Sir Henry Rowley Bishop

Composer, born in London, UK. He exercised considerable influence in his lifetime with his glees and 88 operas, few of which have survived, though some songs from them have remained popular, including ‘Home, Sweet Home’. He was musical director at Covent Garden (1810–24), and received the first knighthood conferred upon a musician (1842). He held professorships at Edinburgh and Oxford.

Henry Rowley Bishop (born November 18, 1786 in London;

He received his artistic training from Francisco Bianchi, and in 1804 wrote the music to a piece called Angelina, which was performed at Margate. His next composition was the music to the ballet of Tamerlan et Bajazet, produced in 1806 at the King's theatre. This proved successful, and was followed within two years by several others, of which Caractacus, a pantomimic ballet written for Drury Lane, may be named.

In 1809 his first opera, The Circassian's Bride, was produced at Drury Lane; His next work of importance, the opera of The Maniac, written for the Lyceum in 1810, established his reputation, and probably secured for him an appointment for three years as composer for Covent Garden theatre. The numerous works, operas, burlettas, cantatas, incidental music to Shakespeare's plays, etc.

In 1825 Bishop was induced by Elliston to transfer his services from Covent Garden to the rival house in Drury Lane, for which he wrote with unusual care the opera of Aladdin, intended to compete with Weber's Oberon, commissioned by the other house.

On the formation of the Royal Philharmonic Society (1813) Bishop was appointed one of the directors, and he took his turn as conductor of its concerts during the period when that office was held by different musicians in rotation. His sacred cantata, The Seventh Day, was written for the Philharmonic Society and performed in 1833.

In 1839 he was made bachelor in music at Oxford. In 1841 he was appointed to the Reid chair of music in the University of Edinburgh, but he resigned the office in 1843. In 1848 he succeeded Dr. Crotch in the chair of music at Oxford. The music for the ode on the occasion of the installation of Lord Derby as chancellor of the university (1853) proved to be his last work.