she was born in oxford street, london, on 10 june 1818, the fourth daughter of vincent novello and mary sabilla hehl. mary victoria cowden clarke was her eldest sister. clara was taken in childhood to york, and was placed under miss hill, the leading singer, and john robinson, organist of the roman catholic chapel there. her talents were at once displayed; and on easter sunday, when miss hill was suddenly indisposed, clara offered to sing all her solos from memory, and succeeded. in 1829, she became a pupil of the institution royale de musique classique et religieuse in paris. she always retained the strongest appreciation of her training there; palestrina's music was much sung, and clara ascribed her perfect sostenuto to having sung in his motets, and being obliged to hold the suspensions.