Music

Bonser.Arthur Howard Bonser, Forest Lodge, Sutton-in-Ashfield; son of the late William Bonser; born at Sutton-in-Ashfield, April 14th, 1855; educated at Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Mansfield; Associate of the Royal College of Organists. Organist and choirmaster of St. Peter's Parish Church, Mansfield; member of Sutton-in-Ashfield Urban Council for the past eighteen years (twice its Chairman); Vice-Chairman of Mansfield Board of Guardians for the eleventh year, having been on the Board fifteen years; member of the Nottinghamshire County Council (Sutton-in-Ashfield, West Ward) for ten years past; Secretary of the Ashfield Lodge, No. 2412, Freemasons; a Past Master and Past Provincial Grand Junior Warden of Nottinghamshire; Representative Governor of Brunt's Technical Schools, Mansfield, upon nomination of the County Council; a Manager of the Sutton-in-Ashfield National Schools. Married Alice, daughter of the late Samuel Sims, of Holloway, Derbyshire.

Gibbs.—Harold Edwin Gibbs, 26, Regent Street, Nottingham; son of William and Marion Gibbs; born August 2nd, 1868, at Rustington, Sussex; educated at a private school, and by the Rev. Charles Rumball, Vicar of Littlehampton; entered the Choir School of St. Nicholas, Arundel, in 1878, remaining until 1883, under the Rev. George Arbuthnot (Vicar), and Edward Bartlett, F.R.C.O. Principal of the Nottingham College of Music, which was founded in 1863 by Mrs. Bowman Hart, sister of John Farmer, of Balliol College, Oxford, since 1897; formerly resident pupil of Professor William Stevenson Hoyte, R.A.M., R.C.M., and Guildhall, Director of the Choir at All Saints Church, St. Margaret Street, W., 1887-90; Organist and Director of the Choir of St. Mark's Church, Marylebone Road, W., 1894-96; afterwards worked at various centres to further the cause of Ecclesiastical music (Plane Chant), according to the method of Solesmes, province of Sarthe, France, which abbey he visited for the purpose of study in 1894; instituted the Nottingham Plane Chant Choir, which did considerable work at the recent Church Congresses at Nottingham, 1897, Bradford, 1898, and Newcastle-on-Tyne, 1900; Professor at the London Organ School, 1901: Music Master of the Nottingham High School since 1897; Director of the Choir of St. Albans Church, Nottingham, since 1898, and of St. Philip's Church, Newcastle-on-Tyne, since 1900; professor of vocal physiology, voice production and cultivation, the art of singing, also of instrumental music on essentially classical lines; the introducer to Nottingham of the Clavier system of pianoforte practice, and an enthusiast regarding its merits; the Nottingham College of Music has over 200 pupils.

Horner.Dr. Ralph Joseph Horner, Oakleigh, Hamilton Drive, The Park, Nottingham; son of James Horner, Newport, Monmouthshire; born at Newport, April 28th, 1848; educated at the Conservatoire of Music, Leipsic, under Moscheles, Hauptmann, Reinecke, Plaidy, etc.; Bachelor of Music, Durham University, 1893; Doctor of Music, Durham University, 1898; Professor of Music, composer and teacher; conductor of the Peckham Choral Society, also of the Bermondsey Choral Society for some years; and choirmaster of St. Mary's Church, Peckham; contributed many hymn tunes to the "Christian Psalmist." In September, 1876, conducted a month's season of Grand Opera at the Theatre Royal, Leicester, and in the same year conducted the band at the Spa, Scarborough; conducted for Walsham's Grand Opera Company, 1877-79; in 1879, conducted the operas at the Alexandra Palace, London; from 1879 to 1888 conducted Sir Arthur Sullivan's operas for Mr. D'Oyly Carte; an operetta by Dr. Horner, entitled "Four by Honours," being performed nightly for two years during that time; conducted operas at various other London theatres. Settled in Nottingham, 1888; lecturer in music, and teacher of harmony and counterpoint at University College since 1894; conductor of "The Nottingham Amateur Operatic Company" since 1893; for eight years conductor of the "Nottingham Amateur Orchestral Society"; choirmaster of High Pavement Church since 1897; organist of Perk Hill Church, 1890-9; conductor of the Nottingham Philharmonic Choir, 1898-99; composer of a dramatic cantata "Confucius," produced at the Albert Hall, Nottingham, February 19th, 1892, with Madame Trebelli and Mr. Andrew Black among the soloists; has also composed many songs and pianoforte pieces, seven operettas, cantatas, overtures, symphonies, three oratorios, a comic opera, "The Belles of Barcelona," and a grand opera, "Kenilworth." Dr. Horner is a brother of Mr. Fred Horner, M.P. for North Lambeth.

Horner.Herbert Charles Horner, Oakleigh, Hamilton Drive, The Park, Nottingham; son of Dr. Ralph Horner; born in London, September 28th, 1870; educated at the London Academy of Music, under Herr Pollitzer. Teacher of violin, viola, etc.; solo violinist; Choirmaster of Bluecoat Street Church, Nottingham; leader and soloist, Nottingham Amateur Orchestral Society, 1890-91; composed special incidental music for production of Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night" by the Nottingham Amateur Comedy Company, 1898; composed songs: "Berries," "An Idle Word," "The Warrior's Serenade," etc.; violin pieces: "Serenade," "Romances," etc.; and "A Service for the Liturgy of the New Church." Married, April 4th, 1901, Eliza Dennis, daughter of the late William Thornton.

