Alfred Mellon (7 April 1820 – 24 March 1867) was a British violinist, conductor and composer. Mellon was born in

Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1.145 million in the city proper, 2.92 million in the We ...

, to a French father. At the age of 12 he joined the band at the Theatre Royal in that town, becoming leader at 16 before moving to London in 1844. He studied with

Bernhard Molique Bernhard Molique (''Wilhelm Bernhard Molique;'' 7 October 180210 May 1869) was a German violinist and composer. Biography He was born in Nuremberg. His father was a musician and the boy studied various instruments, but finally devoted himself to ...

in Stuttgart then returned to London to play the violin in the opera and other orchestras, and afterwards became leader of the ballet at the Royal Italian Opera,

Covent Garden Covent Garden is a district in London, on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit-and-vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist si ...

. Next, he was director of the music at the Haymarket and Adelphi theatres. He was subsequently conductor of the Pyne and Harrison English Opera Company, who in 1859 produced his opera, "Victorine", at Covent Garden. He was conductor of the Musical Society, and of the Promenade Concerts, which for several seasons were given under his name at Covent Garden. In September 1865, he was chosen conductor of the

Liverpool Philharmonic Society Royal Liverpool Philharmonic is a music organisation based in Liverpool, England, that manages a professional symphony orchestra, a concert venue, and extensive programmes of learning through music. Its orchestra, the Royal Liverpool Philharmon ...

. As a composer, Mellon wrote two operas - ''The Irish Dragoon'' (1845) and ''Victorine'' (1859), string quartets, piano pieces, glees (including 'Crown'd with clusters of the vine', 1850), ballads and songs for plays and farces. He married

Sarah Woolgar Sarah Jane Woolgar (8 July 1824 – 8 September 1909) was an English stage actress. She had leading roles in plays by notable dramatists of the day, including original productions. She had a long association with the Adelphi Theatre in London. ...

, a well-known actress on 28 July 1855. There were two daughters, the younger of which, Mary Woolgar Mellon, also became an actress. Mellon died at his home at The Vale, Chelsea, and is buried in

Brompton Cemetery Brompton Cemetery (originally the West of London and Westminster Cemetery) is a London cemetery, managed by The Royal Parks, in West Brompton in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. It is one of the Magnificent Seven cemeteries. Establ ...

, London. He was so well-known and respected that thousands attended his funeral.Alfred Mellon: Brompton Cemetery
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References

External links

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National Portrait Gallery

Tomb of Alfred Mellon, Brompton Cemetery
1820 births 1867 deaths English composers English conductors (music) British male conductors (music) Burials at Brompton Cemetery 19th-century British composers 19th-century conductors (music) 19th-century English musicians Musicians from Birmingham, West Midlands {{UK-conductor-stub