CHRISTOPHER RATHBONE - Composer
- Organ recitalist and accompanist
- Conductor and Choir-trainer
- Pianist and harpsichordist
ENGAGEMENTS
Christopher, as Director of Music at St Margaret's Ilkley, plays the 4-manual Hill organ (1901) and directs the choir in a full programme of liturgical music every Sunday at 10.45 High Mass and at 18.30 Choral evensong. (Evening prayer is said during August.) Details can be found on the monthly Music Schedule, which is published on the St Margaret's website: www.stmargaretsilkley.org
Every month since 2010, except between April 2020 and May 2021 we have presented a monthly series of Organ Recitals on the first Friday of each month at 12.30. A virtual recital of Christopher's 'Stations of the Cross' replaced the April 2020 recital with visual accompaniment as recorded by Stewart Smith in March 2014 at St Margaret's: it is available on the Home page of this website. The October recital (on the 4th) I shall play two of Bach's greatest Preludes and fugues (in D and B minor) and in between the second book of Whitlock's Sketches on verses from the psalms. In November (Friday 8th) Christopher will play twentieth century French music by Langlais, Gigout, Mulet, Durufle Vierne and Alain, while the December recital (13th) will be a performance of Christopher's Scenes and Antiphons. January 5th in 2025 will be a rare performance of Couperin's Messe pour les Paroisses (1690). Watch this space for news of forth-coming programmes in the series of 'First Friday' recitals.
From 25.x.24 to 1 xi.24 Christopher will be away in Erfurt, in eastern Germany (Bach country) with a Diocesan Choir from Leeds Diocese (including 6 singers from St Margaret's) under his direction, partly as a celebration of the Luther 600 celebrations and including a concert to raise funds for the restoration of the Reglerkirche organ.
See the church website for full programme details of forthcoming recitals, and the Schedule of sung services : www.stmargaretsilkley.org
Music at St Margaret's - and Covid We concluded with Bruckner's Christus factus est at Evensong on Sunday 15th March 2020. It's good that we went out on a high! For months the vicar's family filmed a weekly service, we made baby steps from late August 2020 by using my new Mass for Cantor and organ, sung by John Brown and then Catherine Cheater, and as from Sunday 27th September we had five to eight singers each Sunday, beginning with the first live performance of the Missa Semplice also composed in 2020. Services continued (except in November) over the Advent and Christmas period, including two services of Christmas Lessons and Music, and finishing on January 3rd, when lockdown 3 began. At least most of the choir got a chance to sing one or two services, and Fr Philip Gray had a good musical send-off when he left his post as Vicar on Christmas Day. We kept going with projects for our 'Virtual Choir', and Geoff Cloke, who mixed the virtual choir projects eventually produced a CD of almost 30 pieces. Since a grand Easter service with the bishop we gradually resumed sung services, and since the arrival of Fr Alex Crawford in September 2021 we have a full programme of sung services, with more singers than ever. Other recent and forthcoming services: Watch out for our Come and Sing Evensong on November 17th (rehearse at 3 for a 5 pm service - tea in between) to sing Vaughan Williams in C and O Pray for the peace of Jerusalem by Howells. If you've always wanted to sing Choral Evensong this is your chance to join the wonderful St Margaret's Choir just for one afternoon!
