Coward, (Sir) Henry

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Coward, (Sir) Henry (b Liverpool, 1849; d Sheffield, 1944). Eng. choral conductor. Founded Sheffield Musical Union 1876. Est. of Sheffield Fest. 1895 enabled him to set new standards of choral singing in works of Handel, Bach, and Elgar. Cond. choirs at Leeds, Glasgow, Preston, and Newcastle upon Tyne. Toured N. Amer. 1908 and 1911, also Australia and S. Africa. Advocate of tonic sol-fa system. Knighted 1926.