Sir Edward German (1862 - 1936) was born in Shropshire, England. He studied the piano, organ and violin at the Royal Academy of Music in London, then embarked on a career as an orchestral player and conductor.
His compositions did not become known until 1892 when he wrote the incidental music to the play Henry VIII, a dance from which is available for listening here on Musical Discovery. He also wrote incidental music for Nell Gwyn. After Arthur Sullivan died he completed a partly finished Gilbert and Sullivan operetta The Emerald isle. He went on to write two more operettas of his own in the G & S tradition, namely Merrie England and Tom Jones. Merrie England in particular is spectacularly full of great melodies, and it doesn't deserve the neglect it is currently accorded.