A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Farmer, John (1836– )

FARMER, John, born Aug. 16, 1836, at Nottingham, received his musical education at the Leipzig Conservatorium, and subsequently under Andrae Spaeth at Saxe-Coburg. He was a teacher of music at Zürich, and subsequently music master at Harrow School from 1862 to 1885, where he obtained great popularity. He has been organist at Balliol College since 1885, where he has recently instituted in the College Hall a series of Sunday and Monday Evening Concerts for the performance of glees, part-songs, etc., as well as the 'Balliol College Musical Society.' His compositions include 'Christ and his Soldiers,' oratorio, 1878; a 'Requiem in memory of departed Harrow friends'; 'Cinderella,' a fairy opera 1882; 'Nursery Rhymes Quadrilles,' for chorus and orchestra, four sets; 'Hunting Songs Quadrilles,' for same; songs, etc. He has edited 'Hymns and Tunes for High Schools'; the 'Harrow Glee Book,' 'Harrow School Marches,' 'Harrow School Songs,' etc., as well as two volumes of Bach for the use of High Schools.

[ A. C. ]