Philip Klitz (7 January 1805 – 12 January 1854) was a British-born composer.

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Klitz was born at Lymington, Hampshire. His father, George Philip Klitz, drum-major of the royal Flintshire militia, and musical composer, was born at Biebrich, Germany, in 1777, and died at Lymington in 1839. In 1801 he married Elizabeth Lane of Boldre (1775–1838), with whom he had a large family of six sons who became well known musicians:

• Philip.
• William, organist of St. Michael's Church, Basingstoke, died 31 May 1857.
• Charles, organist of St. Thomas's Church, Lymington, died 16 February 1864.
• James Frederick, died at Northampton 2 October 1870.
• Robert John (1815-1899)
• John Henry, died 6 December 1880, who by will founded the Widow and Orphans British and Foreign Musical Society.

Philip, the eldest, early became a composer of ball-room music. About 1829, he took up his residence at Southampton, where, besides classical music, he produced a variety of ballads of which the words were frequently his own. He was a master at the violin and pianoforte, and in 1831 he conducted Paganini's performance in Southampton. His lectures on music, given in literary institutions and other places, were always well attended and his advocacy of the Hullah system (see John Pyke Hullah) met with much success.

He was the first organist of St. Lawrence and St Joseph Church, Southampton, and from 1845 to his death of All Saints' Church. Songs of the Mid-watch, the poetry of Captain Willes Johnson, and the music created for and dedicated to the British Navy were published by him in 1838. The admiralty ordered the reprinting of these six songs, which were included in a book named "Songs of Charles Dibdin, arranged by T. Dibdin," 1850, pp. 315–20. Aside from his compositions for the piano, he wrote a book in 1850 called "Sketches of Life, Character, and Scenery in the New Forest: a series of Tales, Rural, Domestic, Legendary, and Humorous" as well as other musical compositions. He supported the fraternity, and his song "Faith, Hope, and Charity" is still played before events hosted by Hampshire lodges. He was one of the first persons to write songs for the concerts of Ethiopian serenaders. “Miss Ginger” and “Dinah Dear”, both in 1847, became very popular ditties.

He died at 24 Portland Place, Southampton. His wife was Charlotte Lyte, a half-sister of Henry Francis Lyte. His son, George Klitz, was also a voluminous musical composer.

References

Attribution

•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: "Klitz, Philip". Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.