Recordings Back in September 2019 the choir of St Margaret's recorded 33 minutes worth of music in 3 hours one Saturday afternoon: this made an attractive compilation CD along with some organ music, entitled 'God is gone up - music at St Margaret's Ilkley', still available. Thanks to Stewart Smith for his excellent recordings, and his superb production skills. Here is the programme: CBR: God is gone up op 74; Pie Jesu (from Requiem op 92, with Megan Fawcett and Leo Cloke); Variations on Was lebet op 109/iii; Missa Brevis op 126; Howells: St Louis comes to Clifton; Gjeilo: Ubi caritas; CBR: O Salutaris Hostia op 115; Variations on St Matthew op 142; Prayer of St Richard of Chichester op 138; Jerusalem my happy home (arr 2019); Prelude and fugue op 128; Wadeley: Peace I give unto you; Burgon: Nunc dimittis (Catherine Cheater, Geoff Cloke); CBR: God of New Beginnings op 118; Leighton: Toccata on 'Hanover'; CBR: Easter op 130. A new CD appeared after the pandemic lockdowns finally finished, entitled 'The lockdown recordings', put together by Geoff Cloke who masterminded the mixing of each track (about one a fortnight - there are 28 virtual choir items plus some carols sung by Cant&Dec.) Rathbone items include the Marlborough Mass Gloria, three movements from the new Missa Semplice op 146, Salve Regina, Nowel, Nowel! op 150, O Lord God, the 'Guiseley' hymn-anthem, and Faith, hope and charity op 154/iii. All the monthly organ recitals are also recorded by Dr Stewart Smith and issued on CDs. By now, this has included professional recordings of almost all my organ compositions to date. The recorded works are marked with an asterix (*) in the list of printed works below.
See below for other available CD recordings, available from the composer via rathbone.c@btinternet for a donation of £8 each. (Except those marked *)
There are a few copies of the Hyperion LP of Leighton's Organ Concerto, recorded in 1983, available from CBR; it is apparently also available on YouTube.
The three Amphion recordings of The Music of Christopher Rathbone are still available: vol 1 (2000) includes the Cello Sonata op 52, the organ Sonatina (later renamed Sonata no 1) op 64 and the Stations of the Cross op 77; vol 2 (2002) has the song cycle The Turning Year op 45, Scenes and Antiphons op 80, and variations op 91; vol 3 (2005) includes the Requiem op 92, Motet op 93, Pæan op 26, Miniature Suite op 39 and two sets of organ variations, op 95 & 96.
'The Chamber Music of Christopher Rathbone' is a Meridian CD. Recordings from 2012 by 'Daniel's Beard' with the composer (organ), recorded in the Cathedral of the Isles at Millport on Great Cumbrae, include the Terzetto op 55, Elegy op 56, Clarinet Quintet op 61, Bagatelles op 67, Organ Quartet op 100, Tarn Hows op 101, Daniel's Razor op 117 and Horn Quintet op 120 (the last two composed specially for 'Daniel's Beard').
A CD produced by Bradford Cathedral Choir in 2011 includes the original 2-part version of my Hymn to the Trinity from op 104.*
A CD was produced by Stewart Smith of Clematis Records in 2013 in aid of the Bradford Cathedral Organ Fund, of organ music by César Franck. The three Chorales and the Fantaisie in C are played by Christopher at St Margaret's and the Cathedral. Stewart also records nearly all of our recitals at St Margaret's, so there are 'private' recordings of most of Christopher's organ works, as well as much other repertoire available from Stewart (via CBR.) *
A CD (The Power of Music) features all the St Margaret's choirs, also recorded in 2013. It includes the church choir singing my own Nuptial Song op 105 of 2005 (with Nadine Wharton, cello) and God of New Beginnings op 118.
Paul Hale (until recenly Rector Chori at Southwell Minster) has recorded the Southwell Suite op 113 on a 2013 Oxrecs CD, having played the piece nationwide in recitals over anumber of years. The Organists' Review described the suite as 'varied and colourful', and the disc was also reviewed favourably by Gramophone (May 2014) and Cathedral Music (the journal of the Friends of Cathedral Music.) I still have a few copies of this disc available. PH recently played the Suite at the Scottish Federation of Organists' conference in Aberdeen, and a paragraph from the local critic, which was reproduced in the Organists' Review, read as follows: "The Hymn Tune 'Southwell' was used to fine effect here, embellished in many surprising and effective ways. The opening Fantasia was episodic, the Larghetto smoothly and continuously flowing, the Allegretto grazioso was light and splendidly playful, the Adagio was harmonically rich and the Toccata, with its short minor interlude, was absolutely splendid." I played the Suite in my May 2017 recital.
In 2017 a CD of Organ Music for Advent was produced by Stewart Smith of Clematis Records, mostly recorded at Christopher's live recitals at St Margaret's (over 79 minutes music!) and is still available at £10 - proceeds to the St Margaret's Music Fund. Included is the short prelude on Helmsley (op 109 no 2 and 5 short movements from Scenes and Antiphons op 80.
