George Frederick Anderson
Encyclopedia
George Frederick Anderson (14 December 1793– 14 December 1876) was a British violinist and Master of the Queen's Music
.
Anderson was born in London
in 1793. He was engaged as violinist in a variety of orchestras. In July 1820 he married the pianist Lucy Philpot
, who, as Mrs Anderson, taught the piano to Queen Victoria and her children.
In 1837, in return for his providing the publisher Alfred Novello with an interest-free loan of £30 in order to publish Felix Mendelssohn
's Piano Concerto No. 2
, Novello gave his wife Lucy Anderson exclusive rights for six months to play the concerto in England.
In 1840 he became the Treasurer of the Royal Philharmonic Society
, a position he held until his death. By 1841 he was a professor of music.
In 1848 he was appointed Master of the Queen's Music
by Queen Victoria, succeeding Franz Cramer
. He is not recorded as having composed any music, an activity normally associated with this appointment. He remained in the post until 1870; the circumstances of his departure are not known. He was the last Master of the Queen's Music to leave the post before his death, and the first since Nicholas Staggins
in 1700.
He died on 14 December 1876. A collection of his correspondence with musicians and composers is in the British Library
.
Master of the Queen's Music
Master of the Queen's Music is a post in the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. The holder of the post originally served the monarch of England.The post is roughly comparable to that of Poet Laureate...
.
Anderson was born in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1793. He was engaged as violinist in a variety of orchestras. In July 1820 he married the pianist Lucy Philpot
Lucy Anderson
Lucy Anderson was the most eminent of the English pianists of the early Victorian era. She is mentioned in the same breath as English pianists of the calibre of William Sterndale Bennett....
, who, as Mrs Anderson, taught the piano to Queen Victoria and her children.
In 1837, in return for his providing the publisher Alfred Novello with an interest-free loan of £30 in order to publish Felix Mendelssohn
Felix Mendelssohn
Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Barthóldy , use the form 'Mendelssohn' and not 'Mendelssohn Bartholdy'. The Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians gives ' Felix Mendelssohn' as the entry, with 'Mendelssohn' used in the body text...
's Piano Concerto No. 2
Piano Concerto No. 2 (Mendelssohn)
The Piano Concerto No. 2 in D minor, Op. 40, was written in 1837 by Felix Mendelssohn and premiered at the Birmingham Festival of 1837, an event that also saw the premier of Mendelssohn's St. Paul Oratorio. He had already written a piano concerto in A minor with string accompaniment , two concertos...
, Novello gave his wife Lucy Anderson exclusive rights for six months to play the concerto in England.
In 1840 he became the Treasurer of the Royal Philharmonic Society
Royal Philharmonic Society
The Royal Philharmonic Society is a British music society, formed in 1813. It was originally formed in London to promote performances of instrumental music there. Many distinguished composers and performers have taken part in its concerts...
, a position he held until his death. By 1841 he was a professor of music.
In 1848 he was appointed Master of the Queen's Music
Master of the Queen's Music
Master of the Queen's Music is a post in the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. The holder of the post originally served the monarch of England.The post is roughly comparable to that of Poet Laureate...
by Queen Victoria, succeeding Franz Cramer
Franz Cramer (violinist)
Franz or François Cramer was an English violinist and conductor who was Master of the King's/Queen's Musick from 1837 until his death....
. He is not recorded as having composed any music, an activity normally associated with this appointment. He remained in the post until 1870; the circumstances of his departure are not known. He was the last Master of the Queen's Music to leave the post before his death, and the first since Nicholas Staggins
Nicholas Staggins
Nicholas Staggins was an English composer.Staggins first studied music under his father. He was made Master of the King's Music by Charles II in 1674. In 1682, he was granted a musical doctorate by Cambridge University, and from 1684 until his death was Professor of Music at Cambridge...
in 1700.
He died on 14 December 1876. A collection of his correspondence with musicians and composers is in the British Library
British Library
The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom, and is the world's largest library in terms of total number of items. The library is a major research library, holding over 150 million items from every country in the world, in virtually all known languages and in many formats,...
.
Source
- Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 5th ed. 1954 (Master of the Queen’s Music article)