Richard Cudmore (1787 – 29 December 1840) was an English musician. Primarily a violinist, he also played cello and piano, and was a composer.

Life

Cudmore was born in

Chichester Chichester () is a cathedral city and civil parish in West Sussex, England.OS Explorer map 120: Chichester, South Harting and Selsey Scale: 1:25 000. Publisher:Ordnance Survey – Southampton B2 edition. Publishing Date:2009. It is the only ...

in 1787. He developed a talent for music at a very early age. His first instructor was James Forgett, a local organist, under whom he learnt the violin, acquiring such proficiency that at the age of nine he played a solo at a concert in Chichester. About 1797 he was placed under

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, and shortly afterwards became a pupil of

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, with whom he studied the violin for two years. In 1799 he led the band at the Chichester theatre, and in the same year was engaged as a first violin in the orchestra at

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in London. He returned soon afterwards to Chichester, where he remained until 1808; in that year he moved to London, studied the piano under

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, and appeared as a solo pianist and violinist at the principal concerts. He also became a member of the

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orchestra. Shortly afterwards Cudmore settled in Manchester, where for many years he led the Gentlemen's Concerts. He was also often engaged at Liverpool, where on one occasion he played at a concert a violin concerto by

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, a piano concerto by

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and a cello concerto by

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. He was known for his ability in

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; he also was in some repute as a composer of concertos and other works, for his various instruments. His most notable work was an oratorio, ''The Martyr of Antioch'', on

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's poem of the same name. Selections from this were performed at Birmingham and Manchester, and the work was published by subscription. Cudmore died at Wilton Street, Oxford Road, Manchester, on 29 December 1840. He left a widow and family.

References

Attribution * {{DEFAULTSORT:Cudmore, Richard 1787 births 1840 deaths People from Chichester 19th-century classical violinists English classical violinists English classical cellists 19th-century classical pianists English classical pianists Male classical pianists 19th-century classical composers English classical composers 19th-century British composers Male classical violinists 19th-century British male musicians