Introduction

Biography

Walter was the son of Sam­uel Tho­mas Gil­bert.

He stu­died mu­sic at Exe­ter Ca­thed­ral and un­der Al­fred Angel, Sam­uel Wes­ley and Hen­ry R. Bi­shop. He at­tend­ed New Col­lege, Ox­ford (BMus 1854, DMus 1888) and the Uni­ver­si­ty of To­ro­nto, Ca­na­da (DMus 1888).

He served as or­gan­ist in De­von at Top­sham (1847) and Bide­ford (1849); in Kent at Ton­bridge (1854); the Old Col­le­gi­ate Church, Maid­stone (1859); and Lee (1866); Bos­ton, Lin­coln­shire (1868); and Tri­ni­ty Cha­pel, New York Ci­ty (1869–97).

He taught at Ton­bridge School, and helped found the Col­lege of Or­gan­ists.

Works

He wrote a num­ber of mo­no­graphs, in­clud­ing An­ti­qui­ties of Maid­stone.

At age 17, he com­posed a Ca­thed­ral Ser­vice. He con­tin­ued to write church mu­sic, pro­duc­ing se­rvic­es, or­a­to­ri­os (in­clud­ing The Re­sto­ra­tion of Is­ra­el and St. John, 1857), or­gan works, and an­thems.

He also helped com­pile the Hym­nal and Can­ti­cles of the Pro­test­ant Epis­co­pal Church, with Alf­red Good­rich (New York: E. P. Dut­ton, 1883).