A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Severn, Thomas

SEVERN, Thomas Henry—brother of Joseph Severn the painter, the intimate friend of Keats, Leigh Hunt, etc.—was born in London, Nov. 5, 1801, and after many difficulties became manager of Farn's music business at 72 Lombard Street. He was the first conductor of the City of London Classical Harmonists, started in 1831. [See vol. i. 352 a.] He was virtually self-taught, and his knowledge of music was derived from study of the scores of the great masters, and from practice. He died at Wandsworth, April 15, 1881. Severn was the author of an opera, and of various songs which were very popular in their time. Amongst these were two sets to words by Haynes Bayley, 'Songs of the Boudoir,' containing the well-known 'We met, 'twas in a crowd'; and 'Songs of the days of Chivalry'; also three songs by Herrick; a Cantata, 'The Spirit of the Shell'; two Te Deums (Novello & Co.), etc., etc.

[ G. ]