William George Cusins

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Sir William George Cusins (born October 14, 1833 in London , † August 31, 1893 in Remouchamps (now Aywaille )) was an English pianist , organist , violinist , conductor and composer . Since 1870 he had the title Master of the Queen's Music .

life and work

Cusins ​​was briefly a choirboy at the Chapel Royal , studied at the age of eleven for two years at the Brussels Conservatory a . a. with François-Joseph Fétis . In 1847 he received a royal scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music in London, where he taught, among other things, Cipriani Potter and Sterndale Bennett . In 1849 he made his first public appearance as a pianist; later concert tours should also take him to Germany. Also in 1849, Cusins ​​was appointed organist of the Queen Victoria's Private Chapel. At about the same time he became a member of the orchestra of the Royal Italian Opera . In 1851 he received an assistant professorship at the Royal Academy, in 1867 he followed Sterndale Bennett as conductor of the Philharmonic Society and held this position until 1883. With her he brought Brahms's German Requiem to the English premiere in 1873 . In 1885 Cusins ​​became professor of piano at the Guildhall School of Music and also director of the London Select Choir.

In 1870 Cusin was appointed Master of the Queen's Music , succeeding his uncle George Frederick Anderson . In 1892 he was knighted . Cusins ​​devoted himself in particular to the work of Georg Friedrich Handel , about which he also published. In addition to anthems, piano pieces and songs, Cusin's own compositions include the oratorio Gideon , a Te Deum, cantatas, a symphony in C major, two concert overtures and one concert each for violin and piano.

literature

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personal data
SURNAME Cusins, William George
BRIEF DESCRIPTION English pianist, organist, violinist, conductor and composer
DATE OF BIRTH October 14, 1833
PLACE OF BIRTH London
DATE OF DEATH August 31, 1893
Place of death Remouchamps