CURWEN, JOHN (1816-1880), English Nonconformist minister and founder of the tonic sol-fa system of musical teach ing, was born at Heckmondwike, Yorkshire, of an old Cumberland family, and died at Manchester on May 26, 1880. His father was a Nonconformist minister, and he himself adopted this calling, which he practised until 1864, when he gave it up in order to devote himself to his new method of musical nomenclature, de signed to avoid the use of the stave with its lines and spaces. He adapted it from that of Miss Sarah Ann Glover of Norwich, whose sol-fa system was based on the ancient gamut. Curwen was led to feel the importance of a simple way of teach ing how to sing by note by his experiences among Sunday-school teachers. Apart from Miss Glover, the same idea had been elaborated in France since J. J. Rousseau's time, by Pierre Galin (1786-1821), Aime Paris (1798-1866) and Emile Cheve (1804 1864), whose method of teaching how to read at sight also de pended on the principle of "tonic relationship" being inculcated by the reference of every sound to its tonic, by the use of a numeral notation. Curwen brought out his Grammar of Vocal Music in 1843, and in 1853 started the Tonic Sol-Fa Association; in 1879, the Tonic Sol-Fa college was opened. Curwen also took to publishing, and brought out a periodical called the Tonic Sol Fa Reporter, and in his later life was occupied in directing the spreading organization of his system. His son, JOHN SPENCER CURWEN (1847-1916), who became principal of the Tonic Sol-Fa college, continued with great energy the promulgation and pop ularization of the Sol-Fa gospel, with the able co-operation of his wife, whose numerous teaching works are deservedly held in high repute.