Frederick Augustus Packer

Summary

Frederick Augustus Packer (1839–1902) was an Australian composer of Anglican spiritual and romantic music.[1] He was born in Reading, Berkshire, of a musical family. His parents, Frederick Alexander Packer and Augusta Packer (née Gow), both members of the Royal Academy of Music in London, arrived with their family in Hobart in 1852 to take up the position of organist at St David's Cathedral in Davey Street.[2][3] He worked as a postal telegraph operator,[4] parliamentary civil servant, organist and music teacher,[5] notably of Amy Sherwin.[6] He died after some years in Sydney [2] He was a nephew of composer Charles Sandys Packer[7] and an uncle to media mogul R. C. Packer.[1]

Frederick Augustus Packer

Works edit

  • 1800s For the old love's sake[8]
  • 1879 Under The Snow
  • 1880 Listening
  • Is my lover on the sea
  • The Garrison polka
  • Violette : I dream of thee
  • Nearer to Thee (hymn 114)
  • Withered (sunshine through rain) song
  • 1890 Susie Bell[9]

Recordings edit

  • 2011 Songs of Fred Packer by Kerry Garland [10]
  • 2015 When the Yellow Wattle Was in Bloom[11]
  • 2016 Three pieces of Frederick A. Packer: Sion Reade concert band[12]

References edit

  1. ^ a b Wettenhall, R. L. "Packer, Frederick Augustus (1839–1902)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University – via Australian Dictionary of Biography.
  2. ^ a b "Death of Mr F. A. Packer". Daily Telegraph. Vol. XXII, no. 183. Tasmania, Australia. 4 August 1902. p. 3. Retrieved 13 November 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. ^ "Frederic A. Packer, an Australian Composer". Illustrated Sydney News. Vol. XXIX, no. 3. New South Wales, Australia. 30 January 1892. p. 6. Retrieved 13 November 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. ^ "F. A. Packer, House of Assembly, Hobart (1839–1902)". www.auspostalhistory.com. 4 April 2023.
  5. ^ "Trove".
  6. ^ Barbara Mackenzie; Findlay Mackenzie (1967). Singers of Australia. Lansdowne. p. 69.
  7. ^ Henshaw, Warwick Bardon. "Biographical Dictionary of the Organ - Frederick Augustus Packer". www.organ-biography.info.
  8. ^ Packer, F. A. (14 September 2017). "For the old love's sake". Hobart : J. Walch & Sons – via Trove.
  9. ^ Packer, F. A. (Frederick Augustus), Susie Bell [music] : a Man O'Wars song in answer to Nancy Lee / words and music by F.A. Packer, Walch and Sons
  10. ^ "Songs of Frederick Augustus Gow Packer".
  11. ^ "When the yellow wattle was in bloom by Frederick Augustus Packer : Work : Australian Music Centre". www.australianmusiccentre.com.au.
  12. ^ "Three pieces of Frederick A. Packer : concert band by Frederick Alexander Packer, Frederick Augustus Packer and Simon Reade : Work : Australian Music Centre". www.australianmusiccentre.com.au.