Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Nicholson, Richard

by James Cuthbert Hadden

NICHOLSON, RICHARD (d. 1639), musician, was the first professor of music at Oxford under the endowment of William Heather [q. v.] He supplicated for the degree of Mus. Bac. at Oxford in February 1595–6 9Wood), and about the same time became organist and chorus-master of Magdalen College. The music lectureship was founded in 1626, when he was appointed professor. He resigned his post of organist in 1639, and died in the same year. He composed several madrigals, one of which, ‘Sing Shepherds all,’ is printed in Morley's ‘Triumphes of Oriana,’ 1601.

[Wood's Athenæ Oxonienses (Bliss), ii. 269; Biog. Dict. of Musicians, 1824; Grove's Dict. of Musicians, i. 735, ii. 455; Bloxam's Register of Magdalen College, Oxford; Williams's Degrees in Music, pp. 36, 74.]

J. C. H.