Novello, Vincent

▪ British composer

born Sept. 6, 1781, London, Eng.

died Aug. 9, 1861, Nice, Fr.

      English composer, conductor, and founder of the Novello music publishing house.

      From 1797 to 1822 Novello was organist at the Portuguese embassy chapel, where he directed the first English performances of masses by Joseph Haydn and W.A. Mozart. In 1812 he became pianist and conductor at the Italian Opera, London. From 1840 to 1843 he was organist at the Roman Catholic chapel at Moorfields, London. A founder of the Philharmonic Society, he had a distinguished circle of friends, including the Lambs, Leigh Hunt, P.B. Shelley, and John Keats. Although Novello was a prolific composer, his work as an editor and publisher was more significant. His Collection of Sacred Music (1811) marks the founding of the publishing house of Novello. He retired to Nice in 1849.

      His daughter Clara Anastasia Novello (1818–1908) was one of the most famous sopranos of her time. His son Joseph Alfred Novello (1810–96) began a career as a bass singer but in 1829 became active in the publishing house, developing the business greatly and introducing inexpensive editions of large-scale choral works to England.

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