We are so sorry to have to report the death of Dr John Ellis on April 26th. John studied Medicine at Manchester University and, after specialising in paediatrics, he worked in the NHS, holding a consultant position at Bolton until his retirement in 2002. He had a lifelong love of playing the piano and organ and held several church organist posts including, from 1997, at St. Mary's Parish Church, Prestwich and, from 2009, at Bury Parish Church. He composed a large number of organ works, most of which have been recorded on two CDs available from divine art (www.divine-art.com), as well as choral works and solo songs. His large-scale Organ Symphony was premiered at Blackburn Cathedral by Robin Walker in 2009 and is included on a wonderful CD recording played by Robin on the newly-rebuilt organ at Bolton Parish Church (dda25087).
John was a gentle, warm-hearted man with a lovely sense of humour who will be deeply missed by his many friends, but especially by his wife, Tessa, and his children. His music is always superbly-crafted, highly individual and with every note placed with absolute precision. His gifts have been recognized not only by a number of awards and commissions but also by the deep respect in which his music is held in so many places.
Fortunately, John was able to hear the superb new recording of his organ works by Robin Walker. This stands as a wonderful tribute to his memory.
To find out more about John, please click here.
More practical help for organists and pianists:
Roger Fisher - TOWARDS KEYBOARD FLUENCY
Four years ago we published Roger Fisher's four-volume Masterclass which has since been widely acclaimed in the musical press and has proved an invaluable resource for anyone wanting to develop their keyboard (and pedal) technique and deepen their musical understanding. Towards Keyboard Fluency can be used on its own but is actually intended as a supplementary volume to Masterclass.
Everyone wants to play better but most of us waste a huge amount of time and effort on futile repetitive practice. With more than fifty years of practical experience as a cathedral organist, international recitalist and highly innovative teacher, Roger has distilled into this single volume an absolute treasure-trove of priceless practical advice and help to improve our practice techniques. He unlocks, for instance, the mystery of why the hands and feet always want to go the same way and how to overcome the problem. He demonstrates how to unravel a new piece in such a way that learning it becomes a pleasure. He offers simple procedures to correct persistent errors, and much, much more.
The best recommendation I can offer is to say that I have been using the ideas put forward in Towards Keyboard Fluency in my own practice and in my own teaching and the results have been quite startling! Whether you are a beginner or a super recitalist, you are certain to make your practice more rewarding and successful .
If you buy just one new book this year, make it this one - you won't look back!
Roger Fisher - Towards Keyboard Fluency £8.00
NEW MUSIC FOR ORGAN (with pedals)
Edvard Grieg (1843-1907) - Incidental music to Peer Gynt [3-4] £5.00
Anitra's Dance, Solveig's Song, In the hall of the mountain king, Death of Äse, Morning
We have a fortnightly Monday lunchtime organ concert at Cartmel Priory and I enjoy arranging 'light classics' for inclusion in the programmes. Not being a great virtuoso, I make sure that I can play my own arrangements, so this delightful music is here set out in such a way that, whilst all the essential character is there, it is not unduly tricky!
NEW MUSIC FOR ORGAN (for manuals with optional pedals)
Philip Spratley - Hymn-tune Miniatures [2-3] £3.50
Abridge, St. Edmund, Lobe den Herren, Ellacombe, Truro, Stuttgart, Old 124th, Caswall, Southwell, Harts.
These beautifully-crafted short pieces have been designed to fill gaps in services, such as Gospel processions, and are set out for manuals only with an occasional pedal part ad libitum.
NEW CHORAL MUSIC
John Lawson Baker - O Sacrum Convivium (SSATTB unacc.) [4] £1.20
This is a highly atmospheric and effective setting of the communion text attributed to Thomas Aquinas O sacred banquet, in which Christ is received. The parts move easily and the divisions in the soprano and tenor parts are straightforward in performance.
Paul Edwards - Abide with me (SATB & org) [3] £1.20
This is No. 2 of Two Parish Anthems by Paul Edwards. As a tribute to Samuel Sebastian Wesley in this, his anniversary year, the composer has based his setting of H F Lyte's well-loved text on Wesley's tune Orisons.
Paul Edwards - Here, O my Lord, I see thee face to face (SATB & org) [3] £1.20
This is No. 1 of Two Parish Anthems by Paul Edwards. It is a simple but very beautiful setting of the communion text by H Bonar.
Alan Smith - Tune me, O Lord (SSA & pno) [4] £1.30
A vibrant setting of a poem by Christina Rossetti, beautifully-crafted, and set out for upper voice and piano. Girls or boys will enjoy Alan Smith's lovely vocal lines.
Although we are known primarily as a publisher of choir and organ music, our catalogue includes a number of vocal and instrumental titles as well. Over the course of the next few years we plan to build a library of music by under-appreciated English composers. We start with Robin Milford and Walter Leigh whose compositions are all too little known.
ROBIN MILFORD (1903-59)
We publish four collections of songs by Robin Milford:
Four Early Songs £5.00
The Moor, The Fiddler of Dooney, On His Mistress, Old Age
Eleven Songs £9.00
Daybreak, Elegy, Love on my heart, So sweet love seemed, Cradle Song, The Colour, The Pink Frock, If it's ever spring again, Tolerance, To Sincerity, I will not let thee go
In Tenebris - Three songs for baritone and piano £5.00
In Tenebris, Why art thou silent? Wessex Heights
Swan Songs - A song cycle for mezzo-soprano and piano £7.50
Song of St. Mary the Virgin (Magnificat), The Song of Simeon (Nunc Dimittis), Idleness, Christmas Day, In Cornwall, Expectans Expectavi, The Holy Tide, The Glance, Sleep
and, of course, Peter Hunter's biography:
Robin Milford - A composer illuminated by his songs £10.00
WALTER LEIGH (1905-42)
Walter Leigh was killed in action near Tobruk on June 12th, 1942 and is chiefly remembered today for his delightful neo-classical Concertino for Harpsichord and Strings of 1934 and for the Overture Agincourt commissioned by the BBC to celebrate King George V's Silver Jubilee. However, he also composed a great deal of music for the theatre, and for a number of films, most notably Song of Ceylon in 1934.
Thanks to members of Walter Leigh's family we have been given permission to publish his delightful Playtime Pieces for piano for the first time. They are included in a CD recording of piano music and songs by Walter Leigh on Tremula Records TREM 101-2 which is highly recommended to anyone who would like to explore more of the music of this most underrated composer.
Walter Leigh - Five Playtime Pieces for piano [3-5] £3.50
Nice Morning, Doll's-House Tea, I Love My Teddy Bear, Pierrot Reflects, Grand Toy Dance
