HIMMEL, Frederick Henry (1765-1814), a German composer of mark, was born November 20, 1765, at Treuenbrietzen in Brandenburg, Prussia, and originally studied theology at Halle. During a temporary stay at Potsdam he had an opportunity of showing his self-acquired skill as a pianist before King Frederick William II., w ho thereupon made him a yearly allowance in order to enable him to complete his musical studies. This he did under Naumann, a German composer of the Italian school, and the style of that school Himmel himself adopted in his serious operas. The first of these, a pastoral opera II Primo Navigatore, was produced at Venice in 1794 with great success. After his return to Berlin in 1795 Himmel became court chapel master to the king of Prussia, and in that capacity wrote a great deal of official music, such as cantatas, a coronation Te Deum, and the like, now justly forgotten. The same fate is shared by his Italian operas, successively composed for Stockholm, St Petersburg, and Berlin, and all received with great applause in their day. Infinitely more important than these is an operetta to German words called Fanchon, the popularity of which has seldom been surpassed. Although antiquated it still remains an admirable specimen of the primitive form of the musical drama known in Germany as the “Singspiel.” Himmel’s gift of writing genuine simple melody, to which the operetta owed its success, is also observable in his songs, amongst which one called “To Alexis” is the best. It may be found in the first volume of the Musical Library. Himmel died at Berlin, June 8, 1814.