Composers Harry Rowe Shelley and Dudley Buck
Victorian Era Organists, Composers and Hymn Writers
Jan 19, 2009
The Victorian era was a goldmine for composers of religious works, and the state of Connecticut brought us two of the most famous. Hymns, songs and anthems suitable for playing in church were much sought after, and the 1800's were alive with such pieces. Two of the most notable composers of religious works of that time were Buck and Shelley.
Harry Rowe Shelley
Born in New Haven, Connecticut, on June 8,1858, Shelley was given the best possible music education, starting at Yale, where he studied with Gustav Stoeckel, Dudley Buck and Max Vogrich. Later he went to New York City where he was a pupil of the famous Czech composer Antonin Dvorak. He became a fine organist as well as a composer, and served several churches as director of music, including the Fifth Avenue Baptist Church in New York City which he served for many years. He was also a teacher of organ and composition at the American Institute of Applied Music in New York.
Harry Rowe Shelley's Compositions
Shelley's compositional output was extensive, and many of his works were performed well into the twentieth century. Perhaps today his music seems too nostalgic, sentimental and old-fashioned for present-day organists and music directors, but congregations still love to hear his very melodious and beautiful works.
Among his more famous anthems one can find Hark, Hark, My Soul and The King of Love My Shepherd Is...anthems that were staples in the church choir repertoire well into the middle of the twentieth century. His other compositions include two symphonies; a symphonic poem, The Crusaders; a suite for orchestra; a cantata,The Inheritance Divine; a violin concerto, songs and organ works. Shelley also wrote the music for a play, Springtime, which was produced on Broadway from October to December of 1909. After a very successful career in his chosen field, Harry Rowe Shelley died on September 12,1947.
Dudley Buck
Buck was born in Hartford, Connecticut, on May 10,1839, and was one of Harry Rowe Shelley's teachers. He, like Shelley, was also given the best musical education available and studied at Trinity College from 1858 to 1862 and later at the Leipzig Conservatory, where his teachers were Moritz Hauptmann, Ignaz Moscheles and Louis Plaidy. Returning to the United States after his studies were over he became organist at Hartford,Chicago (1869) and at Holy Trinity Church in Brooklyn from 1877 to 1902.
Dudley Buck's Compositions
A prolific writer of church music, Buck was one of the most performed composers of his day. He was commissioned to write a cantata for the Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia in 1876...a work that required 800 singers and an orchestra of 150 players. He wrote many prize-winning compositions and other works including the operas Deseret and Serapis; an oratorio, The Light of Asia; the overture Marmion; organ sonatas, music for the Episcopal Service, songs and piano music.Dudley Buck married Mary Elizabeth van Wagner(1842-1913) of New Jersey, and they were the parents of three children. Their first son (born 1869), was named Dudley, Jr., and had a career as a singer and voice teacher.His other son was a doctor who lived in Indianapolis, and he also had a daughter, Mrs. Francis Blossom of New Jersey.
Dudley Buck died in West Orange, New Jersey, at the the home of his son Dudley, Jr.,on October 6,1909
Source
The New Encyclopedia of Music and Musicians The MacMillan Company, 1924
New York Times Obituary October 7,1909
For further reading about composers see Victor Hely-Hutchinson Mabel Wheeler Daniels
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