William Gilchrist

Who was William Gilchrist?

William Wallace Gilchrist was an American composer and a major figure in nineteenth century music of Philadelphia. He founded the Mendelssohn Club of Philadelphia in 1874.

Gilchrist was born in Jersey City, New Jersey to William Wallace Gilchrist and Redelia Ann Gilchrist. At the age of eleven months he moved with his family to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His father's business suffered during the Civil War, so young Gilchrist turned to the law and to business for his own living, but eventually decided to take up music as a career. From 1865-68 Gilchrist studied privately with Hugh Archibald Clarke, later a Professor of Music at the University of Pennsylvania. With the exception of a short period in Cincinnati, Ohio, he lived in Philadelphia, where he was active as church organist, teacher, and leader of musical clubs. During this time was active as a baritone soloist at Holy Trinity Church on Rittenhouse Square and St. Mark’s Church on Locust Street, soloist with the Handel and Haydn Society in productions of Messiah, Moses in Egypt and Judas Maccabaeus, and participant in a series of light operettas presented by the Amateur Drawing Room. In 1871 he was appointed organist and choirmaster at St. Clement’s Church, and he drew the original Mendelssohn Club members from the choir there.