William Henry Bell

Who was William Henry Bell?

William Henry Bell, known largely by his initials, W H Bell, was an English composer, conductor and lecturer.

Bell was born in St Albans and studied in London at the Royal Academy of Music with Frederick Corder, and with Charles Villiers Stanford at the Royal College of Music. He mainly made his living as an organist and lecturer; he was Professor of Harmony at the Royal Academy of Music, where he taught from 1903 to 1912.

In 1912, Bell went to South Africa to direct the South African College of Music in Cape Town. He was Principal until 1935 and is credited with a significant expansion of the school. In 1920, Bell became Professor of Music at the University of Cape Town, where he held classes for degree courses. The South African College of Music was incorporated into the University in 1923 and Professor Bell became Dean of the Faculty of Music. Bell founded the Little Theater, a training center for opera, and occasionally directed the Cape Town Music Society. He died in Gordon's Bay near Somerset West, South Africa.

The W H Bell Music Library at the University of Cape Town is named in honor of William Henry Bell.