The British Musical Biography

[E] Crouch, Frederick Nicholls, composer,
vocalist and violoncellist, born in Warren
Street, Fitzroy Square, London, July 31, 1808.
Son of P. W. Crouch, violoncellist (q-v.). At
the age of nine he played in the band of the
Royal Ooburg Theatre. Then he travelled in
Yorksliire and Scotland, and was for two
years, through necessity, a common seaman
on coasting smacks plying between London
and Leith. Through the interest of William
Watts, then secretary of the Philharmonic

[+] Society, be entered the orchestra of Drury
Lane Theatre. His voice developing, he
studied under William Hawes, and was in the
choir of Westminster Abbey and St. Paul's
Cathedral. Then, entering the R.A.M., he
was for a short time under Crotch, Attwood,
Lindley, etc., and member of the Philhar-
monic, Ancient Concerts, and Royal Italian
Opera orchestras. Travelled for a time for a
firm of metal brokers, and invented the en-
graving process known as zincography. After-
wards musical supervisor to D'Almaine and
Co., London. About 1838 he was giving an
entertainment on the " Songs and Legends of
Ireland," and was for years known as the
Irish lecturer. The song " Kathleen Mavour-
neeu " was one of a series, "The Echoes of
the Lakes," published about 1838. In 1819
he went to America, and filled various offices,
conducting at Portland, Philadelphia, Wash-
ington, Richmond, etc. He joined the Con-
federate army, and served through the Civil
War. His last years were spent in Baltimore,
where he died, August 19, 1896. He published
his Autobiography in the Boston Folio, 1887 (?).
He wrote the music of two operas — Sir Roger
de Coverley, and the Fifth of November, 1670.
His published songs comprised — Songs of
Erin ; Echoes of the Past ; Bardic Reminis-
cences ; Songs of the Olden Time ; Songs of
a Rambler ; Wayside Melodies, and many
detached sougs by various writers, which in
their day had great popularity,

entry id: 108-R-53