Henry Cope Colles

Henry Cope Colles (20 April 18794 March 1943) was an English music critic, music lexicographer, writer on music and organist. He is best known for his 32 years as chief music critic of The Times (1911–1943) and for editing the 3rd and 4th editions of Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians (1927 and 1940 respectively).

Biography Henry Colles (known informally as "Harry") was born in Bridgnorth, Shropshire, in 1879, the son and grandson of doctors both called Abraham Colles (the senior Abraham Colles is remembered as the discoverer of the eponymous Colles' fracture). His family was of Irish origin, originally from Kilkenny. They settled in Somerset, although the junior Abraham Colles practised in Bridgnorth.

Harry Colles entered the Royal College of Music (RCM) aged 16 and studied music history under Hubert Parry, the organ under Walter Alcock, and counterpoint under Walford Davies. He and Davies cemented a lifelong friendship, and Colles later wrote Davies's biography. who gave the first performance. Colles replaced the inaugural organist Martin Shaw, and was himself replaced by Harold Darke.

The Dean of Worcester College, William Henry Hadow, had strongly supported Colles to use his gifts with the written word in the field of music criticism. He became assistant music critic of The Times, under J. A. Fuller Maitland, and in 1911 succeeded him as chief critic.

On Sir Hugh Allen's invitation, he lectured on music history, analysis and interpretation at the RCM.

In 1932 Colles was appointed D.Mus. honoris causa by the University of Oxford. In 1934 he was appointed Honorary Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Musicians. In 1936 he became an Honorary Fellow of Worcester College, Oxford.

Henry Cope Colles died in London on 4 March 1943, aged 63. When the library of the School of English Church Music was re-opened after the war in 1946, it was renamed the Colles Library in his memory.

Other writings His writings apart from those mentioned above included: Brahms (London, 1908) The Growth of Music (Oxford, 1912–1916) Voice and Verse: a Study of English Song (London, 1928) The Chamber Music of Brahms (London, 1933) The Royal College of Music: a Jubilee Record, 1883–1933 (London, 1933)

On Learning Music and Other Essays (London, 1940) H. Walford Davies (London, 1942) History of St Michael's College, Tenbury (with M. F. Alderson; London, 1943).