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Thomas Attwood Walmisley (1814–1856), now remembered almost exclusively for a single church service, "Walmisley in D minor", was one of a number of ill-fated young prodigies who were expected to develop into "the English Mozart". From an early age he was taught composition by his godfather Thomas Attwood, a favourite composition pupil of Mozart in Vienna, thus making him a pupil at one remove from Mozart himself. Walmisley became a church organist at 16, took over as organist of both Trinity College and St John’s College, Cambridge at 19, and, astonishingly, became Professor of Music in 1836 when he was only 22 and still an undergraduate. He showed great enterprise in his professorial role and did much to foster the musical life of the University. His compositions include a symphony, two organ concertos, two overtures, chamber and instrumental pieces, including three string quartets and various piano and organ works, plus a significant corpus of vocal music, both sacred and secular. Almost all his works remained unpublished at the time of his death.
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