A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Surman, Joseph

SURMAN, Joseph, born 1803, son of a dissenting minister at Chesham, became a music copyist, tenor chorister, and clerk at a dissenters' chapel. On the establishment of the Sacred Harmonic Society in 1832 he was appointed its conductor. In 1838 he became music publisher, chiefly of sacred music in separate parts. About the same time he was assistant conductor of the Melophonic Society. In 1842 he was chosen to conduct the Worcester Festival. An inquiry by a special committee into his official conduct as agent for and conductor of the Sacred Harmonic Society having resulted in an unanimously adverse report, he was removed from his office, Feb. 15, 1848. He then attempted the formation of the 'London Sacred Harmonic Society,' but failing to obtain sufficient members carried on concerts in the society's name at his own expense for 7 or 8 years. Surman died Jan. 20, 1871.

[ W. H. H. ]