The British Musical Biography

[E] May, Oliver, pianist, born at Greenwich,
January 27, 1811. His first instruction in
music was received from his brother, Edward
Collett, noticed above. At the R.A.SI. he
studied for over five years, under Cipriani
Potter, and on leaving was appointed organist
at a chapel on Blackheath. Later he officiated
for some years at a church in Bermondsey, and
was for a short time, previous to 1857, organist
at St. Martin-in-the-Fields. He was ap-
pointed a professor of the pf . at Queen's College,
London, at its foundation. A member of the
original committee of the Bach Society, Lon-
don, he was an active worker while the society
existed ; and was for many years a member,
and occasionally a director of the Philhar-
monic Society; also a Fellow, R.A.M. His
retiring disposition militated against a public
life, but as a teacher he was in great request
and highly valued. He died at St. Albans,
April 12, 1891. A fellow student at the
R.A.M. with Sterndale Bennett, the closest
intimacy existed between them. Many in-
teresting mementos of Bennett and others at
his death came into the possession of his
niece, Florence May (q-v.). His published
works were few ; an overture, Don Sebastian,
op. 1, arranged for pf. duet ; I seek the haunts ;
The Moon's pale beam, and other songs. In
MS. remain a quartet for pf. and strings ;
songs, madrigals, and pf. pieces.

entry id: 277-L-60