Edward Chadfield (1825–1914) was a prominent music educator, organist and composer.

Background

Born in

Derby Derby ( ) is a city and unitary authority area in Derbyshire, England. It lies on the banks of the River Derwent in the south of Derbyshire, which is in the East Midlands Region. It was traditionally the county town of Derbyshire. Derby gai ...

on 1 August 1825, he went to

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

to study at the

Conservatoire de Paris The Conservatoire de Paris (), also known as the Paris Conservatory, is a college of music and dance founded in 1795. Officially known as the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris (CNSMDP), it is situated in the avenue ...

. He was a pupil of Froude Fritche and Henry Smart, and studied with Henri Rosellen and Jan Korbach. Chadfield returned to the UK where he became father to Edward Joseph Chadfield (1862–1956), (a child prodigy on the organ). In 1861 he was appointed head organist at

St Werburgh's Church, Derby St Werburgh's Church is an Anglican church on Friargate in the city of Derby, England. It is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a Grade II* listed building. In this church, Samuel Johnson (Dr Johnson) married Elizabeth ...

(1861-1872). Whilst in this role Chadfield became an educator to many of the up-and-coming organists in the local area. In 1882 Chadfield was elected as the general secretary of the

Incorporated Society of Musicians The Independent Society of Musicians (ISM) is the UK and Ireland's professional body for musicians representing over 11,000 individuals across all areas of the music industry. The ISM is also a subject association for music education and is an ind ...

a role which he held until 1912. He then served as head teacher at

Derby School of Music Derby School of Music is an independent private music school originally established in 1885, based in Derby, England. It offers private tuition on musical instruments and music theory, and provides grade examinations with all the major music exam ...

from 1912 to 1914. Chadfield took the role as a favour for his long time friend and former pupil

Arthur Francis Smith Arthur Francis Smith (1849 – 1914) was a British organist and composer, and founder of the Derby School of Music. Career Smith was a pupil of Edward Chadfield, and graduated BMus (1883) at Queens' College, Cambridge. He served as organist of ...

who was the founder of the music school but at the time was experiencing ill health.

Compositions

Chadfield was a prominent composer of traditional plain song pieces for the English Church. He was also a major contributor to the substantial compilation of English Airs 'A Collection of National English Airs'. Chadfield also wrote the famous hymn 'wings of song' which was published in the 'Church Hymns with Tunes' which was edited by

Arthur Sullivan Sir Arthur Seymour Sullivan (13 May 1842 – 22 November 1900) was an English composer. He is best known for 14 comic opera, operatic Gilbert and Sullivan, collaborations with the dramatist W. S. Gilbert, including ''H.M.S. Pinaf ...

in Easter 1874.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chadfield, Edward 1825 births 1914 deaths Musicians from Derby Conservatoire de Paris alumni English composers English organists British male organists