Edouard Silas

Edouard Silas who was born in Amsterdam and died in London, was a Dutch composer and organist.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article on Edouard Silas.

From the period sources

Edouard Silas, a pianist and composer, was born in Amsterdam in 1827. His early musical education began with Neher of the Mannheim Court orchestra, followed by piano studies with Lacombe in 1839 and Kalkbrenner in Paris in 1842. He then entered the Conservatoire, studying organ with Benoist and composition with Halévy, earning the first prize for organ in 1849, as recorded in Grove’s Dictionary of Music and Musicians (American Supplement) (1922). Silas moved to England in 1850, making his London debut at the Musical Union on May 21. He established himself in London as a teacher and served as organist for the Catholic Chapel at Kingston-on-Thames.

His compositions saw significant performances and recognition. His oratorio Joash, with words by G. Linley, premiered at the Norwich Festival in 1863. A Symphony in A (Op. 19) was performed by the Musical Society of London in 1863 and repeated at the Crystal Palace in 1864, later being published. Silas also received the prize in a Belgian competition for sacred music in 1866 for his Mass for four voices and organ. Orchestral works, including a Piano Concerto in D minor and “Three Mythological Pieces” for orchestra, were also performed and published, the latter played at a Philharmonic Concert in 1888, according to Grove’s Dictionary (1922). Beyond his compositions, Silas authored an unpublished “Treatise on Musical Notation” and an “Essay on a new method of Harmony.” He also taught harmony at the Guildhall School of Music and the London Academy of Music.