Stewart has put together the three 'instalments' of the Leighton Missa de Gloria from recitals in 2018, to make a complete recorded performance. He also produced a compilation CD of my performances of the 3 Hindemith sonatas. If anyone would like a copy of either, do contact me and I will try to persuade him to produce a few more copies. He has also produced a complete CD of the Whitlock sonata (c.45 minutes), compiled from the two 'episodes' recorded in October 2021 and January 2022.
Also accessible from this website is a recording of the Mass for Cantor sung by the composer accompanied by Anthony Gray.
TYPESET SCORES
In 2020, during lock-down, I produced a new Easter anthem, Christ our Passover, which the choir sang on Easter Eve 2024; a new a capella Missa semplice, and a Mass for Cantor and Organ. There's also a big Latin Christmas motet called Veni redemptor gentium op 155 as yet unperformed - any offers? Other new music includes 3 sets of Hymn-tune preludes, four little Pieces for violin and a suite of four pieces for piano op 159. Early in 2020 I made a transcription for organ of Bach's monumental Chaconne * (originally for solo violin) which was included in the recital on September 16th, also in 2020 an arrangement for SA + piano of O waly waly for the Draughton Singers. Since the start of 2021 I have written 5 hymn-anthems (op 152) on the Gibbons tune 'Dundee' and on my original hymn tunes, 'Mercy' (Blake's To Mercy, Pity, Truth and Love), and 'Guiseley' (Newman's Firmly I believe and truly), Southwell (Jerusalem my happy home, and O perfect love; and 3 settings of plainsong antiphons for Easter (Faith, hope and charity, If ye then be risen with Christ and The loving kindness of the Lord) op 154, and in the new year 2022 I have composed and typeset a 'Motet' setting St Ambrose's Latin hymn'Veni Redemptor gentium' op 155. Two pieces composed for Christmas Cards in 2022 & 2023 are A Child is born op 158 and Nativitie (Donne) op 160. I have also recently produced type-set scores of some early music for girls/trebles choir and organ, for a choir in Oregon, USA, namely, the three Girls choir anthems, Come down o love divine op 108 no 2, I will lift up mine eyes to the hills op 108 no 3 and O be joyful in the Lord op 108 no4; Preserve us O Lord, waking op 68, the first Evening service for trebles, op 42, and the 2nd evening service for trebles (for Leeds Parish Church boys) op 81; all are available, like most of Christopher's music other than titles published by Banks or BJM, in self-published editions (as pdf files), type-set by the composer on Sibelius 7.5. These include:
Organ music:
October Music op 20* Paean op 26* Miniature Suite op 39* Fantasia on 'The Old Bath Road' op 43* 'King Lear' fantasia op 51 (1990) Sonatina op 64* Toccata on 'Puer nobis' op 71* The Stations of the Cross op 77* Scenes and Antiphons for Advent op 80* Meanwood Suite op 83* Variations on 'Richmond' op 91* Variations on Dundee op 95* Variations on 'Angel voices' op 102* Seven Short Pieces op 107* Baker's dozen of hymn-based works op 109* 'Southwell' Suite op 113 (revised 2016)* Wantage Suite op 131* Prelude and fugue op 128* Passacaglia and fugue op 135* Fantasy for a dancing queen op 136* Two chorale preludes op 137 Variations on St Matthew op 142* Bach chaconne (arr. CBR)* Ten little hymn-tune preludes op 148 * Seven chorale preludes op 151 * Eleven hymn-tune preludes op 153* Moody Jazz Suite op 161* Six little variations on 'All my hope' op 162 *
* available in CD recordings
Vocal:
The setting of Sorley's 'East Kennett Church at Sunset' op 124 Song cycles: Bagpipe Music op 34 (T. and Clarinet); Palestine Songs op 97; 'The Turning Year' op 45 (16 songs) *; 'She' op 89; and Three Songs of C.S.Lewis op 88; Mass for Cantor and organ op 147;
