A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Leslie, Henry

LESLIE, Henry David, born in London, June 18, 1822, commenced his musical education under Charles Lucas in 1838. For several years he played the violoncello at the Sacred Harmonic Society and elsewhere. In 1847, on the formation of the Amateur Musical Society, he was appointed its honorary secretary, and continued so until 1855, when he became its conductor, which post he retained until the dissolution of the Society in 1861. In 1855 he formed the well-known Choir which bears his name, which numbers 200 voices, is noted for its refined performance of motets, madrigals, and other unaccompanied part music, and in 1878 gained the first prize in the International competition of choirs at Paris. In 1863 he was appointed conductor of the Herefordshire Philharmonic Society, an amateur body at Hereford. In 1864 he became principal of the National College of Music, an institution formed on the principle of the foreign conservatoires, which, however, not receiving adequate support, was dissolved in a few years. In 1874 he became the director and conductor of the Guild of Amateur Musicians. Henry Leslie's first published composition—a Te Deum and Jubilate in D—appeared in 1846. He has since produced a Symphony in F, 1847; a festival anthem, 'Let God arise,' for solo voices, chorus and orchestra, 1849; overture, 'The Templar,' 1852; 'Immanuel,' oratorio, 1853 [App. p.700 "1854"]; 'Romance, or, Bold Dick Turpin,' operetta, 1857; 'Judith,' oratorio, produced at Birmingham Festival, 1858; 'Holyrood,' cantata, 1860; 'The Daughter of the Isles,' cantata, 1861; 'Ida,' opera, 1864: besides instrumental chamber music, anthems, songs, duets, trios, pianoforte pieces, and a large number of part songs and madrigals composed for his choir. In addition to a wide range of madrigals, motets, and unaccompanied music of all ages and countries, the following are among the larger works which have been performed by this excellent choir:—Bach's motets for 8 voices; Samuel Wesley's ditto for ditto; Mendelssohn's Psalms and motets, and his Antigone and Œdipus; Gounod's motets and Messe Solennelle; Carissimi's Jonah; Tallis's Forty-part song; Bourgault Ducoudray's Symphonie religieuse (unaccompanied). [App. p.700 "in 1880 his choir was broken up; it was subsequently reorganized under Signor Randegger, and in 1885–1887 Mr. Leslie resumed its management. Died Feb. 4, 1869."]

[ W. H. H. ]