Filby, William Charles

1836-

English organist and composer, born at Hammersmith, and studied in France and afterward held several important posts as organist and choirmaster at various churches in London. He was organist at St. Peter's Church, Hammersmith, in 1849; organist and choirmaster of the Parish Church, Bromley, in 1855; and also conducted the choral societies at Greenwich, Chelsea and other places and gave recitals in London, lecturing also on church music and the opera. Filby wrote a number of operettas, fantasias, and other piano pieces; a mass in E flat for voices and orchestra; a setting of the 33d Psalm; a handbook of psalmody; motets; sonata in G minor for piano; organ pieces and a vast amount of other music. He published in 1882 The Students' Copy Book or How to Write Music. He contributed hymn tunes to Hymns, Ancient and Modern, and to the Bristol Tune Book and was revising editor of Lady V. Freke's Tune Book.