Philip Cipriani Hambly Potter was an English musician and composer.
Background
Philip Cipriani Hambly Potter was born on October 3, 1792, to a musical family. He was the third son of the seven children of Richard Huddleston Potter (1755–1821), a flautist, violinist, and teacher, and his wife, Charlotte, née Baumgarten (1757–1837).
Education
He was educated for the musical profession under Attwood, Callcott, Crotch and Woelfl, later at Vienna, where he received encouragement from Beethoven.
Career
In 1816 an overture by him was performed at a Philharmonic concert, and he began a distinguished career as a pianist.
In 1817 Potter travelled to Vienna, where he stayed for eight months, before moving on to other cities in Austria and Germany and then going to Italy. In Vienna, Potter met Beethoven, who approved of him, but declined to teach him composition, advising him to study with Aloys Förster. Beethoven nevertheless read some of Potter's compositions and gave him his comments. Potter later published an article, "Recollections of Beethoven" in Musical World, making clear his great admiration and affection.
During his time in Italy, Potter developed an admiration of Italian opera, and particularly the works of Rossini. Twelve years later he wrote Variazioni di bravura on a theme by Rossini, using a melody from Matilde di Shabran.
Returning to England in 1819, Potter became a central figure in London concert life as both a pianist and conductor. He regularly programmed the piano concertos of Mozart, which were scarcely known in London: there had been only six performances of a Mozart piano concerto there before Potter's return. He gave regular performances of at least nine of them. He also gave the English premieres of Beethoven's Third and Fourth piano concertos.
In 1822, Potter began teaching at the newly founded Royal Academy of Music, first piano and later conducting the orchestra. In 1832 he became principal, holding the post for 27 years, a tenure surpassed in length only by that of Alexander Mackenzie. His students included William Sterndale Bennett and Joseph Barnby. As he focused more on his educational work and preparing editions of Mozart and Beethoven keyboard music, he composed less and less often. There are few works written after 1837.