A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Horsley, William
HORSLEY, William, Mus. Bac., born in London, Nov. 15, 1774, having at the age of 16 chosen music as a profession, was articled for five years to Theodore Smith, a pianist and minor composer, from whom he received but small instruction and much ill usage. He profited greatly however by his intimacy with the three brothers Pring and Dr. Callcott, his association with whom led him to the practice of purely vocal composition, and he soon produced many excellent glees, canons and rounds, besides services and anthems. He became organist of Ely Chapel, Holborn. In 1798 a suggestion of his resulted in the establishment of the Concentores Sodales. About the same time he was appointed assistant organist to Dr. Callcott at the Asylum for Female Orphans, upon which he resigned his appointment at Ely Chapel. On June 18, 1800, he graduated Mus. Bac. at Oxford, his exercise being an anthem, 'When Israel came out of Egypt.' On the revival of the Vocal Concerts in 1801, Horsley produced several new compositions, and for several years continued to supply them, not only with glees and songs, but also with instrumental pieces, amongst which were three symphonies for full orchestra. In 1802, Callcott having resigned the organistship of the Asylum, Horsley was appointed his successor. In 1812 he was chosen organist of the newly-erected Belgrave Chapel, Halkin Street, Grosvenor Place, which he held in conjunction with the Asylum. In 1837, on the death of R. J. S. Stevens, he became organist of the Charter House, still retaining his other appointments. Horsley published five Collections of Glees; a Collection of 40 Canons; a Collection of Psalm Tunes with Interludes, 1828; many single glees and songs, sonatas and other pieces for the piano-forte, and 'An Explanation of the Major and Minor Scales.' He contributed several glees to Clementi and Co.'s 'Vocal Harmony,' the second edition of which was issued under his care. He edited a Collection of the Glees, etc., of Dr. Callcott, to which he prefixed a memoir of the composer and an analysis of his works, and Book I. of Byrd's 'Cantiones Sacræ' (for the Musical Antiquarian Society). Horsley holds a deservedly high rank among glee composers. His 'By Celia's arbour,' 'See the chariot at hand,' 'Mine be a cot' 'Cold is Cadwallo's tongue,' 'O Nightingale,' and others, have long held, and will doubtless long continue to hold, a foremost place in the estimation of lovers of that class of composition. He died June 12, 1858. He married Elizabeth Hutchins, eldest daughter of Dr. Calcott, who survived him until Jan. 20, 1875. During Mendelssohn's visit to England in 1829 he began an acquaintance with the Horsley family which ripened into an intimate friendship, as is evident from the letters printed in 'Goethe and Mendelssohn.'
Horsley's son, Charles Edward, was born in London in 1822 [App. p.679 "Dec. 16"], and instructed in music by his father, and in the pianoforte by Moscheles. His promise was so great that he was sent, in 1839, on Mendelssohn's[1] advice, to study under Hauptmann at Cassel, whence he afterwards went to Leipsic and enjoyed the friendship and instruction of Mendelssohn himself.[2] Whilst in Germany he produced several instrumental compositions, amongst them a Trio for pianoforte, violin, and violoncello, and an overture, the latter performed at Cassel in 1845. Returning to England he became organist of St. John's, Notting Hill, and produced several important works—'David' and 'Joseph,' oratorios, both composed for the Liverpool Philharmonic Society, and 'Gideon,' oratorio, composed for the Glasgow Musical Festival, 1860; an anthem for the consecration of Fairfield Church, near Liverpool, 1854; and music for Milton's 'Comus,' besides many pieces for the pianoforte, songs, etc. In 1868 he quitted England for Australia, and there he wrote an ode entitled 'Euterpe,' for solos, chorus and orchestra, for the opening of the Town Hall, Melbourne, in 1870.[3] After remaining in Melbourne for some time, he removed to the United States, and died at New York, March 2 [App. p.679 "Feb. 28"], 1876. A 'Text Book of Harmony' by him was published posthumously in Dec. 76, by Sampson Low & Co.