)
- The happy bride [A song, begins: "She lingers by that cottage door"] written by E. J. Gill (1845)
- Oh! Oh! 'tis cruel my lady, duet in the comic opera Love's Alarms ... the words written by J. B. Buckston (1854)
- "Old Rosin the beau," sung ... in ... the Belle of the Hotel [begins: "I'm a yankee boy"] the words ... by J. B. Buckstone ... arranged by E. Fitzwilliam (1844)
- "Why lovely Charmer." Glee for 4 voices (1852)
- The maid with the milking pail, a ballad, the poetry by J. B. Buckstone (1846)
- Four part-songs for four voices, etc (1855)
- Heart undaunted, duet in Buckstone's opera Love's Alarms (1854)
- Hope is still a fair deceiver, romance ... in the opera Love's Alarms ... the poetry by I. B. Buckstone (1854)
- March to the field of glory, sung ... in the opera Love's Alarms ... the poetry by J. B. Buckstone (1854)
- Piano Forte compositions,etc (1854)
- Sea-Side Musings. Six morceaux for the Pianoforte (1855)
- The leap year Quadrille. [P.F.] (1850)
- Attention! attention! duet ... in Buckstone's opera Love's Alarms (1854)
- The Silverhair polka. [P.F.] (1855)
- The Perdita schottische & the Marie minuet. [P.F.] (1854)
- My Lady bright! [Song. Words by] Mrs Crawford (1848)
- There is a little simple dell. Ballad, the poetry by Samuel Carter HallSamuel Carter HallSamuel Carter Hall was an Irish-born Victorian journalist who is best known for his editorship of The Art Journal and for his much-satirised personality.-Early years:Hall was born at the Geneva Barracks in Waterford...
(1845) - "Of Uncle Tom's cabin who has not had a sight?" as sung ... in the extravaganza Mr. Buckstone's Ascent of Mount Parnassus, the words written by J. R. PlancheÌ (1853)
- While my lady sleepeth. Serenade, the poetry from Lockhart's Spanish ballads (1846)
- When should Lovers breathe their Vows. [Song. Words by] L. E. L (1845)
- Come let me take thee to my Breast,etc.[Song.] (1846)
- La Tarantelle des deÌmons ... pour le piano,etc (1853)
- Songs of a Student, the poetry selected from the words of Lord Byron, Shelley, Coleridge, Leigh Hunt. Sir Edward Bulwer Lytton, L. Blanchard, S. Godolphin, Mrs. Hemans,etc (1850)
- The Queen of a day quadrille. [P.F.] (1854)
- "Hope is still a fair deceiver." Romance ... the poetry by J. B. Buckstone (1844)
- The Scots Fusiliers March ... for the pianoforte (1853)
- When should lovers breathe their vows, ballad in Buckstone's opera Love's alarms ... the poetry by L. E. L[andon] (1854)
- Come let me press thee to my breast. Scotch ballad (the poetry by R. Burns) (1845)
- The Minstrel's last Farewell. [Song. Words by] Mrs Abdy (1847)
- Love knows no sleep. Ballad ... The poetry by S. Brooks (1845)
- As I laye a thynkynge. Ballad, the last lines of T. Ingoldsby [pseud.i.e. R. H. Barham] (1846)
- When Cavaliers shall bear the sway, [Song,] ... in the Comic Opera ... "The Queen of a Day,"etc (1850)