Chamber music: (parts also available)
Horn sonata op 4; Cello sonata op 52*; Violin sonata op 54; Elegy op 56*; Bagatelles op 67 for cello and piano*; Clarinet Quintet op 61*; Clarinet Trio op 63 (Suite: Aire and Wharfe)*; Organ quartet op 100 (Organ, vn, va, vc)*; Tarn Hows op 101 (Vn, vc, org)*; Sextet 'Daniel's Razor' op 117 (Cl, hn, vn, va, vc, pi)*; Horn Quintet op 120 (hn, vn, 2 va, vc)*; Piano quartet op 122 (still unperformed); Andante cantabile for viola, cello & piano op125; Phrygian Suite for viola and piano op 129; Wind Quintet op 132 (awaiting a 1st performance); Berceuse op 134 (Two Trumpets, org.); Four little pieces for violin and piano op 149; Four little piano pieces op. 143; Piano suite op 157; Romanza, Scherzo, Elegy and Reverie op 159 * available on CD recordings
Choral music:
Carols: 'This endris night' * 'Blessed be that Lady Bright' op 82 an arrangement of the C.S.Lewis song 'The Nativity' (op 88 no 2) 'Easter' op 130* Incarnation op 140 (Nov 2018) A Child is born op 158 (2022 - 3) Nativitie op 160 (2023 - 4)
Services: Evening service for trebles op 42 (also the 'Short Service', which is the elaborated SATB version of it) Second service for trebles op 81 Missa semplice op 146 Mass for cantor and organ op 147* Magnificat and Nunc dimittis (Alternatim) op 156 [St Peter's and St Margaret's Evening Service and St Margaret's Missa Brevis as well as the Marlborough and Meanwood congregational masses are all published by BJM].
Anthems 'A New Commandment' op 18 (our wedding anthem in 1969) 'O lord God' (1988) 'The House of God' op 76 'Out of the Deep' op 79 Two Short Prayers op 133 (2016, Choristers' prayer; 'Music') 'Prayer of St Richard of Chichester' op. 138 (2017) * 'Bitter-sweet' and 'My joy, my life, my crown' (George Herbert, Feb. 2018, op 139 nos 1 and 2) A Prayer for a house of Prayer op 144 (2020) Christ our Passover op 145 Five Hymn-anthems op 152 (Jerusalem my happy home 2019, Dundee 2020, O Perfect Love May 2021, Mercy Jan 2021, Guiseley Feb 2021 - the last 2 based on my own tunes to hymns by Blake and Newman) Antiphon: Faith, hope and charity op 154 no 1, also 'If you then be risen' and 'The loving kindness of the Lord' (April 2021)* Veni Redemptor gentium op 155 (Jan 1 - 4, 2022) All of the anthems for girls choirs are now typeset: Come down o love divine, op 108 no 2; Psalm 121 op 108 no 3 and O be joyful op 108 no 4 (op 108 no 1 is the Hymn to the Trinity, from Banks in both versions).
Responses for unacc. ATB (2015) and the Short Evening Service (arranged 2017 from the first service for trebles op 42, 1979-81 - the original op 42 service is also now typeset). Also the St Mark Passion for soloists and 2-part choir (2018).
There is also an arrangement of 'Were you there...?' for SAT/B and piano/organ written for the choir of St John's Batheaston, plus arrangements for St Margaret's Choir (SATB/Org.) of Amazing grace, I vow to thee my country and Barbara Streisand's 'Evergreen'; also 'We three kings' (1998), 'Silent night', 'People look East', 'See amid the winter's snow', 'Cranbrook' ('While Shepherds watched'), O waly,waly. There is also a descant version for 'O for a thousand tongues' (Lyngham) with trumpet! Also a new arrangement of the organ accompaniments to Faure's Requiem! There are also about 50 Anglican chants, particularly suitable for evensong psalms (regularly performed at evensong at St Margaret's). Another recent addition is an arrangement for organ of Bach's Chaconne in D minor *, which runs to 19 pages of thrilling music.
