A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Hiles, Henry

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1505559A Dictionary of Music and Musicians — Hiles, Henry


HILES, Henry, born Dec. 3, 1826, at Shrewsbury, received instruction from his brother John; he was organist successively at Shrewsbury, as his brother's deputy; at Bury in '46; at Bishopwearmouth in '47; St. Michael's, Wood Street, in '59; at the Blind Asylum, Manchester, in '60; at Bowdon in '61; at St. Paul's, Manchester, 1864–67. In 1852–9 he travelled round the world on account of ill-health. He received the degrees of Mus.B. Oxon, '62, and Mus.D. '67. In the latter year he resigned his post of organist; in '80 he became lecturer on harmony and composition at Owens College, and at the Victoria University; he was one of the promoters of the National Society of Professional Musicians in 1882. He has been conductor of several musical societies, and is now editor and proprietor of the 'Quarterly Musical Review,' a modern namesake, established 1885, of the well-known magazine of that name. His compositions include 'The Patriarchs,' oratorio, '72; 'War in the Household,' operetta, '85, from the German of Castelli ('Häusliche Krieg'), originally composed by Schubert; 'Fayre Pastorel' and 'The Crusaders,' cantatas; settings of Psalms xlvi. and xcvi; several anthems, services and part-songs; Prelude and Fugue in A; Do. in D minor, a Sonata in G minor, 6 Impromptus, 2 Sets, 'Festival March,' etc. for organ; pianoforte pieces and songs. He has written books on music, 'Grammar of Music,' 2 vols., Forsyth Bros. 1879; 'Harmony of Sounds,' 3 editions, '71, '72, '79; First Lessons in Singing, Hime & Addison, Manchester, '81; 'Part Writing or Modern Counterpoint,' Novello '84.

His elder brother, John, born 1810, at Shrewsbury, was also an organist at Shrewsbury, Portsmouth, Brighton, and London. He wrote pianoforte pieces, songs, and musical works, 'A Catechism for the Pianoforte Student,' 'Catechism for the Organ,' 1878, 'Catechism for Harmony and Thorough Bass,' 'Catechism for Part Singing,' 'Dictionary of 12,500 Musical Terms,' '71, etc. He died in London, Feb. 4, '82.
[ A. C. ]