List of musicians at English cathedrals


The cathedrals of England have a long history of liturgical music, often played on or accompanied by the organ. The role of cathedral organist is a salaried appointment, the organist often also serving as choir master. There is also an assistant organist, and often an organ scholar.

Birmingham, St Philip's Cathedral

Organists at St Philip's Cathedral, Birmingham have included composers Charles John Blood Meacham, Richard Yates Mander and Rupert Jeffcoat.

Directors of Music

Notable organists at Blackburn Cathedral have included Charles Hylton Stewart, John Bertalot and Gordon Stewart.

Directors of Music

Organist and Master of the Choristers

Organists at Bristol Cathedral have included the writer and composer Percy Buck and the conductor Malcolm Archer.

Organists

Organists and Assistant Organists at Canterbury Cathedral have included composers Clement Charlton Palmer, Gerald Hocken Knight and Philip Moore and musical directors Sidney Campbell, Allan Wicks and Stephen Darlington.

Organists

Notable organists at Carlisle Cathedral have included the composer, astronomer and mathematician Thomas Greatorex and founder of the Royal School of Church Music, Sir Sydney Nicholson.

Organists

Notable organists of Chester Cathedral include the composers Robert White and John Sanders and the recording artist Roger Fisher.

Organists

Notable organists at Chichester Cathedral have included composer Thomas Weelkes and conductors John Birch and Nicholas Cleobury.
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.

Coventry Cathedral

This list details only those who have held positions in the new Coventry Cathedral.

Directors of Music

, organist at Derby Cathedral, was the founder of the Derby Bach Choir.

Organists

Notable organists at Durham Cathedral have included the composers Thomas Ebdon and Richard Lloyd, organists Philip Armes, John Dykes Bower who went on to St Paul's Cathedral, London, Conrad William Eden and James Lancelot, and choral conductor David Hill.

Organists

Organists of Ely Cathedral have included the composers Basil Harwood and Arthur Wills.

Organists

Notable organists at Exeter Cathedral include composer and hymn writer Samuel Sebastian Wesley, educator Sir Ernest Bullock and conductor Sir Thomas Armstrong.

Organists / Directors of Music

Notable among the organists of Gloucester Cathedral are Samuel Sebastian Wesley and composers and choral conductors of the Three Choirs Festival, Sir Arthur Herbert Brewer, Herbert Sumsion and John Sanders.

Organists

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.
Organists at Guildford Cathedral have included choral director Barry Rose and the composer Philip Moore.

Organists

Notable organists of Hereford Cathedral include the 16th-century composers John Bull and John Farrant, briefly, Samuel Sebastian Wesley, the conductor and advocate of British composers Meredith Davies and the editor of Allegri's Miserere, Ivor Atkins.

Organists

Organists and Directors of Music

Notable organists of Lichfield Cathedral include the 17th-century composer Michael East, and the musical educator and choral conductor Sir William Henry Harris who conducted at the coronations of both Elizabeth II and George VI

Organists

This post was restructured in September 2010.

Directors of Music

This post was restructured in September 2010.

Lincoln Cathedral

Notable organists of Lincoln Cathedral have included the Renaissance composers William Byrd and John Reading and the biographer of Mendelssohn, William Thomas Freemantle.

Organists

From 2003 the post was divided: Colin Walsh became Organist Laureate and Aric Prentice was appointed Director of Music.

Director of Music

Articled pupils fulfilled the role of assistant organist until 1893 when the Chapter formalised the position of assistant organist.

Directors of Music of Liverpool Cathedral

The many distinguished musicians who have been organists, choir masters and choristers at St Pauls Cathedral include the composers John Redford, Thomas Morley, John Blow, Jeremiah Clarke and John Stainer, while well known performers have included Alfred Deller, John Shirley-Quirk, Anthony Way and the conductors Charles Groves and Paul Hillier and the poet Walter de la Mare.

