A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Ella, John

ELLA, John, violinist, son of Richard Ella of Thirsk, was born Dec. 19, 1802. At the age of 19 he quitted the profession of the law for music. In 1822 he became a member of the orchestra of the King's Theatre, and subsequently of the orchestras of the Concerts of Antient Music, Philharmonic, etc., retiring finally in 1848. In 1819 he received lessons in violin-playing from M. Fémy, in 1826 he was a pupil of Attwood in harmony, and finally completed his education in counterpoint, instrumentation, and composition, under Fétis at Paris, 1845 [App. p.626 "1827"]. In 1845 he established, under the name of 'The Musical Union,' a series of morning concerts of instrumental chamber music at which the best classical works have been rendered by the best artists native and foreign. He has directed the Musical Union uninterruptedly for thirty-three years [App. p.626 "He directed the Musical Union uninterruptedly for thirty-five years. The concerts came to an end in 1880"]. In 1850 he established a similar series of concerts under the name of 'Musical Winter Evenings,' which were given annually, under his direction, until 1859, after which they were discontinued. At both these concerts he introduced, and has continued, the 'analytical programmes' (wholly written by himself), which have since been frequently adopted elsewhere. He has contributed many notices of music and musicians to the Morning Post, Musical World, and Athenaeum. In 1855 he was appointed lecturer on music at the London Institution, where he has delivered several lectures, some of which have been published. He also published a Personal Memoir of Meyerbeer, with an analysis of Les Huguenots, and under the title of 'Musical Sketches abroad and at home,' a volume of interesting musical chit-chat, &c. [Musical Union.] [App. p.626 "See Analysis in Appendix, vol. iv. p.521 b."] [App. p.819 "date of death, Oct. 2, 1888."]

[ W. H. H. ]