Edward Francis Rimbault (13 June 1816 – 26 September 1876) was a British

organist An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ (music), organ. An organist may play organ repertoire, solo organ works, play with an musical ensemble, ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumentalist, instrumental ...

musicologist Musicology is the academic, research-based study of music, as opposed to musical composition or performance. Musicology research combines and intersects with many fields, including psychology, sociology, acoustics, neurology, natural sciences, f ...

book collector Book collecting is the collecting of books, including seeking, locating, acquiring, organizing, cataloging, displaying, storing, and maintaining whatever books are of interest to a given collector. The love of books is '' bibliophilia'', and some ...

and author.)

Life

Rimbault was born in

Soho SoHo, short for "South of Houston Street, Houston Street", is a neighborhood in Lower Manhattan, New York City. Since the 1970s, the neighborhood has been the location of many artists' lofts and art galleries, art installations such as The Wall ...

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

, to a family of French

Huguenot The Huguenots ( , ; ) are a Religious denomination, religious group of French people, French Protestants who held to the Reformed (Calvinist) tradition of Protestantism. The term, which may be derived from the name of a Swiss political leader, ...

extraction that had emigrated to England in 1685 after the revocation of the

Edict of Nantes The Edict of Nantes () was an edict signed in April 1598 by Henry IV of France, King Henry IV and granted the minority Calvinism, Calvinist Protestants of France, also known as Huguenots, substantial rights in the nation, which was predominantl ...

.A. Hyatt King, introduction to ''Catalogue of the Music Library of Edward Francis Rimbault Sold at London 31 July-7 August 1877, With the Library of Dr. Rainbeau'' (Buren, Netherlands: Frits Knuf, 1975). His father, Stephen Francis Rimbault, was an organist, arranger and composer. The younger Rimbault was taught music by his father,

Samuel Wesley Samuel Wesley may refer to: * Samuel Wesley (poet, died 1735) (1662–1735), English poet and churchman * Samuel Wesley (poet, died 1739) (1691–1739), English poet and churchman, son of the above * Samuel Wesley (composer, born 1766) (1766–1837 ...

and

William Crotch William Crotch (5 July 177529 December 1847) was an English composer and organist. According to the British musicologist Nicholas Temperley, Crotch was "a child prodigy without parallel in the history of music", and was certainly the most dist ...

. At age 16, he became organist of the Swiss Church in Soho. His career as a lecturer, for which he was much in demand, began in 1838. Rimbault edited many collections of music. In addition to editing or arranging contemporary operas, Rimbault took a strong interest in editing or arranging earlier English music. He did editorial work for the

Percy Society The Percy Society was a British text publication society. It was founded in 1840 and collapsed in 1852. The Society was a scholarly collective, aimed at publishing limited-edition books of rare poems and songs. The president was Lady Braybrooke, ...

, the Camden Society, the Motett Society (founded 1841 by

William Dyce William Dyce (; 19 September 1806 in Aberdeen14 February 1864) was a Scottish painter, who played a part in the formation of public art education in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom, and the South Kensington Schoo ...

), and the Handel Society. He was a co-founder of the Musical Antiquarian Society in 1840, for which he also did editing. In 1842, he was elected a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries, and was granted membership in the Academy of Music in Stockholm, which conferred on him a

Ph.D. A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, DPhil; or ) is a terminal degree that usually denotes the highest level of academic achievement in a given discipline and is awarded following a course of graduate study and original research. The name of the deg ...

The reputation of his work was such that he was offered a teaching position at

Harvard University Harvard University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the History of the Puritans in North America, Puritan clergyma ...

, which he turned down. In 1848, he was given an honorary degree by the

University of Oxford The University of Oxford is a collegiate university, collegiate research university in Oxford, England. There is evidence of teaching as early as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the List of oldest un ...

. He authored several books, includin
''Bibliotheca Madrigaliana: A Bibliographical Account of the Musical and Poetical Works Published in England During the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries, Under the Titles of Madrigals, Ballets, Ayres, Canzonets, Etc., Etc.''
(1847)
''The Pianoforte, Its Origin, Process, and Construction; With Some Account of Instruments of the Same Class Which Preceded It; Viz. the Clavichord, the Virginal, the Spinet, the Harpsichord, Etc.; to Which is Added a Selection of Interesting Specimens of Music Composed for Keyed-Stringed Instruments''
(1860), '' Early English Organ Builders and Their Works'' (1865), co-authored ''The Organ: Its History and Construction'' (1855) with

Edward John Hopkins Dr. Edward John Hopkins FRCO (30 June 1818 - 4 February 1901) was an English organist and composer. The organist and composer John Larkin Hopkins was his cousin. Life He was born on 30 June 1818 in Westminster. He was the eldest son of George ...

, and many others. He did a small amount of composing. Among his efforts is a tune for Philip Doddridge's ''O Happy Day, That Fixed My Choice'' and added the refrain (1854).

Alexander Hyatt King Alexander Hyatt King, also known as Alec Hyatt King, (18 July 1911 in Beckenham, London – 10 March 1995 in Southwold, Suffolk) was an English musicologist and bibliographer, who was a music librarian of the British Museum and leading scholar on ...

suggested that Rimbault may be best remembered for his magnificent library, which contained many rare items. He died on 26 September 1876 and was buried on the western side of

Highgate Cemetery Highgate Cemetery is a place of burial in North London, England, designed by architect Stephen Geary. There are approximately 170,000 people buried in around 53,000 graves across the West and East sides. Highgate Cemetery is notable both for so ...

