A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Cummings, William Hayman

by George Grove

CUMMINGS, William Hayman, native of Sidbury, Devon, born 1835, placed at an early age in the choir of St. Paul's Cathedral, and afterwards in that of the Temple Church. On leaving the latter he was appointed organist of Waltham Abbey, and after a time admitted as tenor-singer in the Temple, Westminster Abbey, and the Chapels Royal, appointments which he subsequently resigned. Mr. Cummings is much in request for the important tenor parts in Bach's Passion, Bach's Mass, and other works where an accomplished musician is as necessary as a good singer. His publications include several prize glees, a Morning Service, an Anthem, various songs, a Cantata, 'The Fairy Ring,' and a Primer of the Rudiments of Music (Novello). [App. p.602 adds "that he is editor of the publications of the Purcell Society, and that he contributed a life of that master to the 'Great Musician' series. He was appointed conductor of the Sacred Harmonic Society in 1882."]

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