author
Ernest Ford
1858–1919
An English composer and conductor, he helped shape the musical life of the Savoy Theatre and wrote works for the stage as well as books on music. His career linked Victorian comic opera with a wider love of English musical history.
1 Audiobook
A Short History of English Music
by Ernest Ford
About the author
Born in Warminster on 17 February 1858, Ernest Ford was educated early in music as a chorister at Salisbury Cathedral and later studied at the Royal Academy of Music. He went on to build a varied career as both a composer and a conductor.
He is especially associated with the Savoy Theatre, where he served as assistant musical director for the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company and later worked as musical director. Alongside conducting, he composed operas and ballet music, and his work for the stage made him a recognized figure in English theatrical music.
Ford also wrote about music, including A Short History of English Music, showing the same interest in explanation and tradition that marked his practical career. He died on 2 June 1919, leaving a legacy tied both to performance and to the writing of English music history.