Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 05.djvu/99

 quarto volume, ‘Astronomical Observations taken at the Observatory, South Villa, Regent's Park, during the years 1839-51,’ including a catalogue of double stars observed by Dawes and Hind, with valuable ‘historical and descriptive notes ’ by the latter, observations of new planets and comets, and of the temporary star discovered by Hind in Ophiuchus 27 April 1848. besides a description of the observatory, &c. After Bishop's death the instruments and dome were removed to the residence of George Bishop, jun., at Twickenham, where the same system of work was pursued.

 BISHOP, HENRY ROWLEY (1786–1855), musical composer, was the son of a London merchant whose family came from Shropshire, and was born in Great Portland Street on 18 Nov. 1786. He seems to have received all his instruction in music from Francesco Bianchi, an Italian who came to England in 1793, where he lived for the rust of his life, enjoying a great reputation, not only as a composer,but also as a teacher, and theoretical musician. Bishop's earliest compositions are a set of twelve glees and several Italian songs, in all of which the influence of his master—an influence which remained with him throughout his life—is plainly discernible. In 1804 his first operatic work, ‘Angelina,’ was played at the Theatre Royal, Margate. He soon after began to write ballet music for the King’s Theatre and Drury Lane. At the former house the success of his ‘ Tamerlan et Bajazet' (1806) led to his permanent engagement, and he began at once to write the immense mass of compilations, arrangements, and incidental music which for thirty years he continued to produce. In this manner he was more or less concerned in ‘Armide et Renaud' (15 May 1806), ‘Narcisse et les Grâces’ (June 1806), and ‘Love in a Tub’ (November 1806). At Drury Lune he wrote or arranged music for ‘Caractacus,' a pantomime-ballet (22 April 1808), ‘The Wife of Two Husbands’ (9 May 1808), ‘The Mysterious Bride’ (1 June 1808), ‘The Siege of St. Quentin’ (10 Nov. 1808), besides contributing some new music to ‘The Cabinet.' Other works of this period are ‘The Corsair, or the Italian Nuptials,’ described as a 'pantomimical drama,' and ‘The Travellers at Spa,' an entertainment of Mrs. Mountain's, for which Bishop wrote music. At the beginning of 1809 his first important opera, ‘The Circassian Bride,' was accepted at Drury Lane, and was brought out with great success on 23 Feb., but on the following night the theatre was burnt down, and the score of the opera, which Bishop subsequently rewrote from memory, perished in the flames. On 15 June of the same year his ballet, ‘Mora's Love,’ was performed at the King`s Theatre in the Haymarket, which was followed at the same house by ‘ The Vintagers' on 1 Aug. After the burning of Drury Lane the company of that house moved to the Lyceum Theatre, and here Bishop produced, on 13 March 1810, ‘The Maniac, or Swiss Banditti,’ which was acted twenty-six times. He was next engaged for three years as composer and director of the music at Covent Garden Theatre, where the first work upon which he was employed was the music to ‘The Knight of Snowdoun,' a musical drama, founded on Sir Walter Scott's 'Lady of the Lake,' which was produced on 5 Feb. 1811, and was acted twenty-three times. This was followed in rapid succession by ‘The Virgin of Sun’ (31 Jan. 1812), ‘The Æthiop’ (6 Oct. 1812), new music for ‘The Lord of the Manor’ (22 Oct. 1812), ‘The Renegade’ (2 Dec. 1812), ‘Haroun al Raschid,' a new version of ‘The Æthiop,’ produced on 11 Jan. 1813, and withdrawn after one performance, new music to ‘Poor Vulcan’ (8 Feb. 1813), ‘The Brazen Bust’ (29 May 1813), and ‘Harry le Roy' an ‘heroic pastoral burletta’ (2 July 1813). On the expiration of his first engagement at Covent Garden he was re-engaged for five years, during which his most noteworthy production was the music to the melodrama ‘The Miller and his Men,’ which was performed for the first time on 21 Oct. 1813, but received additions in 1814. In 1813, on the foundation of the Philharmonic Society, Bishop was one of the original members, but none of his compositions were performed by the new society until some years later. Indeed the whole of his energies at this time must have been devoted to his duties at Covent Garden, where he continued to produce in rapid succession a series of original compositions and compilations, which, though often of the slightest quality, must have kept him too fully occupied to devote himself seriously to the cultivation of his undoubted talent. ‘The Miller and his Men’ was followed on 15 Dec. 1813 by ‘For England Ho!’ and this (in collaboration with Davy, Reeve, and others) by ‘The Farmer’s Wife' (1 Feb. 1814), ‘The Wandering Boys' (24 Feb. 181-1), ‘Hanover,' a cantata written for Braham and performed at the oratorios at Covent Garden in March 1814, ‘Sadak and Kalastrade’ (11 April 1814), fresh music to ‘Lionel and Clarissa' (3 May 1814), ‘The Grand Alliance,’ announced as ‘an allegorical