All the above are type-set and available as pdf files from the composer, by return of e-mail. The e-mail address for orders is rathbone.cb@gmail.com
Last edited 20.v.24 - CBR
CHRISTOPHER RATHBONE - Composer
- Organ recitalist and accompanist
- Conductor and Choir-trainer
- Pianist and harpsichordist
ENGAGEMENTS
Christopher, as Director of Music at St Margaret's Ilkley, plays the 4-manual Hill organ (1901) and directs the choir in a full programme of liturgical music every Sunday at 10.45 High Mass and at 18.30 Choral evensong. (Evening prayer is said during August.) Details can be found on the monthly Music Schedule, which is published on the St Margaret's website: www.stmargaretsilkley.org
Every month since 2010, except between April 2020 and May 2021 we have presented a monthly series of Organ Recitals on the first Friday of each month at 12.30. A virtual recital of Christopher's 'Stations of the Cross' replaced the April 2020 recital with visual accompaniment as recorded by Stewart Smith in March 2014 at St Margaret's: it is available on the Home page of this website. The October recital (on the 4th) I shall play two of Bach's greatest Preludes and fugues (in D and B minor) and in between the second book of Whitlock's Sketches on verses from the psalms. In November (Friday 8th) Christopher will play twentieth century French music by Langlais, Gigout, Mulet, Durufle Vierne and Alain, while the December recital (13th) will be a performance of Christopher's Scenes and Antiphons. January 5th in 2025 will be a rare performance of Couperin's Messe pour les Paroisses (1690). Watch this space for news of forth-coming programmes in the series of 'First Friday' recitals.
From 25.x.24 to 1 xi.24 Christopher will be away in Erfurt, in eastern Germany (Bach country) with a Diocesan Choir from Leeds Diocese (including 6 singers from St Margaret's) under his direction, partly as a celebration of the Luther 600 celebrations and including a concert to raise funds for the restoration of the Reglerkirche organ.
See the church website for full programme details of forthcoming recitals, and the Schedule of sung services : www.stmargaretsilkley.org
Music at St Margaret's - and Covid We concluded with Bruckner's Christus factus est at Evensong on Sunday 15th March 2020. It's good that we went out on a high! For months the vicar's family filmed a weekly service, we made baby steps from late August 2020 by using my new Mass for Cantor and organ, sung by John Brown and then Catherine Cheater, and as from Sunday 27th September we had five to eight singers each Sunday, beginning with the first live performance of the Missa Semplice also composed in 2020. Services continued (except in November) over the Advent and Christmas period, including two services of Christmas Lessons and Music, and finishing on January 3rd, when lockdown 3 began. At least most of the choir got a chance to sing one or two services, and Fr Philip Gray had a good musical send-off when he left his post as Vicar on Christmas Day. We kept going with projects for our 'Virtual Choir', and Geoff Cloke, who mixed the virtual choir projects eventually produced a CD of almost 30 pieces. Since a grand Easter service with the bishop we gradually resumed sung services, and since the arrival of Fr Alex Crawford in September 2021 we have a full programme of sung services, with more singers than ever. Other recent and forthcoming services: Watch out for our Come and Sing Evensong on November 17th (rehearse at 3 for a 5 pm service - tea in between) to sing Vaughan Williams in C and O Pray for the peace of Jerusalem by Howells. If you've always wanted to sing Choral Evensong this is your chance to join the wonderful St Margaret's Choir just for one afternoon!
