Henry Dennis
Encyclopedia
Henry Dennis was a nineteenth century hymnist, who earned worldwide fame for his hymn tune, 'Euphony'.
A Leicestershire
farmer, Dennis composed fifty-four anthems and six hymn tunes. Born at Ticknall
in Derbyshire
, Dennis is said to have entered the choir of the local Baptist
Chapel at such an early age that he had to stand on the seat of his pew during the singing so as to allow the sound of his voice to be heard. The young Dennis also became a skilled violinist.
The melody of his most celebrated work, Euphony, is said to have come to him during a cricket match in 1843 and was first published in 1850, in a magazine called, The Soul's Welfare as a tune to 'Sweet is the work, my God, my King'. It was originally called 'Euphonia', the name later being shortened to 'Euphony' by the composer himself. The tune quickly became popular around the country and later reached such distant places as India, South Africa and the Antipodes. Dr William Morley Punshon
- a celebrated Wesleyan evangelist of the time - once said that if there was any tune he would like to sing in heaven, it would be Euphony
Dennis spent the last forty years of his life living in Hugglescote
, Leicestershire
, on an ancestral farm which had been in his maternal family's possession for over two hundred years. He became a prominent member of the Baptist
community there and wrote a number of tunes and other pieces which were published by Novello & Co, and which had a large sale.
His marble tombstone can be found in the old Baptist
cemetery off Grange Road, Hugglescote
, which is carved with a violin and an open scroll, on which are engraved the first two lines of Euphony.
Dennis Street in Hugglescote is so-named in his honour.
A grandson of Henry Dennis was Frederick Herbert Wood Mus.Doc, who was organist of Blackpool
Parish Church from 1918 until 1963.
A Leicestershire
Leicestershire
Leicestershire is a landlocked county in the English Midlands. It takes its name from the heavily populated City of Leicester, traditionally its administrative centre, although the City of Leicester unitary authority is today administered separately from the rest of Leicestershire...
farmer, Dennis composed fifty-four anthems and six hymn tunes. Born at Ticknall
Ticknall
Ticknall is a small village and civil parish in South Derbyshire, England. Situated on the A514 road, close to Melbourne, it has three pubs, several small businesses, and a primary school. Two hundred years ago it was considerably larger and noisier with lime quarries, tramways and potteries. Coal...
in Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
, Dennis is said to have entered the choir of the local Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
Chapel at such an early age that he had to stand on the seat of his pew during the singing so as to allow the sound of his voice to be heard. The young Dennis also became a skilled violinist.
The melody of his most celebrated work, Euphony, is said to have come to him during a cricket match in 1843 and was first published in 1850, in a magazine called, The Soul's Welfare as a tune to 'Sweet is the work, my God, my King'. It was originally called 'Euphonia', the name later being shortened to 'Euphony' by the composer himself. The tune quickly became popular around the country and later reached such distant places as India, South Africa and the Antipodes. Dr William Morley Punshon
William Morley Punshon
William Morley Punshon was an English Nonconformist divine].He was born at Doncaster, Yorkshire, was educated in his native town, and, after spending a few years in business, at the Wesleyan College, Richmond. In 1845 he received his first appointment, at Marden, Kent, and soon became famous as a...
- a celebrated Wesleyan evangelist of the time - once said that if there was any tune he would like to sing in heaven, it would be Euphony
Dennis spent the last forty years of his life living in Hugglescote
Hugglescote
Hugglescote is a village in North West Leicestershire, England. It formerly formed a civil parish with the adjacent settlement of Donington le Heath, though this was dissolved in 1936, when the area joined the urban district of Coalville...
, Leicestershire
Leicestershire
Leicestershire is a landlocked county in the English Midlands. It takes its name from the heavily populated City of Leicester, traditionally its administrative centre, although the City of Leicester unitary authority is today administered separately from the rest of Leicestershire...
, on an ancestral farm which had been in his maternal family's possession for over two hundred years. He became a prominent member of the Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
community there and wrote a number of tunes and other pieces which were published by Novello & Co, and which had a large sale.
His marble tombstone can be found in the old Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
cemetery off Grange Road, Hugglescote
Hugglescote
Hugglescote is a village in North West Leicestershire, England. It formerly formed a civil parish with the adjacent settlement of Donington le Heath, though this was dissolved in 1936, when the area joined the urban district of Coalville...
, which is carved with a violin and an open scroll, on which are engraved the first two lines of Euphony.
Dennis Street in Hugglescote is so-named in his honour.
A grandson of Henry Dennis was Frederick Herbert Wood Mus.Doc, who was organist of Blackpool
Blackpool
Blackpool is a borough, seaside town, and unitary authority area of Lancashire, in North West England. It is situated along England's west coast by the Irish Sea, between the Ribble and Wyre estuaries, northwest of Preston, north of Liverpool, and northwest of Manchester...
Parish Church from 1918 until 1963.