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{{short description|None}}
This is a '''list of [[Westminster Abbey]] organists'''. The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as "Westminster Abbey", is a large, mainly [[Gothic architecture|Gothic]] abbey church, in the [[City of Westminster]], [[London]], United Kingdom, located just to the west of the [[Palace of Westminster]]. It is the traditional site for the [[Coronation of the British monarch]] and many former kings and queens are buried there.
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}


This is a '''list of [[Westminster Abbey]] organists''', containing the names of the musicians who have been appointed an organist, sub-organist, assistant organist and organ scholar since the sixteenth century.<ref>John E. West, ''Cathedral Organists Past and Present'', "London: Westminster Abbey" (1921), pp. 142−149.</ref><ref>[https://kclpure.kcl.ac.uk/portal/files/2933757/529494_vol1.pdfThis David Stanley Knight, "The organs of Westminster Abbey and their music, 1240−1908"], King's College London doctoral dissertation, 2001.</ref>
==Organists==
{{Col-begin}}
{{Col-1-of-3}}
*1559 John Taylour
*1570 [[Robert White (composer)|Robert White]]
*1574 Henry Leeve
*1585 [[Edmund Hooper (organist)|Edmund Hooper]]
*1621 [[John Parsons (organist)|John Parsons]]
*1623 [[Orlando Gibbons]]
*1625-1644 Richard Portman
*1660 [[Christopher Gibbons]]
*1666 [[Albertus Bryne]]
*1668 [[John Blow]]
{{Col-2-of-3}}
*1679 [[Henry Purcell]]
*1695 [[John Blow]] (re-appointed)
*1708 [[William Croft]]
*1727 [[John Robinson (organist)|John Robinson]]
*1762 [[Benjamin Cooke]]
*1793 [[Samuel Arnold (composer)|Samuel Arnold]]
*1803 [[Robert Cooke (organist)|Robert Cooke]]
*1814 [[George Ebenezer Williams]]
*1819 [[Thomas Greatorex]]
*1831 [[James Turle]]
{{Col-3-of-3}}
*1882 Sir [[Frederick Bridge]], CVO
*1918 Sir [[Sydney Nicholson]], MVO
*1928 Sir [[Ernest Bullock]], CVO
*1941-1945 [[Osborne Harold Peasgood]] [[Commander of the Royal Victorian Order|CVO]] (Acting)
*1941 Sir [[William Neil McKie]], MVO
*1963 [[Douglas Guest]], CVO
*1981 [[Simon Preston]], CBE
*1988 [[Martin Neary]], LVO
*1998-1999 [[Martin Baker (organist)|Martin Baker]] (Acting)
*2000 [[James O'Donnell (organist)|James O'Donnell]]
{{Col-end}}


The Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, is a large, mainly [[Gothic architecture|Gothic]] abbey church in the [[City of Westminster]] in [[London]], located close to the [[Palace of Westminster]].<ref>[https://www.westminster-abbey.org/ Westminster Abbey website]. Retrieved 16 May 2023.</ref> It is the traditional site for the [[coronation of the British monarch]], for royal weddings and funerals and for other state occasions. In addition, the organist oversees the music for [[Daily Office (Anglican)|daily services]] sung by a choir of 12 professional adults and up to 30 boys from the adjacent [[Westminster Abbey Choir School|choir school]], accompanied by a [[Harrison & Harrison]] installed in 1937.<ref name=music>[https://www.westminster-abbey.org/worship-music/music/the-abbey-choir-and-musicians Westminster Abbey: The Abbey Choir and musicians]. Retrieved 15 May 2023.</ref>
==Sub Organists==
*1860 Charles Sherwood Jekyll<ref>British Musical Biography By James D. Brown</ref>
*1875 Sir [[Frederick Bridge]] [[Commander of the Royal Victorian Order|CVO]]
*1881 Henry Davan Wetton<ref>The Musical Times and Singing-class Circular</ref>
*1896 Sir [[Walter Galpin Alcock]] [[Member of the Royal Victorian Order|MVO]]
*1917 Stanley Roper CVO
*1921 [[Osborne Harold Peasgood]] CVO
*1941 ''Vacant''
*1946 [[Osborne Harold Peasgood]] CVO
*1954 [[Derek Holman]] [[Order of Canada|CM]]
*1956 Robert Henry Charles Palmer
*1962 [[Simon Preston]] [[CBE]]
*1967 Tim Farrell
*1974 [[Stephen Cleobury]] [[CBE]]
*1978 [[Christopher Herrick]]
*1984 [[Harry Bicket]]
*1988 Ian Simcock [https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iain_Simcock]
*1988 [[Andrew Lumsden (choral director)|Andrew Lumsden]]
*1992 [[Martin Baker (organist)|Martin Baker]]
*1998 Philip Scriven (Acting)
*2000 Andrew Reid
*2004 [[Robert Quinney]]
*2013 [[Daniel Cook (musician)|Daniel Cook]]
*2017 [https://web.archive.org/web/20141022061300/http://www.stpauls.co.uk/Worship-Music/Choir-Musicians/Cathedral-Musicians Peter Holder]