Recordings Back in September 2019 the choir of St Margaret's recorded 33 minutes worth of music in 3 hours one Saturday afternoon: this made an attractive compilation CD along with some organ music, entitled 'God is gone up - music at St Margaret's Ilkley', still available. Thanks to Stewart Smith for his excellent recordings, and his superb production skills. Here is the programme: CBR: God is gone up op 74; Pie Jesu (from Requiem op 92, with Megan Fawcett and Leo Cloke); Variations on Was lebet op 109/iii; Missa Brevis op 126; Howells: St Louis comes to Clifton; Gjeilo: Ubi caritas; CBR: O Salutaris Hostia op 115; Variations on St Matthew op 142; Prayer of St Richard of Chichester op 138; Jerusalem my happy home (arr 2019); Prelude and fugue op 128; Wadeley: Peace I give unto you; Burgon: Nunc dimittis (Catherine Cheater, Geoff Cloke); CBR: God of New Beginnings op 118; Leighton: Toccata on 'Hanover'; CBR: Easter op 130. A new CD appeared after the pandemic lockdowns finally finished, entitled 'The lockdown recordings', put together by Geoff Cloke who masterminded the mixing of each track (about one a fortnight - there are 28 virtual choir items plus some carols sung by Cant&Dec.) Rathbone items include the Marlborough Mass Gloria, three movements from the new Missa Semplice op 146, Salve Regina, Nowel, Nowel! op 150, O Lord God, the 'Guiseley' hymn-anthem, and Faith, hope and charity op 154/iii. All the monthly organ recitals are also recorded by Dr Stewart Smith and issued on CDs. By now, this has included professional recordings of almost all my organ compositions to date. The recorded works are marked with an asterix (*) in the list of printed works below.
See below for other available CD recordings, available from the composer via rathbone.c@btinternet for a donation of £8 each. (Except those marked *)
There are a few copies of the Hyperion LP of Leighton's Organ Concerto, recorded in 1983, available from CBR; it is apparently also available on YouTube.
The three Amphion recordings of The Music of Christopher Rathbone are still available: vol 1 (2000) includes the Cello Sonata op 52, the organ Sonatina (later renamed Sonata no 1) op 64 and the Stations of the Cross op 77; vol 2 (2002) has the song cycle The Turning Year op 45, Scenes and Antiphons op 80, and variations op 91; vol 3 (2005) includes the Requiem op 92, Motet op 93, Pæan op 26, Miniature Suite op 39 and two sets of organ variations, op 95 & 96.
'The Chamber Music of Christopher Rathbone' is a Meridian CD. Recordings from 2012 by 'Daniel's Beard' with the composer (organ), recorded in the Cathedral of the Isles at Millport on Great Cumbrae, include the Terzetto op 55, Elegy op 56, Clarinet Quintet op 61, Bagatelles op 67, Organ Quartet op 100, Tarn Hows op 101, Daniel's Razor op 117 and Horn Quintet op 120 (the last two composed specially for 'Daniel's Beard').
A CD produced by Bradford Cathedral Choir in 2011 includes the original 2-part version of my Hymn to the Trinity from op 104.*
A CD was produced by Stewart Smith of Clematis Records in 2013 in aid of the Bradford Cathedral Organ Fund, of organ music by César Franck. The three Chorales and the Fantaisie in C are played by Christopher at St Margaret's and the Cathedral. Stewart also records nearly all of our recitals at St Margaret's, so there are 'private' recordings of most of Christopher's organ works, as well as much other repertoire available from Stewart (via CBR.) *
A CD (The Power of Music) features all the St Margaret's choirs, also recorded in 2013. It includes the church choir singing my own Nuptial Song op 105 of 2005 (with Nadine Wharton, cello) and God of New Beginnings op 118.
Paul Hale (until recenly Rector Chori at Southwell Minster) has recorded the Southwell Suite op 113 on a 2013 Oxrecs CD, having played the piece nationwide in recitals over anumber of years. The Organists' Review described the suite as 'varied and colourful', and the disc was also reviewed favourably by Gramophone (May 2014) and Cathedral Music (the journal of the Friends of Cathedral Music.) I still have a few copies of this disc available. PH recently played the Suite at the Scottish Federation of Organists' conference in Aberdeen, and a paragraph from the local critic, which was reproduced in the Organists' Review, read as follows: "The Hymn Tune 'Southwell' was used to fine effect here, embellished in many surprising and effective ways. The opening Fantasia was episodic, the Larghetto smoothly and continuously flowing, the Allegretto grazioso was light and splendidly playful, the Adagio was harmonically rich and the Toccata, with its short minor interlude, was absolutely splendid." I played the Suite in my May 2017 recital.
In 2017 a CD of Organ Music for Advent was produced by Stewart Smith of Clematis Records, mostly recorded at Christopher's live recitals at St Margaret's (over 79 minutes music!) and is still available at £10 - proceeds to the St Margaret's Music Fund. Included is the short prelude on Helmsley (op 109 no 2 and 5 short movements from Scenes and Antiphons op 80.
