Henry Carter

Carter, Henry

Henry Carter. Organist, composer, choir conductor, b London 6 Mar 1837, d ?. He studied with Sir John Goss, Ernst Pauer, and Charles Steggall in London and with August Haupt, Ferdinand Hiller, and Friedrich Kiel in Germany. He arrived in Canada during the 1850s and was organist 1857-61 at the Anglican Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in Quebec City. He is said to have founded one of Canada's earliest oratorio societies there, and to have presented the first performance in Canada of Messiah (Quebec 1857). At this time he was the English choirmaster of the Quebec Harmonic Society. In 1864 he moved to the USA, where he was a church organist and a teacher 1880-3 at the College of Music in Cincinnati. He was best known as a recitalist and as a composer of church music, as well as two string quartets and an anthem for soloists, chorus, and orchestra. He also wrote several songs.

See also John Carter, George Carter, and William Carter (his brothers).