A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Needler, Henry

by William H. Husk

NEEDLER, Henry, born in London in 1685, was an amateur violinist, who was instructed on the instrument first by his father and afterwards by the younger Banister, and became a proficient performer. He is said to have been taught harmony by Purcell, which must probably be taken to mean Daniel Purcell. About 1710 he was appointed Accountant-General of the Excise, and in the same year assisted in establishing the Academy of Ancient Music, where he long filled the post of principal violin. He was the first to lead the concertos of Corelli in England. He died Aug. 1, 1760. 28 volumes of music, almost entirely transcribed by him from the libraries at Oxford, were presented by his widow to James Mathias, who, in 1782, bequeathed them to the British Museum, where they form Add. MSS. 5035 to 5062.

[ W. H. H. ]