Background
Horsley was born on the 18th of November, 1774 in London, England.
Horsley was born on the 18th of November, 1774 in London, England.
In 1790 Horsley became the pupil of Theodore Smith, an indifferent musician of the time, who, however, taught him sufficiently well.
Horsley obtained the position of organist at Ely Chapel, Holborn, in 1794. He resigned this post in 1798 to become the organist at the Asylum for Female Orphans as well as the assistant to John Wall Callcott, with whom he had long been on terms of personal and artistic intimacy, and whose eldest daughter, Elizabeth Hutchins Callcott, he married. In 1802 he became his friend's successor upon the latter's resignation. Besides holding this appointment he became the organist of Belgrave Chapel, Halkin Street, in 1812 and of the Charter House in 1838. Horsley was one of the founders of the Philharmonic Society of London, which became the Royal Philharmonic Society. He died on the 12th of June 1858. His glees include "By Celia's Arbour, " "O, Nightingale, " and "Now the storm begins to lower", and his hymn tunes Horsley usually set to There is a green hill far away.