- Rickard, Richard Henry
[E] Rickard, Richard Henry, pianist and
composer, born at Birmingham, November
12, 1858. When a child he showed much
talent for music, and as a juvenile pianist
frequently played at concerts. At eight
years of age he was placed under Dr. C.
S. Heap, with whom he studied for some
years. He gave his first recital in Birming-
ham, March 30, 1876, and afterwards went to
study at the Leipzig Conservatorium, where
his teachers were Reinecke, Louis Maas, and
E. F. Richter. After completing his course,
he played at the Gewandhaus concerts,
December 12, 1878, Reinecke's Concerto in
F minor, and was favourably noticed by the
press. He reappeared at Birmingham in
April, 1879, and gave recitals at different
times. Residing in London, he took a good
position as a teacher there, and at Brighton,
Played at the Crystal Palace concerts, for
the first time, April 7, 1883 ; gave a series of
recitals there, 1884 ; at the " Inventions "
Exhibition, South Kensington, 1885 ; and
played at concerts in various places. He also
has played, with naarked success, at Paris,
and Dresden and other places in Germany.
Visited Liszt at Weimar, and played to
Rubinstein, to whom he dedicated a Ballade
and Gavotte. For upwards of ten years he
has been principal professor of pf. at the
Sydenham and Forest Hill Academy of
Music. His compositions include a Concerto
in B flat, for pf. and orchestra ; six duets,
six characteristic pieces, and a number of
other works for pf. ; Twilight Music, The
Lotus Flower, and other songs, etc.[+] Richard Rickard, his father, was mathe-
matical master at King Edward's School,
Birmingham, from 1854. He was an excel-
lent amateur flute player, and did much to
popularise music in the Midlands. In 1864
he started a penny singing class at the Bir-
mingham and Midland Institute, and in 1882
he began a penny violin class. On the third
night 525 students presented theniselves!
Many soon dropped off, but from these classes
the Institute School of Music was developed.
Mr. Rickard died at Birmingham, June 4,
1890.entry id: 343-R-36
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