Frederick Chatterton

Frederick Chatterton (1812 – 1894) was one of the leading British harpists of the mid to late 19th-century and a composer of music for the harp.

[1] Earlier in life John Chatterton had inherited and spent a large fortune and not wanting the same thing to happen to his sons decided that at least three of them should become successful harpists.

[3] In June 1842 at the Queen's Concerts Rooms in Hanover Square he gave a concert of his own compositions[3] and played in Doncaster in January 1856 where he played his own compositions - 'Highland Ballads', 'Welsh Bardic Illustrations', 'Morceau Fantastique' and 'Partant Pour Le Syrie'.

[2] In September 1858 Chatterton gave a concert at the Assembly Rooms on Guernsey,[6] while in July 1862 he played in Cambria, a duet for two pedal harps written by John Thomas, a former student of Chatterton's brother, for a concert of Welsh music at The Crystal Palace with Thomas himself also playing.

[7] In March 1870 he played in Madame Laura Baxter's Grand Musical Festival at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, then under the management of his nephew, Frederick Balsir Chatterton,[8] while June 1874 saw him playing a harp solo in a concert at the Hanover Square Rooms.