Henry Lahee
Life
Born: April 1826
Died: 29 April 1912
Biography
LAHEE, Henry, born at Chelsea in April, 1826, held the post of organist at Holy Trinity Church, Brompton, from 1847 to 1874, and is well known also as a professor and composer. His music is thoroughly English in character, and is influenced by the traditions of our old part-song writers. Mr. Lahee has been the victor in various prize competitions for glees and madrigals: in 1869 with 'Hark, how the birds' (Bristol); in 1878, with 'Hence, loathed Melancholy' (Manchester); in 1879, with 'Away to the hunt' (Glasgow); and in 1880 and 1884, with 'Love in my bosom' and 'Ah! woe is me' (London Madrigal Society). Equally good work can be seen in his other choral songs, such as 'The Unfaithful Shepherdess,' 'Love me little, love me long,' and the popular 'Bells,' and in his anthems no less than in his various songs and instrumental pieces.
Good taste is shown by this composer in the choice of his words, and he has found Longfellow congenial with his musical style. The cantata 'The Building of the Ship' was written in 1869 for the late Rev. John Curwen, who desired a work of moderate difficulty for the use of Tonic-Sol-faists. It was performed on a large scale in the Hanover Square Rooms, has since attained considerable popularity in the provinces, and has even made its way to Africa and America. The subject of another cantata, Tennyson's 'The Sleeping Beauty,' afforded Mr. Lahee scope for a greater variety of treatment, and contains some graceful writing for female voices. It has been heard on the continent and in America.
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List of choral works
- Ah! woe is me
- All ye woods
- The Bells
- Come, let us join our cheerful songs
- Go, when the morning shineth
- Hark how the birds
- Hence, loathed melancholy
- Higher, higher will we climb
- Labour
- Love me little, love me long
- Never say fail!
- The New Year
- Now on the first day of the week
- Shepherds, rise! and shake off sleep
- The Spring
- Sweet content
- The Thresher
- The unfaithful shepherdess
- Waiting for the May
- When Twilight’s parting flush
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