The cathedrals of England have a long history of liturgical music, often played on or accompanied by the organ. The role of the cathedral organist is a salaried appointment, the organist often also serving as choirmaster. There is often also an assistant organist and an organ scholar.
1870–1882 Thomas S. Hayward (previously organist of St Peter's Collegiate Church Wolverhampton, afterwards organist of Wesleyan Chapel, Mornington Road, Southport[1])
Until 1801, there were two distinct posts, 'Organist' and 'Master of the Choristers', which were merged upon the appointment of James Target. Since the mid-nineteenth century, there has existed the role of Assistant Organist. Currently, the 'Organist and Master of the Choristers' is responsible for the direction of the choir and cathedral liturgy, and the 'Assistant Organist' accompanies the choir.
The sacking of Chichester Cathedral in December 1642 caused all cathedral services to be suspended. They were not resumed until the restoration of the monarchy in 1661. The choir was re-formed in the same year, but the appointment of a new organist did not occur until 1668.
The known organists of the cathedral are listed below. In modern times, the most senior post has become known as Director of Music; only these names are recorded here.
Paul Morley-April -July 1994 (Acting Master of the Choristers) Who became Director of Music (St James the Greater, Leicester) 2002-2006,now Director of Leicester Church Music Consort (LCMC) 2005 to present, formerly Organist of Leicester Church Music Consort (LCMC) 1984- 2005
Geoffrey Malcolm Herbert Carter 1973 (subsequently organist of St Mary's Church, Humberstone)
David Cowen 1995 (now Organist of Leicester Cathedral)
Simon Headley 1999–2018 (also Acting Director of Music in the Autumn of 2010 between the departure of Jonathan Gregory and the appointment of current Director of Music, Christopher Ouvry-Johns)
From 2003 the post was divided: Colin Walsh became Organist Laureate and Aric Prentice was appointed Director of Music.
Director of Music
2003 Aric Prentice
Assistant Organists
Articled pupils fulfilled the role of assistant organist until 1893 when the Chapter formalised the position of assistant organist.
????–1594 John Hilton
1857–1858 William James Young (brother of the organist) (later organist of St. Mary's Church, Horncastle, then St. Bartholomew's Church, Wilmslow, Cheshire)
In 2007 the posts of Organist and Director of Music were separated, the Sub-Organist post being re-titled Organist & Assistant Director of Music in September 2008.
In 2007 the posts of Organist and Director of Music were separated, the Assistant Sub-Organist post being re-titled Sub-Organist in April 2008 to reflect the increased demands and prominence of the role.
Sub-Organists
2008–2014 Timothy Wakerell (subsequently Assistant Organist New College, Oxford)
At Southwell Minster, the term Rector Chori is used rather than Director of Music, or Master of the Choristers. It literally means Ruler of the Choir, and is an historic title.
The Diocese of Truro was established in 1876 and Truro Cathedral was consecrated in 1887. The parish church of St Mary the Virgin occupied the site before the cathedral was built, and had an organ: its organists included Charles William Hempel and his son Charles Frederick Hempel.
The first record of an organ at Wells Cathedral dates from 1310, with a smaller organ, probably for the Lady Chapel, being installed in 1415. In 1620 a new organ, built by Thomas Dallam, was installed at a cost of £398 1s 5d, however this was destroyed by parliamentary soldiers in 1643 and another new organ was built in 1662,[104] which was enlarged in 1786,[105] and again rebuilt in 1855, a substantial early work of 'Father' Henry Willis.[106] In 1909–1910 a new organ was built by Harrison & Harrison with the best parts of the old organ retained (approximately one-third of the stops being by Willis),[107] and this has been maintained by the same company since.[108]
Organists were formerly titled "Organist and Master of the Choristers" then, briefly, "Organist and Master of the Music" and now "Organist and Director of Music"
1975–1985 James Lancelot (later Organist and Master of the Choristers at Durham Cathedral, also Lay Canon and now Lay Canon Organist Emeritus there also, from September 2018, Interim Director of Music at Worcester Cathedral)
The organists of York Minster have had several official titles, including "Master of the Music"; the job description roughly equates to that of Organist and Master of the Choristers. They will have an Assistant Organist, who may be titled simply "Organist". The names of Organists prior to 1633 have been copied from the list of Organists of York Minster on the wall of the North Transept.
1 2 The sacking of the cathedral in December 1642 caused all cathedral services to be suspended. They were not resumed until the restoration of the monarchy in 1661. The choir was re-formed in the same year, but the appointment of a new organist did not occur until 1668
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↑ Scholes, Percy A. (1970) The Oxford Companion to Music, 10th ed. London: Oxford U. P.; p. 468a (he destroyed some of his own anthems, but those that survive are still sung).
↑ Scholes, Percy A. (1970) The Oxford Companion to Music, 10th ed. London: Oxford U. P.; p. 123b.
↑ He composed the service Farrant in D minor. Scholes, Percy A. (1970) The Oxford Companion to Music; 10th ed. London: Oxford University Press; p. 347.
1 2 3 Who's who in Music. Fourth Edition. 1962. p. 44.
↑ The Western Times, 6 July 1861, p. 5; Sherborne Mercury, 29 March 1864, p. 4; The Exeter and Plymouth Gazette, 1 September 1865, p. 7; Trewman’s Exeter Flying Post, 9 September 1868, p. 5.
↑ Thornsby, Frederick W., ed. (1912) Dictionary of Organs and Organists. Bournemouth: Logan; p. 252.
↑ "New Director of Music Announced". Gloucester Cathedral website. Dean and Chapter of Gloucester Cathedral. 8 May 2007. Archived from the original on 23 September 2007. Retrieved 11 October 2007.
1 2 3 Kroeger, Karl (Summer 2008). "Leicester's Lady Organists, 1770–1800"(PDF). CHOMBEC News (5). Bristol: Centre for the History of Music in Britain, the Empire and the Commonwealth: 9–10.
↑ Kroeger, Karl (2001). "Valentine, John". In Sadie, Stanley (ed.). New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. Vol.26. London: Macmillan. pp.207–8. ISBN0-333-60800-3.
↑ Organist of Ely Cathedral, 1567–72; he composed the service Farrant in D minor. Scholes, Percy A. (1970) The Oxford Companion to Music; 10th ed. London: Oxford University Press; p. 347.
↑ "Mr. E.P. Oxley". Birmingham Daily Gazette. England. 1 December 1956. Retrieved 6 November 2023.
↑ Shaw, Watkins, "The Succession of Organists", p. 153
↑ Dictionary of organs and organists. Second Edition, 1921. p.436
↑ Dictionary of organs and organists. First Edition. 1912. p. 340.
↑ Dictionary of organs and organists. Second Edition, 1921. p.379 (The entry merely states "trained Winchester Cathedral" and there is no indication of any formal appointment)
↑ Dictionary of organs and organists. Second Edition, 1921. p.336 (The entry states "Hon. Asst-Org. and Music Master to Choristers")
↑ Dictionary of organs and organists. Second Edition, 1921. p.393 (The entry implies a short tenure, but it is not apparent whether jointly with H R Eady, above)
↑ Dictionary of organs and organists. Second Edition, 1921. p.400
↑ Who's who in Music. Fourth Edition. 1962. p. 204.
↑ Dictionary of organs and organists. Second Edition, 1921. p.308
↑ Dictionary of organs and organists. Second Edition, 1921. p.415
↑ Clement McWilliam's tenure briefly overlapped that of Graham Hedley Matthews, above, but it is not currently known whether there was any formal joint appointment as Assistant Organist.
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