Robert Lindley (4 March 1776 – 13 June 1855) was an English cellist and academic, described as "probably the greatest violoncellist of his time".

Life

Lindley was born in

Rotherham Rotherham ( ) is a market town in South Yorkshire, England. It lies at the confluence of the River Rother, South Yorkshire, River Rother, from which the town gets its name, and the River Don, Yorkshire, River Don. It is the largest settlement ...

in 1776. His father, an amateur cellist, gave him lessons on the violin from age five, and on the cello from age nine. In 1792 the cellist

James Cervetto James Cervetto (8 January 1748 – 5 February 1837) was an English cellist, playing in aristocratic venues and in important concerts of the day. He was the soloist for the premiere of Haydn’s Cello Concerto No. 2 (Haydn), second cello concerto. ...

, impressed by his playing, gave him free tuition. Lindley had an engagement at the theatre in

Brighton Brighton ( ) is a seaside resort in the city status in the United Kingdom, city of Brighton and Hove, East Sussex, England, south of London. Archaeological evidence of settlement in the area dates back to the Bronze Age Britain, Bronze Age, R ...

, and while there played before the

Prince Regent A prince regent or princess regent is a prince or princess who, due to their position in the line of succession, rules a monarchy as regent in the stead of a monarch, e.g., as a result of the sovereign's incapacity (minority or illness) or ab ...

. In 1794 he succeeded Sperati as principal cello at

Italian Opera Italian opera is both the art of opera in Italy and opera in the Italian language. Opera was in Italy around the year 1600 and Italian opera has continued to play a dominant role in the history of the form until the present day. Many famous ope ...

in London, and at important concerts; he remained in the post until retirement in 1851. For many years he was a friend of the double-bass player

Domenico Dragonetti Domenico Carlo Maria Dragonetti (7 April 1763 – 16 April 1846) was an Italian double bass virtuoso and composer with a 3 string double bass. He stayed for thirty years in his hometown of Venice, Italy and worked at the opera buffa, Opera Buffa, ...

, who joined the opera orchestra at the same time. Lindley was appointed one of the first professors of the

Royal Academy of Music The Royal Academy of Music (RAM) in London, England, is one of the oldest music schools in the UK, founded in 1822 by John Fane and Nicolas-Charles Bochsa. It received its royal charter in 1830 from King George IV with the support of the firs ...

in 1822, the year of its founding. His students included the cellist

Charles Lucas Sir Charles Lucas, 1613 to 28 August 1648, was a professional soldier from Essex, who served as a Royalist cavalry leader during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. Taken prisoner at the end of the First English Civil War in March 1646, he was re ...

, who succeeded him in the opera orchestra.

John Alexander Fuller Maitland John Alexander Fuller Maitland (7 April 1856 – 30 March 1936) was an influential British music critic and scholar from the 1880s to the 1920s. He encouraged the rediscovery of English music of the 16th and 17th centuries, particularly Henry Pu ...

wrote: "Lindley was probably the greatest violoncellist of his time".

William Henry Husk William Henry Husk (1814–1887) was an English historian of music and critic. Life Husk was born in London on 4 November 1814. From 1833 to 1886 he was clerk to a firm of solicitors. As an amateur musician, taught by his godfather John Bernard S ...

described his playing: "Lindley's tone was remarkable for its purity, richness, mellowness and volume.... His technique, for that date, was remarkable, and his accompaniment of recitative was perfection." Lindley had a "great reputation as an accompanist" during a time in which cellists were required to improvise whilst accompanying singers.

Family

His son William Lindley (1802–1869) also became a cellist; because of nervousness he did not fulfill his early promise, and withdrew from public performance. His daughter married the composer

John Barnett John Barnett (15 July 1802 – 16 April 1890) was an English composer and writer on music. Life Barnett was the eldest son of a Prussian Jew named Bernhard Beer, who changed his surname on settling in England as a jeweller. According to some h ...

in 1837.

Compositions

Works include four cello concertos, thirty-five solos and duets for cello, a trio for bassoon, viola, and cello, ''Caprice Bohème'' for piano, and a handbook for the cello published in the year of his death. William Henry Husk noted that "his composition was by no means equal to his execution".

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Lindley, Robert 1776 births 1855 deaths People from Rotherham English classical cellists 19th-century English musicians