Holmes, Edward

1797-1859

Musical writer and critic; born near London and died in the United States. He was a schoolboy friend of Keats and of his schoolmaster's son { Charles Cowden Clarke. He received his musical instruction from V. Novello and became a piano teacher. A great admirer of Mozart, he and Novello raised a subscription for Mozart's widow, and in 1828 he took it to her in Germany. As a result of this trip he wrote A Ramble Among the Musicians of Germany.   He had been appointed musical critic for the Atlas and later for the Spectator, also occasionally writing articles for Fraser's Magazine and the Musical Times. The Life of Mozart appeared in 1845; later he wrote a life of Purcell for Novello's edition of that composers sacred music. Analytical and Thematic Catalogue of Mozart's Piano Music and a Critical Essay on the Requiem of Mozart followed. His arrangement of Mozart's Te Deum was published in 1844. Holmes also wrote some songs, of which My Jenny was the most popular. He spent the last ten years of his life in America.