Stewart has put together the three 'instalments' of the Leighton Missa de Gloria from recitals in 2018, to make a complete recorded performance. He also produced a compilation CD of my performances of the 3 Hindemith sonatas. If anyone would like a copy of either, do contact me and I will try to persuade him to produce a few more copies. He has also produced a complete CD of the Whitlock sonata (c.45 minutes), compiled from the two 'episodes' recorded in October 2021 and January 2022.
Also accessible from this website is a recording of the Mass for Cantor sung by the composer accompanied by Anthony Gray.
TYPESET SCORES
In 2020, during lock-down, I produced a new Easter anthem, Christ our Passover, which the choir sang on Easter Eve 2024; a new a capella Missa semplice, and a Mass for Cantor and Organ. There's also a big Latin Christmas motet called Veni redemptor gentium op 155 as yet unperformed - any offers? Other new music includes 3 sets of Hymn-tune preludes, four little Pieces for violin and a suite of four pieces for piano op 159. Early in 2020 I made a transcription for organ of Bach's monumental Chaconne * (originally for solo violin) which was included in the recital on September 16th, also in 2020 an arrangement for SA + piano of O waly waly for the Draughton Singers. Since the start of 2021 I have written 5 hymn-anthems (op 152) on the Gibbons tune 'Dundee' and on my original hymn tunes, 'Mercy' (Blake's To Mercy, Pity, Truth and Love), and 'Guiseley' (Newman's Firmly I believe and truly), Southwell (Jerusalem my happy home, and O perfect love; and 3 settings of plainsong antiphons for Easter (Faith, hope and charity, If ye then be risen with Christ and The loving kindness of the Lord) op 154, and in the new year 2022 I have composed and typeset a 'Motet' setting St Ambrose's Latin hymn'Veni Redemptor gentium' op 155. Two pieces composed for Christmas Cards in 2022 & 2023 are A Child is born op 158 and Nativitie (Donne) op 160. I have also recently produced type-set scores of some early music for girls/trebles choir and organ, for a choir in Oregon, USA, namely, the three Girls choir anthems, Come down o love divine op 108 no 2, I will lift up mine eyes to the hills op 108 no 3 and O be joyful in the Lord op 108 no4; Preserve us O Lord, waking op 68, the first Evening service for trebles, op 42, and the 2nd evening service for trebles (for Leeds Parish Church boys) op 81; all are available, like most of Christopher's music other than titles published by Banks or BJM, in self-published editions (as pdf files), type-set by the composer on Sibelius 7.5. These include:
Organ music:
October Music op 20* Paean op 26* Miniature Suite op 39* Fantasia on 'The Old Bath Road' op 43* 'King Lear' fantasia op 51 (1990) Sonatina op 64* Toccata on 'Puer nobis' op 71* The Stations of the Cross op 77* Scenes and Antiphons for Advent op 80* Meanwood Suite op 83* Variations on 'Richmond' op 91* Variations on Dundee op 95* Variations on 'Angel voices' op 102* Seven Short Pieces op 107* Baker's dozen of hymn-based works op 109* 'Southwell' Suite op 113 (revised 2016)* Wantage Suite op 131* Prelude and fugue op 128* Passacaglia and fugue op 135* Fantasy for a dancing queen op 136* Two chorale preludes op 137 Variations on St Matthew op 142* Bach chaconne (arr. CBR)* Ten little hymn-tune preludes op 148 * Seven chorale preludes op 151 * Eleven hymn-tune preludes op 153* Moody Jazz Suite op 161* Six little variations on 'All my hope' op 162 *
* available in CD recordings
Vocal:
The setting of Sorley's 'East Kennett Church at Sunset' op 124 Song cycles: Bagpipe Music op 34 (T. and Clarinet); Palestine Songs op 97; 'The Turning Year' op 45 (16 songs) *; 'She' op 89; and Three Songs of C.S.Lewis op 88; Mass for Cantor and organ op 147;
