Pearsall, Robert Lucas

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Pearsall, Robert Lucas

Pearsall, Robert Lucas , English antiquarian and composer; b. Clifton, March 14,1795; d. Wartensee, Lake Constance, Aug. 5,1856. He studied law and music, and as a boy of 13 wrote a cantata, Saul and the Witch of Endor. He lived many years in Germany, where he pubi, many of his compositions; was in London on several extended visits. In 1842 he purchased a castle on Lake Constance, and remained there for the rest of his life. As a composer, he was at his best in many ingenious madrigals. Particularly popular were his part-songs, Sir Patrick Spens, The Hardy Norseman, and O who will o’er the downs so free. He ed. early church music in Germany, and also pubi, an Essay on Consecutive Fifths and Octaves in Counterpoint (London, 1876).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire