A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Lindley, Robert
LINDLEY, Robert, born at Rotherham March 4, 1776, showed so early a predilection for music that when he was about 5 years of age, his father, an amateur performer, commenced teaching him the violin, and at 9 years of age, the violoncello also. He continued to practise the latter until he was 16, when Cervetto, hearing him play, encouraged him and undertook his gratuitous instruction. He quitted Yorkshire and obtained an engagement at the Brighton theatre. In 1794 he succeeded Sperati as principal violoncello at the Opera and all the principal concerts, and retained undisputed possession of that position until his retirement in 1851. Lindley's tone was remarkable for its purity, richness, mellowness and volume, and in this respect he has probably never been equalled. His technique, for that date, was remarkable, and his accompaniment of recitative was perfection. He composed several concertos and other works for his instrument, but his composition was by no means equal to his execution. He died June 13, 1855. His daughter married John Barnett the composer.
His son, William, born 1802, was also a violoncellist. He was a pupil of his father and first appeared in public in 1817 and soon took a position in all the best orchestras. He gave great promise of future excellence, but was unable to achieve any prominence owing to extreme nervousness. He died at Manchester, Aug. 12, 1869.