Samuel Prowse Warren was an organist and composer.
Background
Samuel Prowse Warren was born in Montreal, Canada, the son of Samuel Russell and Harriet Proud (Staynor) Warren. He was eighth in descent from Richard Warren, the London merchant who came to America on the Mayflower. His father, a native of Rhode Island, became an organ-builder, worked with Thomas Appleton of Boston, and eventually established his own busines in Montreal. Playing among the awesome rows of organ pipes in his father's shop as a child, Samuel developed an ambition to make those pipes sound.
Education
He was given piano lessons and at the age of eleven was deemed sufficiently prepared to study the organ. He proved an apt scholar and at twelve made his first public appearance in recital at St. Stephen's Chapel in Montreal. He became organist at the American Presbyterian Church and officiated regularly for eight years. Upon the completion of his academic studies, he went abroad to continue the study of music. He remained in Berlin four years, 1861-64, studying privately with the celebrated organist, Carl August Haupt. Gustav Schumann was his master in piano; Paul Wieprecht, in theory and instrumentation.
Career
He returned to Montreal but chose New York City as the field of his professional activity. He gave his first public recital there in January 1866 and in April was appointed organist of All Souls Unitarian Church, serving until April 1868. He officiated at Grace Episcopal Church, 1868-74, and at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, 1874-76. He returned to Grace Church, 1876-94, and from 1895 to 1915, presided over the organ at the First Presbyterian Church, East Orange, N. J. His ripe scholarship is evidenced in his editions of the organ works of Mendelssohn, Guilmant, and Lemens, no less than in his transcriptions for organ of great symphonic works. Several charming songs reveal his poetic gift. Ever intent upon advancing the cause of true musicianship, he participated in the organization in 1896 of the American Guild of Organists, and in 1902 became honorary president of the Guild. He served as a trustee of the American College of Musicians and was a member of the council of the Boston Conservatory of Music. His scholarly interests were reflected in his valuable library of musical literature, one of the finest of American private collections. With a truly bibliophilic ardor, he gathered original manuscripts, rare books, the published works of the great masters, and the representative extant biographical, historical, and theoretical literature of music.
Achievements
The twenty-four years he served at Grace Church were the most fruitful of his career; his masterly series of more than two hundred and thirty recitals proved him to be one of the great organists of the period. His impeccable musicianship was reflected in the liturgical singing of the splendid chorus choir at Grace Church and in the fine choral work of the New York Vocal Union, which he conducted for eight seasons, 1880-88.
Personality
Great personal charm, a self-effacing modesty, great mental capacity, and a truly romantic idealism were Warren's outstanding characteristics. He was a superb teacher and a composer with uncompromising standards. His choral settings for the Episcopal service are of high merit.
Connections
He was married to Emily Augusta Millard, in Montreal, on January 16, 1867. Mrs. Jeanne Josephine Croker became his wife in 1908. By neither marriage had he any children.
