Frederick William Nicholls Crouch (30 July 1808 – 18 August 1896) was an English

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and def ...

and

cellist The violoncello ( , ), commonly abbreviated as cello ( ), is a middle pitched bowed (sometimes pizzicato, plucked and occasionally col legno, hit) string instrument of the violin family. Its four strings are usually intonation (music), tuned i ...

Biography

Crouch was born in

Marylebone Marylebone (usually , also ) is an area in London, England, and is located in the City of Westminster. It is in Central London and part of the West End. Oxford Street forms its southern boundary. An ancient parish and latterly a metropo ...

in the city of Westminster, in London. He emigrated to the United States in 1849 and settled in

Richmond, Virginia Richmond ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), U.S. commonwealth of Virginia. Incorporated in 1742, Richmond has been an independent city (United States), independent city since 1871. ...

. During the

Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...

, Crouch took up arms for the Richmond Grays and the 1st Richmond Howitzers, Confederacy. Crouch was noted as a fine cellist, having played in the King's Theatre as well as

St Paul's Cathedral St Paul's Cathedral, formally the Cathedral Church of St Paul the Apostle, is an Anglican cathedral in London, England, the seat of the Bishop of London. The cathedral serves as the mother church of the Diocese of London in the Church of Engl ...

in London, before relocating to the United States, but the majority of his compositions were not successful. His most famous song is " Kathleen Mavourneen". He also set a poem ''Donna Dear'' a poem by the British poet

Katherine Ashton Simpson Katherine Ashton Simpson (known as Kate A. Pearce Simpson; after marriage, Kate A. Pearce-Ellis; (1858–1951) was a British author, poet, and painter. Work Simpson published several books and poetry collections. A number of her poems were set t ...

. During his years in the United States, Crouch composed two operas and unsuccessfully tried various musical undertakings (i.e., conducting, singing and teaching). Well traveled after the Civil War, Crouch eventually settled in

Baltimore Baltimore is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the 30th-most populous U.S. city. The Baltimore metropolitan area is the 20th-large ...

, Maryland. He was married four times, and was the father of 27 children, including the famous French courtesan

Cora Pearl Cora Pearl (born Eliza Emma Crouch; December 1836 – 8 July 1886) was an English courtesan or Cocotte (prostitute), cocotte of the French demimonde who became most well known during the period of the Second French Empire. Early life Eliza Emma C ...

. He died on 18 August 1896 in

Portland, Maine Portland is the List of municipalities in Maine, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maine and the county seat, seat of Cumberland County, Maine, Cumberland County. Portland's population was 68,408 at the 2020 census. The Portland metropolit ...

, and was buried on Confederate Hill in Baltimore's

Loudon Park Cemetery Loudon Park Cemetery is a historic cemetery in Baltimore, Maryland. It was incorporated on January 27, 1853, on of the site of the "Loudon" estate, previously owned by James Carey, a local merchant and politician. The entrance to the cemetery ...

.''Greene's Biographical Encyclopedia of Composers''
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References

External links

* Frederick Nicholls Crouch on allmusic* * English Romantic composers English classical cellists 1808 births 1896 deaths 19th-century English classical composers English male classical composers 19th-century English musicians 19th-century English male musicians Burials at Loudon Park Cemetery 20th-century British cellists {{UK-composer-stub