Chamber music: (parts also available)
Horn sonata op 4; Cello sonata op 52*; Violin sonata op 54; Elegy op 56*; Bagatelles op 67 for cello and piano*; Clarinet Quintet op 61*; Clarinet Trio op 63 (Suite: Aire and Wharfe)*; Organ quartet op 100 (Organ, vn, va, vc)*; Tarn Hows op 101 (Vn, vc, org)*; Sextet 'Daniel's Razor' op 117 (Cl, hn, vn, va, vc, pi)*; Horn Quintet op 120 (hn, vn, 2 va, vc)*; Piano quartet op 122 (still unperformed); Andante cantabile for viola, cello & piano op125; Phrygian Suite for viola and piano op 129; Wind Quintet op 132 (awaiting a 1st performance); Berceuse op 134 (Two Trumpets, org.); Four little pieces for violin and piano op 149; Four little piano pieces op. 143; Piano suite op 157; Romanza, Scherzo, Elegy and Reverie op 159 * available on CD recordings
Choral music:
Carols: 'This endris night' * 'Blessed be that Lady Bright' op 82 an arrangement of the C.S.Lewis song 'The Nativity' (op 88 no 2) 'Easter' op 130* Incarnation op 140 (Nov 2018) A Child is born op 158 (2022 - 3) Nativitie op 160 (2023 - 4)
Services: Evening service for trebles op 42 (also the 'Short Service', which is the elaborated SATB version of it) Second service for trebles op 81 Missa semplice op 146 Mass for cantor and organ op 147* Magnificat and Nunc dimittis (Alternatim) op 156 [St Peter's and St Margaret's Evening Service and St Margaret's Missa Brevis as well as the Marlborough and Meanwood congregational masses are all published by BJM].
Anthems 'A New Commandment' op 18 (our wedding anthem in 1969) 'O lord God' (1988) 'The House of God' op 76 'Out of the Deep' op 79 Two Short Prayers op 133 (2016, Choristers' prayer; 'Music') 'Prayer of St Richard of Chichester' op. 138 (2017) * 'Bitter-sweet' and 'My joy, my life, my crown' (George Herbert, Feb. 2018, op 139 nos 1 and 2) A Prayer for a house of Prayer op 144 (2020) Christ our Passover op 145 Five Hymn-anthems op 152 (Jerusalem my happy home 2019, Dundee 2020, O Perfect Love May 2021, Mercy Jan 2021, Guiseley Feb 2021 - the last 2 based on my own tunes to hymns by Blake and Newman) Antiphon: Faith, hope and charity op 154 no 1, also 'If you then be risen' and 'The loving kindness of the Lord' (April 2021)* Veni Redemptor gentium op 155 (Jan 1 - 4, 2022) All of the anthems for girls choirs are now typeset: Come down o love divine, op 108 no 2; Psalm 121 op 108 no 3 and O be joyful op 108 no 4 (op 108 no 1 is the Hymn to the Trinity, from Banks in both versions).
Responses for unacc. ATB (2015) and the Short Evening Service (arranged 2017 from the first service for trebles op 42, 1979-81 - the original op 42 service is also now typeset). Also the St Mark Passion for soloists and 2-part choir (2018).
There is also an arrangement of 'Were you there...?' for SAT/B and piano/organ written for the choir of St John's Batheaston, plus arrangements for St Margaret's Choir (SATB/Org.) of Amazing grace, I vow to thee my country and Barbara Streisand's 'Evergreen'; also 'We three kings' (1998), 'Silent night', 'People look East', 'See amid the winter's snow', 'Cranbrook' ('While Shepherds watched'), O waly,waly. There is also a descant version for 'O for a thousand tongues' (Lyngham) with trumpet! Also a new arrangement of the organ accompaniments to Faure's Requiem! There are also about 50 Anglican chants, particularly suitable for evensong psalms (regularly performed at evensong at St Margaret's). Another recent addition is an arrangement for organ of Bach's Chaconne in D minor *, which runs to 19 pages of thrilling music.
All the above are type-set and available as pdf files from the composer, by return of e-mail. The e-mail address for orders is rathbone.cb@gmail.com
Last edited 20.v.24 - CBR