Dictionary of National Biography, 1912 supplement/Oakeley, Herbert Stanley
OAKELEY, Sir HERBERT STANLEY (1830–1903), musical composer, born at Ealing on 22 July 1830, was second son of Sir Herbert Oakeley, third baronet [q. v.]. Educated at Rugby and at Christ Church, Oxford, he graduated B.A. in 1853 and proceeded M.A. in 1856. Oakeley showed an early taste for music, studied harmony with Stephen Elvey while at Oxford, and later visited Leipzig, Dresden, and Bonn, having organ lessons from Johann Schneider, and theory and piano lessons from Moscheles, Plaidy, and others. In 1865 he was elected Reid professor of music in Edinburgh University. He did much to improve the position of the chair; converted the annual 'Reid concert' into a three days' festival; engaged the Hallé orchestra to take part in concerts; gave frequent organ recitals in the music class room; and organised and conducted a University Musical Society. He was also director of music at St. Paul's episcopal church, Edinburgh, and in 1876 he directed the music at the inauguration of the Scottish national monument to the Prince Consort. He was then knighted by Queen Victoria at Holyrood, and was appointed 'composer to the Queen in Scotland.' To Queen Victoria, who appreciated his work, he dedicated many of his compositions. He received numerous honorary degrees, Mus.Doc. (Oxford, Dublin, St. Andrews, Edinburgh and Adelaide) and LL.D. (Aberdeen, Edinburgh, and Glasgow). He retired from his professorship in 1891, and died unmarried at Eastbourne on 26 Oct. 1903. Oakeley was an excellent organist, with a marked gift for improvisation. He gave frequent popular lectures on musical subjects, was musical critic to the 'Guardian' 1858-68, and contributed to other journals. He was a prolific composer of vocal and instrumental music. Twenty of his songs were published in a 'Jubilee Album' (1887) dedicated to Queen Victoria. He wrote also twelve part-songs for mixed choir, choruses for male voices and students' songs, and made choral arrangements of many Scottish national airs. Among his church works are a motet, a 'Morning and Evening Service,' some dozen anthems, a 'Jubilee Cantata' (1887), and several hymn tunes. It is by two of the latter, 'Edina' and 'Abends,' associated respectively with the words 'Saviour, blessed Saviour,' and 'Sun of my Soul, Thou Saviour dear,' that he is best known. 'Edina,' composed in 1862, appeared first in the Appendix to 'Hymns Ancient and Modern,' 1868; 'Abends, composed in 1871, in the Irish' Church Hymnal,' edited by Sir R. P. Stewart, Dublin, 1874.
[Life by his brother, Mr. E. M. Oakeley (with portrait), 1904; Hole's Quasi Cursores, 1884 (with portrait); Musical Times, Dec. 1903; Brit. Musical Biog.; Grove's Dict. of Music; Love's Scottish Church Music; personal knowledge.]