Organists and Directors of Music

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.
Organist and Assistant Director of Music
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.
Sub-Organists
The title of Almoner then passed to one of the Minor Canons, while the post of Master of the Choristers was held by a succession of Vicars Choral, including –
until –
The training of the choristers was then entrusted to the Organist & his deputies until –
;16th century
;17th century
;18th century
;19th century
;20th century

Organists

Organists

Notable organists of Norwich Cathedral have included Zechariah Buck and Brian Runnett, and composers Thomas Morley, Heathcote Dicken Statham, Alfred R. Gaul and Arthur Henry Mann.

Organists and Masters of the Music

First among the notable organists of Christ Church, Oxford is the Renaissance composer John Taverner. Other significant composers and conductors are Basil Harwood, Sir William Henry Harris, Sir Thomas Armstrong, Sydney Watson, Francis Grier, Simon Preston and Nicholas Cleobury.

Organists

Assistant Organist
Sub-Organist

Organists and Choirmasters

NB- Between 1991 and 1994 the job was combined with the Head of Music position at King Williams College.

Organists and Directors of Music

Notable organists of Peterborough Cathedral have included Stanley Vann, Sir Malcolm Sargent and Sir Thomas Armstrong.

Masters of the Music

Assistant Masters of the Music

The Cathedral Church of Saint Mary and Saint Boniface – built in 1858

Directors of Music

Organists

Notable organists of Ripon Cathedral have included composers Charles Harry Moody and Ronald Edward Perrin.

Organists

The post of assistant organist was informal until 1928 when it made official.
Among the composers, conductors and concert performers who have been organists at Rochester Cathedral are Bertram Luard-Selby, Harold Aubie Bennett, Percy Whitlock and William Whitehead.

Organists

The posts of organist and master of the music at St Albans Cathedral have been held by a number of well-known musicians, including Peter Hurford, Stephen Darlington and Barry Rose. Andrew Lucas is the current Master of the Music. Since 1963 the cathedral has been home to the St Albans International Organ Festival, winners of which include Dame Gillian Weir, Thomas Trotter and Naji Hakim.

Organists

Among the notable organists of Salisbury Cathedral have been a number of composers and well-known performers including Bertram Luard-Selby, Charles Frederick South, Sir Walter Galpin Alcock, Sir David Valentine Willcocks, Douglas Guest, Christopher Hugh Dearnley, Richard Godfrey Seal and the BBC presenter Simon Lole.

Organists

Organists and Directors of Music

Among the organists of Southwark Cathedral are Edgar Tom Cook, known for his lunchtime organ broadcasts on the BBC, and the organ designer and noted teacher Ralph Downes.

Organists

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.

Rectores Chori

Assistant Organists:
In 2008 the title of Assistant Organist was replaced with Assistant Director of Music, in line with other Cathedrals.
Assistant Directors of Music:
Charles Harrison Organ Scholarship
David McIntosh Organ Scholarship
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.

Organists and Masters of the Choristers

Organists

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,
which was enlarged in 1786,
and again rebuilt in 1855, a substantial early work of 'Father' Henry Willis.
In 1909–1910 a new organ was built by Harrison & Harrison with the best parts of the old organ retained,
and this has been maintained by the same company since.

Organists

The earliest known organist of Winchester Cathedral is John Dyer in 1402. Later organists include Christopher Gibbons whose patronage aided the revival of church music after the Interregnum, John Reading, Daniel Roseingrave, James Kent, Samuel Sebastian Wesley, the composer of sacred music, who was also responsible for the acquisition of the Cathedral organ, Martin Neary, who arranged the music for the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales, and choral director David Hill.

Organists

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"
Sometimes the appointment has been as "Sub-organist" or, in recent years, "Assistant Director of Music"
Organists of Worcester Cathedral have included Sir Ivor Atkins, Douglas Guest, Christopher Robinson, the composers Thomas Tomkins, William Hayes, Hugh Blair, and conductors Sir David Willcocks, Donald Hunt and Adrian Lucas.

Organists (and Directors of Music from 2012)

Among the notable organists of York Minster are four members of the Camidge family who served as cathedral organists for over 100 years, and a number of composers including James Nares, Edwin George Monk, John Naylor, T. Tertius Noble and Francis Jackson.

Organists

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.