William Spark (28 October 1823 - 16 June 1897) was an English musician, writer, composer and organist based in Leeds.
Spark was born in Exeter on 28 October 1823 and died in Leeds on 16 June 1897. [1] He was a chorister at Exeter Cathedral and studied with the composer Samuel Sebastian Wesley in his home town of Exeter in 1840 and moved with him to Leeds in 1842. [2]
Spark's first post was as deputy organist to Wesley at Leeds Parish Church in 1842. He then worked as organist and choirmaster at Chapeltown Church.
In 1850 Spark was appointed organist to St George's Church. In 1859 he helped to design the organ for Leeds Town Hall together with Henry Smart. [2] The following year he was appointed Leeds Municipal Organist and held the post until his death in 1897. [2]
He was a major contributor to the musical life of 19th century Leeds. He founded the Leeds Madrigal and Motet Society and the Leeds Recreation Society. The latter organised People's Concerts in the Albion Street Music Hall from 1852-1859. From 1864 he helped to organise orchestral subscription concerts at Leeds Town Hall and was a key organiser of the Leeds Triennial Musical Festivals. [3]
Spark was a Freemason and member of the Lodge of Fidelity No.289, Leeds and was for many years their Organist.
In 1851 Spark wrote a Lecture on Church Music, More Particularly the Choral Service of the Church of England as Applied to Parochial Worship. [4]
In 1869 he began publishing the Organist’s Quarterly Journal to showcase new organ compositions by English and continental composers. [1]
In 1888 he published a collection of his writings and reminiscences under the title Musical Memories, including portraits of the conductor Sir Michael Costa, composer Felix Mendelssohn and soprano Adelina Patti. [5]
A further book Musical Reminiscences: Past and Present was published in 1892. [6]
Easy Voluntary in G major [7]
Gavotte in D Major [7]
Grand March composed by in celebration of Leeds being made a City, 1893 [8]
Immanuel (oratorio) 1887-1889 [9]
Introduction & Fughetto in E flat [7]
Minuet in A Minor [7]
The Worthy Mason
The Ancient Vesper Hymn 'Theme, variations and fugue' [1]
William Southcombe Lloyd Webber was an English organist and composer, who achieved some fame as a part of the modern classical music movement whilst commercially facing mixed opportunities. Besides his long and prestigious career, composing works ranging from choral pieces to instrumental items and more, he is known for being the father of both fellow composer Andrew Lloyd Webber and virtuoso cellist Julian Lloyd Webber. He also notably served as a teacher, instructing pupils on music theory at the Royal College of Music for many years until his death in 1982.
William Crotch was an English composer and organist. According to the British musicologist Nicholas Temperley, Crotch was "a child prodigy without parallel in the history of music", and was certainly the most distinguished English musician in his day.
Samuel Sebastian Wesley was an English organist and composer. Wesley married Mary Anne Merewether and had 6 children. He is often referred to as S.S. Wesley to avoid confusion with his father Samuel Wesley.
Samuel Wesley was an English organist and composer in the late Georgian period. Wesley was a contemporary of Mozart (1756–1791) and was called by some "the English Mozart".
Henry Thomas Smart was an English organist and composer.
Sir Edward Cuthbert Bairstow was an English organist and composer in the Anglican church music tradition.
The Royal College of Organists (RCO) is a charity and membership organisation based in the United Kingdom, with members worldwide. Its role is to promote and advance organ playing and choral music, and it offers music education, training and development, and professional support for organists and choral directors.
John Travers was an English composer who held the office of Organist to the Chapel Royal from 1737 to 1758. Before filling several parochial posts in London he had been a choir boy at St. George's Chapel, Windsor, and a pupil of Johann Christoph Pepusch.
Sir John Frederick Bridge was an English organist, composer, teacher and writer.
Alan Gray was an English organist and composer.
Leeds Minster, also known as the Minster and Parish Church of Saint Peter-at-Leeds is the minster church of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It stands on the site of the oldest church in the city and is of architectural and liturgical significance. A church is recorded on the site as early as the 7th century, although the present structure is a Gothic Revival one, designed by Robert Dennis Chantrell and completed in 1841. It is dedicated to Saint Peter and was the Parish Church of Leeds before receiving the honorific title of "Minster" in 2012. It has been designated a Grade I listed building by Historic England.
Philip Hayes was an English composer, organist, singer and conductor.
The Choir of Leeds Minster is the choir of Leeds Minster, Leeds, England, which became a Minster in September 2012. The choir was founded by vicar, Richard Fawcett probably as early as 1815, and was certainly in existence by 1818. The church's choir - boys and men - was, from its origins, a charge on the church rate; and, in what was then a largely non-conformist town, a none-too-popular one. By the 1830s, the choir's resourcing had been taken over by a list of voluntary subscribers. On arrival as Vicar of Leeds in 1837, Walter Farquhar Hook said he found "the surplices in rags and the books in tatters". Additional to its extensive commitment in the provision of choral services, the choir is known to a wide public through many recitals, recordings and broadcasts and by its regular choir tours - the first tour was held in July 1968 and the 40th anniversary tour, from 22 to 27 July 2008, included singing in Ely Cathedral, King's College, Cambridge, the National Musicians' Church St Sepulchre-without-Newgate in the City of London, All Saints Pastoral Centre London Colney and the Chapel of the Royal Hospital Chelsea.
Alfred Melville Cook was a British organist, conductor, composer and teacher.
John Naylor was a composer and organist of York Minster from 1883- 1897.
Charles Swinnerton Heap was an English organist, pianist, composer and conductor.
Sir Robert Prescott Stewart was an Irish composer, organist, conductor, and teacher – one of the most influential (classical) musicians in 19th-century Ireland.
George Benjamin Arnold (1832–1902) was an English organist and musical composer.
George Frederick Perry was a British violinist and organist, and composer of operas and oratorios. He was musical director of the Haymarket Theatre, and later was leader of the orchestra of the Sacred Harmonic Society.