Ouseley, Sir Frederick Arthur Gore

1825-1889

Organist, composer and theorist; born at London. His father was a baronet, noted as an Orientalist and ambassador to Persia and Russia, and on his death in 1844 Frederick succeeded to the title. Though untutored in music he had already shown considerable ability in an opera, L'Isola disabilita, written when only eight years old. He graduated from Christ Church, Oxford, in 1846, and three years later took the Master's degree. He was ordained and became curate of St. Paul's Church, Knightsbridge, where he remained until 1850. He was then given the degree of Bachelor of Music on examination of his cantata, The Lord is the True God, and that of Doctor of Music in 1854 for his oratorio, St. Polycarp. He took Sir Henry Bishop's place as professor of music at Oxford, where he reorganized the office of Choragus and prevailed upon the university to give honorary degrees, a practise which was started in 1879. In 1855 he was put in charge of the choir at the Cathedral in Hereford. In 1856 he was appointed vicar of St. Michael's Church, Tenbury, and warden of St Michael's College. He was made Bachelor and Doctor of Music by Durham in 1856, Doctor of Music and Law by Cambridge, and Doctor of Law by Edinburgh. He died of heart failure at Hereford and was buried at Tenbury, leaving his library to the college. He was an excellent organist and was proficient in the science of music. He edited a number of collections, and wrote an oratorio, Hagar; solos; songs; partsongs; carols; glees; chants; hymntunes; eleven church services; seventy fine anthems; two string quartets, and a sextet; many preludes and fugues, andantes, etc., for the organ; and also some piano-music.