# A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Ouseley, Frederick

From volume 2 of the work.
​OUSELEY, the Rev. Sir Frederick Arthur Gore, Bart., son of the Rt. Hon. Sir Gore Ouseley, Bart., the eminent Orientalist, and Ambassador at the courts of Persia and St. Petersburg, was born in London Aug. 12, 1825, and from early childhood evinced great talent for music, and an extraordinarily accurate ear. His skill in playing and extemporising was very unusual, and at the age of eight he composed an opera, 'L'Isola disabitata.' In 1844 Sir Frederick succeeded his father, and was educated at Christ Church, Oxford, at which University he graduated B.A. in 1846, and M.A. in 1849. In that year he was ordained, and until 1851 held a curacy at St. Paul's, Knightsbridge. In 1850 he took the degree of Mus. Bac. at Oxford, his 'exercise' being a cantata, 'The Lord is the true God,' and in 1854 took the higher grade of Mus. Doc., for which his oratorio 'St. Polycarp' was composed and performed. Upon the death of Sir Henry R. Bishop in 1855, Sir Frederick was elected to the Professorship of Music at Oxford, an office which he has held ever since with honour and esteem. The same year he was ordained priest and appointed Precentor of Hereford Cathedral. In 1856 he was admitted to the ad eundem degrees of Mus. Bac. and Mus. Doc. at Durham, and became vicar of St. Michael's, Tenbury, as well as warden of St. Michael's College there for the education of boys in music and general knowledge, of which establishment he is the principal munificent founder and maintainer. The daily choral service in the beautiful church of St. Michael's, which Sir Frederick erected adjoining his college, is served by the masters and boys. His library has been already noticed (p. 423a).
As a practical and theoretical musician and composer, Sir Frederick occupies a high place. He is skilled both as pianist and organist. In extemporaneous performance on the organ, especially in fugue-playing and in contrapuntal treatment of a given theme, he is at the present time and in this country perhaps unsurpassed. His two excellent treatises, published in the Oxford Clarendon Press Series, on 'Harmony,' and on 'Counterpoint and Fugue' are standard works. His treatise on 'Form and General Composition,' in the same series, is also a valuable contribution to musical literature.
As composer Sir Frederick is known chiefly by his works for the Church. In these he has adhered closely to the traditions of the Anglican school. He has composed 11 services, one of which, in 8 parts, is still in MS., and another, recently written, has orchestral accompaniments. He has also published upwards of 70 anthems, and has edited the sacred works of Orlando Gibbons. His compositions for organ include a set of 6, one of 7, and one of 18, preludes and fugues, also 6 preludes, 3 andantes, and 2 sonatas. He has also written some dozen glees and part-songs, several solo songs with P.F. accompaniment, ​and 2 string-quartets. His oratorio, 'Hagar,' was produced at the Hereford Festival of 1873, and performed in the following year at the Crystal Palace.
As Oxford Professor he has effected considerable improvements and reforms. The office of Choragus, which had fallen into disuse, has been re-established, and is now held by Dr. Corfe [App. p.757 "who was succeeded in 1884 by Dr. C. H. H. Parry"]; the standard of qualifications for degrees has been considerably raised, and recently the excellent system of a preliminary examination in elementary mathematics, classics, etc., originated by Sir Robert Stewart at Dublin, and adopted at Cambridge, has been made necessary at Oxford; so that a degree in music is no longer conferred by our Universities on persons who have not received some general education. Sir Frederick has also induced his University to grant honorary degrees in music, which had never been given by Oxford previous to 1879.
[ H. S. O. ]