COWEN, SIR FREDERIC HYMEN

born Jan. 29, 1852, Kingston, Jamaica died Oct. 6, 1935, London, Eng. conductor and composer, one of the most versatile British musicians of his time. At the age of four Cowen was taken to England and in 1860 began studying with Julius Benedict and John Goss. He later studied at Leipzig and Berlin. On his return to England in 1868 he established himself as a composer, conductor, and accompanist and was active in British music festivals. His compositions include operas, oratorios, cantatas, orchestral suites, songs, and six symphonies. Of these last, the third, the Scandinavian (1880), was most successful. Though variable in quality, it is graceful in style and skillfully written. Cowen was active as a conductor in London, Glasgow, and Manchester and as an adjudicator at music festivals throughout the British Isles.