. His grave (no.3153) no longer has a headstone or any marker. After his death, Rimbault's library was auctioned by Sotheby, Wilkinson and Hodge from 31 July to 5 August 1877, with many materials going to the

British Library The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom. Based in London, it is one of the largest libraries in the world, with an estimated collection of between 170 and 200 million items from multiple countries. As a legal deposit li ...

. About 300 lots (nearly 600 items) were purchased by

Joseph Sabin Joseph Sabin (9 December 1821—5 June 1881) was a Braunston, England-born bibliographer and bookseller in Oxford, Philadelphia, and New York City. He compiled the "stupendous" multivolume ''Bibliotheca Americana: A Dictionary of Books Relating to ...

who was acting as agent for Joseph W. Drexel. Upon his death in 1888, the

Drexel Collection The Drexel Collection is a collection of over 6,000 volumes of books about music and musical scores owned by the Music Division of The New York Public Library. Donated by Joseph W. Drexel in 1888 to the Lenox Library (which later became The New Y ...

was bequeathed to the Lenox Library, a precursor of the

New York Public Library The New York Public Library (NYPL) is a public library system in New York City. With nearly 53 million items and 92 locations, the New York Public Library is the second-largest public library in the United States behind the Library of Congress a ...

. Susan T. Sommer, "Joseph W. Drexel and his Musical Library" in ''Music and Civilization: Essays in Honor of Paul Henry Lang'' (New York: Norton, 1984). Today, the Drexel Collection forms part of the Music Division of the

New York Public Library for the Performing Arts The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center, is located at 40 Lincoln Center Plaza, in the Lincoln Center complex on the Upper West Side in Manhattan, New York City. Situated between the Metropolitan O ...

Bibliography

* ''The Hymns and Hymn Writers of the Church'' (1911), Charles S. Nutter and

Wilbur Fisk Tillett Wilbur Fisk Tillett (1854–1936) was an American Methodist clergyman and educator. Early life Wilbur Fisk Tillett was born August 25, 1854, in Henderson, North Carolina, which at that time was in Granville County (later Vance). He was named for ...

Selective list of publications

*''Ancient Poetical Tracts of the Sixteenth Century: Reprinted from Unique Copies Formerly in the Possession of the Late Thomas Caldecott, Esq.'' London: Percy Society, 1842. * ''Bonduca: A Tragedy, Altered from Beaumont and Fletcher, the Music Composed A.D. 1695 by Henry Purcell: An Historical Sketch of the History of Dramatic Music in England, from the Earliest Time to the Death of Purcell''. London: Chappell, 1842. * ''Cathedral Music, Consisting of Services and Anthems Selected from the Books of the Different Cathedrals''. London: Chappell, 1843. * ''Cock Lorell's Bote: A Satirical Poem: From an Unique Copy Printed by Wynkyn De Worde''. Early English poetry, ballads, and popular literature of the Middle Ages, v. 6, no. 2. London: Percy Society, 1843. * ''Cathedral Chants of the XVI, XVII & XVIII Centuries''. London: D'Almaine & Co., 1844. * ''The Book of Common Prayer, With Musical Notes. Compiled by John Marbeck ... A.D. 1550''. Edited by Edward F. Rimbault. London: 1845, (2nd edition: London: Novello, Ewer, 1871.) * ''Bibliotheca Madrigaliana: A Bibliographical Account of the Musical and Poetical Works Published in England During the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries Under the Titles of Madrigals, Ballets, Ayres, Canzonets Etc. Etc.'' London: John Russell Smith, 1847. *''Bartholomew Fair''. London: Notes and Queries, 1859. *''The Christy-Minstrel Song-Book, Containing Fifty-Two of the Most Popular Songs, With Choruses and Pianoforte Accompaniments''. London: Chappell & Co., 1861. *''Chappell & Co.'s Practical Directions Upom The Art of Tuning the Pianoforte...and a Description of Kemp's ... Amateur Tuner's Assistant; Also, Directions for Tuning the Harmonium''. London: Chappell & Co., 1865. *''A Catechism of the Rudiments of Music, Adapted for Beginners in Any Branch of the Science''. London: Chappell, 1870. *''A Catechism of Harmony, Adapted to the First Requirements of a Student, Etc.'' London: 1871. *''A Catechism of the Art of Singing With Practical Rules for the Formation of the Voice, Especially Adapted for the Use of Young Students''. London: Chappell & Co., 1872. *''The Old Cheque-Book; Or, Book of Remembrance of the Chapel Royal from 1561 to 1744''. estminster Printed for the Camden Society, 1872. *''The Cheque Book of the Chapel Royal from the Reign of Elizabeth to the Accession of the House of Hanover''. Publications of the Camden Society. New series ;; 3. London: Camden Society, 1872. *''Gallery of Great Composers''. Boston: James R. Osgood, 1874. *''Chappell's 100 Operatic Melodies''. London: Chappell & Co., 8--?

References

External links

* * * * Works b
Rimbault
in IMSLP. {{DEFAULTSORT:Rimbault, Edward Francis 1816 births 1876 deaths Burials at Highgate Cemetery English book and manuscript collectors English classical organists English music historians English musicologists English people of French descent Musicians from the City of Westminster People from Soho 19th-century English male musicians 19th-century British classical musicians English male classical organists 19th-century English organists 19th-century British musicologists