Dictionary of National Biography, 1912 supplement/Prout, Ebenezer - Wikisource, the free online library (2024)

​PROUT, EBENEZER (1835–1909), musical composer, organist, and theorist, the son of a dissenting minister, was born at Oundle, Northamptonshire, on 1 March 1835, He studied at London University, graduating B.A. in 1854, and showing a gift for languages; but music was his passion from an early period. After acting as school-master for some years he devoted himself to the musical profession, in spite of strong opposition from his father. Though he had some pianoforte lessons from Charles Kensington Salaman, he was almost entirely self-taught. He acted as organist in non-conformist chapels, and he contributed anthems to a volmne (1872) for Dr. Allon's chapel at Islington, where he officiated (1861–73). In 1862 he won the first prize in a competition for a new string quartet, instituted by the Society of British Musicians, and in 1865 their prize for a pianoforte quartet; this work was occasionally played for several decades. A pianoforte quintet was still more successful. From 1861 to 1885 Prout was professor of the pianoforte at the Crystal Palace School of Art.

In 1871 the 'Monthly Musical Record’ ​was started by Augener and Co., and Prout was appointed editor. He at once introduced a new element into musical criticism, which he made the prominent feature of his journal. He wrote detailed analyses of the less known works of Schubert, of Schumann's symphonies, and some of the later music-dramas of Wagner, all of which were practically unknown here. Prout and his coadjutors, notably Dannreuther, quickly widened the outlook of the musical public, and led the way for the introduction of Wagner's operas. In 1875 he was compelled to resign the editorship of the 'Record,' and after serving as musical critic of the 'Academy,' acted in a like capacity for the 'Athenæum' from 1879 to 1889.

Inspired, no doubt, by the performance of one of Handel's organ concertos with the orchestral accompaniment (then a quasi-novelty) at the Handel Festival, in 1871, Prout composed an organ concerto in E minor for modern resources of solo and orchestra. Stainer performed it at a Crystal Palace concert with great success, and many other performances were given elsewhere. Another undeveloped resource, the combination of pianoforte and harmonium, was next treated by Prout, who composed a duet-sonata in A major; this also was long successful. Afterwards he turned into the beaten tracks of English musical composition, and produced the cantatas 'Hereward' (1878), 'Alfred' (1882), 'Freedom' (1885), 'Queen Aimee' (for female voices, 1885), 'Psalm 100' (1886), 'The Red-Cross Knight' (1887), 'Damon and Phintias' (for male voices, 1889), as well as three symphonies for orchestra, and overtures, 'Twelfth Night' and 'Rokeby.' A string quartet, a piano quartet, an organ concerto, and sonatas for piano, with flute (1882) and clarinet (1890), failed to obtain much recognition. Prout published many arrangements of classical pieces for the organ. In 1877 he contributed a valuable primer on instrumentation to Novello's series of music primers. After being converted to a belief in Dr. Day's theory of harmony, he began a series of text-books in 1889 with 'Harmony, its Theory and Practice,' which reached a 24th edition. There followed 'Counterpoint, Strict and Free' (1890; 9th edit. 1910), 'Double Counterpoint and Canon' (1891), 'Fugue' (1891), ’Musical Form' (1893), 'Applied Forms' (1895), and 'The Orchestra' (2 vols. 1897), besides volumes of illustrative exercises These, especially 'Fugue,' became standard text-books. In later life Prout abandoned the 'Day Theory,' and in consequence largely re-wrote the book on harmony (Musical Herald, October 1903).

From 1876 to 1890 Prout was conductor of the Borough of Hackney Choral Association, performing many important works new and old. At the establishment of the National Training School for Music in 1876 he became professor of harmony, migrating in 1879 to the Royal Academy of Music, where he taught till his death; he was also professor at the Guildhall School of Music in 1884.

The repute of his text-books secured him the professorship of music at Dublin University in succession to Sir Robert Prescott Stewart [q. v.] in 1894. The university granted him the honorary degree of Mus. Doc. Although he was non-resident in Dublin, he fulfilled his duties as lecturer and examiner with zeal and ability. He was an active member of the Incorporated Society of Musicians, and frequently lectured at the annual conferences.

In his later years Prout's interest was mainly concentrated in Bach. Large selections of airs from Handel's operas and Bach's cantatas, translated and edited by Prout, appeared in 1905-9. A modernised edition of Handel's 'Messiah' (1902) had little success.

He lived at 246 Richmond Road, Hackney, always spending the summer vacation at Vik, Norway. He died suddenly at his house in Hackney on 5 Dec. 1909, and was buried at Abney Park cemetery. Prout married Julia West, daughter of a dissenting minister, and had a son, Louis B. Prout, who follows his father's profession, and three daughters. His large and valuable library was acquired by Trinity College, Dublin.

His portrait, painted in 1904 by E. Bent Walker, at the cost of his pupils, was presented to the Incorporated Society of Musicians.

[Interview in Musical Times, April 1899, with full details of early life; obituaries in Musical Times, Musical Herald, Monthly Musical Record, Monthly Report of the Incorporated Society of Musicians, January 1910; personal knowledge. See also for long controversy between Prout and Joseph Bennett, the musical critic, over Robert Franz's edition of Handel's Messiah, Monthly Musical Record, April-July 1891; caricature in Musical Herald, June 1891, Feb. 1899 and Dec. 1902; Musical Times, 1891.]

H. D.