Samuel Arnold

Who was Samuel Arnold?

Samuel Arnold was an English composer and organist.

Arnold was born in London, and began writing music for the theatre in about 1764. A few years later he became director of music at the Marylebone Gardens, for which much of his popular music was written. In 1777 he went to work for George Colman the Elder at the Little Theatre, Haymarket. In 1783 he became organist at the Chapel Royal, and in 1793 he became organist at Westminster Abbey, where he was eventually buried.

Arnold's best-known works include:

The Maid of the Mill

Abimelech

The Prodigal Son

The Baron Kinkvervankotsdorsprakingatchdern

The Castle of Andalusia

Two to One, libretto George Colman. Includes the song "Pensive I Mourn".

Turk and No Turk

Inkle and Yarico

He is also known for producing the first collected edition of the works of George Frideric Handel between 1787 and 1797, published in 180 parts. This was the most comprehensive collection of Handel's music prior to the appearance of the Händel-Gesellschaft edition in the next century.