Irons.Herbert Stephen Irons, 10, Villa Road, Nottingham; son of John Irons, Lay Clerk of Canterbury Cathedral; nephew of Sir George Elvey, organist of H.M. Chapel Royal, Windsor, and composer; also of Dr. Stephen Elvey, of New College, Oxford; born at Canterbury, 1838; chorister of Canterbury Cathedral under the late T. Evans Jones, organist of the Cathedral; pupil of Mr. W. H. Longhurst, and later of his uncle, Dr. Elvey, at Oxford; on leaving Canterbury was presented by the Rev. Joshua Stratton, Precentor of the Cathedral, with a copy of the Holy Bible and Prayer Book as a token of esteem; remained with Dr. Elvey from 1849 to 1856; Precentor and M.C. at St. Columbia College, Rathfarnham, Ireland, as successor to Dr. G. B. Arnold, now organist of Winchester Cathedral. Organist and Rector Chori at Southwell Collegiate Church, 1857-72; assistant organist at Chester Cathedral, 1873-75; came to Nottingham in 1876 as organist at St. Andrews Church under the Rev. H. T. Tebbutt, succeeding D. Briggs; author of several hymn tunes in the "Ancient and Modern" collection; also of anthems: "Praise the Lord, O ye Servants," "I will greatly rejoice," "There is no Condemnation"; of Te Deums in E and B flat for men's voices, and of many carols written for the Rev. R. R. Chope; newly arranged the music of "Cherry Ripe," and a part-song "The Song of the Morning" (Curwen, London). Married, firstly, 1865, Elizabeth Elliott (died 1879), daughter of W. Baker of Nottingham; and secondly, in 1881, Lucy, daughter of William Hill, lace manufacturer, of Nottingham.

Oaksford.Herbert Oaksford, Angelo House, Shakespeare Street, Nottingham; son of Charles Oaksford; born at Nottingham, April 21st, 1877; educated at the Royal Academy of Music, London (Medallist); studied at the R.A.M. with the following professors: harmony, Professor E. Prout, Mus.Doc, Dublin; pianoforte, Mr. H. R. Eyers, F.R.A.M.; organ, Mr. W. S. Hoyte; singing, Mr. Arthur Thompson, F.R.A.M. Professor of singing, voice cultivation, pianoforte, and organ; Assistant Organist, Wesley Chapel, Nottingham, 1896; Organist and Choirmaster, Ashover Parish Church, 1899; Accompanist of the Nottingham Glee Club (established 1833), one of the oldest musical societies in existence.

Page.—Arthur James Page, F.R.C.Q., Castlegate, Nottingham; born at Ipswich, March 3rd, 1846; educated at the Cathedral School, Norwich; Chorister at the Cathedral from seven years of age to fourteen. Articled to the organist, the celebrated Dr. Buck, for seven years; accepted the position of organist and choirmaster at St. Mary's—the, mother church of Nottingham, February, 1867, and has remained there ever since; he gained the Diploma of Fellow of the Royal College of Organists in 1876, and was for some years a member of the Council; was one of the founders of the National Society of Professional Musicians, since become the Incorporated Society of Musicians; he is Hon. General Treasurer for the Society; Senior Examiner, and member of the General Council; has a very wide connection as a teacher of theoretical, vocal and instrumental music; composer of a large number of cantatas and other works; has been for many years connected with the London Press as reviewer and critic; is fond of all sports, particularly football and sea fishing.

Taylor.William George Taylor, Clarendon Villa, Nottingham; born at Nottingham; educated locally. Professor of music; commenced professional career at Ratcliffe College, Leicestershire, returning to Nottingham in 1873, where he has since held various appointments, and been busily engaged in musical tuition; has done much useful work as conductor of several musical societies in Notts and Derbyshire; Music Professor at the Midland Institution for the Blind, Nottingham, since 1888; Bandmaster, South Notts Hussars (Imperial Yeomanry) since 1882; conducted the music at Queen Victoria's Jubilee Demonstration in Nottingham, in 1887 (54,000 voices, school children and teachers), and again at the Diamond Jubilee Celebration, in 1897; member of the Incorporated Society of Musicians; Secretary to the Nottingham Clef Club. Married, in 1874, to Eugenia, daughter of George Shepperley ; has two sons, Cecil George, Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, and William Francis, who took his degree of B.A. at London University in 1900.

Zimmer.—Carl Zimmer, Edgmont, Park Side, Nottingham. Began to play the violin at an early age with Jean Becker (Florentine Quartette) at Mannheim; later with Adolf Brodsky at Leipzig, and Professor August Wilhelmj at Bieberich, with whom he lived for three years; studied theory, harmony and composition with Reissmann and Flotow; has travelled extensively on the Continent, in Russia, Turkey, and America; since 1890 has settled in England, and has been very successful as a teacher; a number of his pupils have entered the profession, and promise to take high positions.