[[Andrew Nethsingha]] is the current [[organist and master of the choristers]], [[Peter Holder (organist)|Peter Holder]] is the sub-organist, [[Matthew Jorysz]] is the assistant organist and Carolyn Craig is the organ scholar.<ref name=music/>
==Assistant organists==
*Charles Jekyll 1875
*W.J. Winter 1886–1895
*[[Walter Alcock]] 1896–1916 (later knighted, and Organist of [[Salisbury Cathedral]])
*Hugh Marchant 1947–1950
*Hugo Limer 1950–1959
*Rilford Trafalgar 1959–1984
*[[David Bruce-Payne]] 1968–1974 (later Director of Music at [[St. Philip's Cathedral, Birmingham|Birmingham Cathedral)]]
*Geoffrey Morgan 1978–1988 (later Sub-Organist at [[Guildford Cathedral]], now Organist of [[Christchurch Priory]])
*Miles Quick 1989-1991
*Stephen Le Prevost 1991–2001
*Simon Bell 2001–2002 (later Assistant Director of Music at [[Winchester Cathedral]] and subsequently Director of Schola Cantorum of [[Tewkesbury Abbey]])
*[[Daniel Cook (musician)|Daniel Cook]] 2003–2005 (later Assistant Director of Music at [[Salisbury Cathedral]], Organist and Master of the Choristers at [[St Davids Cathedral]] and subsequently Sub-Organist of [[Westminster Abbey]])
*[[Ashley Grote]] 2005–2008 (later Assistant Director of Music at [[Gloucester Cathedral]], now Master of Music at [[Norwich Cathedral]])
*[[James McVinnie]] 2008–2011
*Martin Ford 2012-2015
*Matthew Jorysz 2016-
{{Expand list|date=May 2009}}


==Organists and Masters of the Choristers==
==Organ Scholars==
{{div col|colwidth=28em}}
*1559: John Taylour
*1570: [[Robert White (composer)|Robert White]]
*1574: Henry Leeve
*1585: [[Edmund Hooper (organist)|Edmund Hooper]]
*1621: [[John Parsons (organist)|John Parsons]]
*1623: [[Orlando Gibbons]]
*1625−1644: Richard Portman
*1660: [[Christopher Gibbons]]
*1666: [[Albertus Bryne]]
*1668: [[John Blow]]
*1679: [[Henry Purcell]]
*1695: [[John Blow]] (reappointed)
*1708: [[William Croft]]
*1727: [[John Robinson (organist)|John Robinson]]
*1762: [[Benjamin Cooke]]
*1793: [[Samuel Arnold (composer)|Samuel Arnold]]
*1803: [[Robert Cooke (organist)|Robert Cooke]]
*1814: [[George Ebenezer Williams]]
*1819: [[Thomas Greatorex]]
*1831: [[James Turle]]
*1882: Sir [[Frederick Bridge]], [[Royal Victorian Order|CVO]]
*1918: Sir [[Sydney Nicholson]], [[Royal Victorian Order|MVO]]
*1928: Sir [[Ernest Bullock]], CVO
*1941−1945: [[Osborne Harold Peasgood]] [[Commander of the Royal Victorian Order|CVO]] (acting)
*1941: Sir [[William Neil McKie]], MVO
*1963: [[Douglas Guest]], CVO
*1981: [[Simon Preston]], CBE
*1988: [[Martin Neary]], LVO (acting, 1988−1989)
*2000: [[James O'Donnell (organist)|James O'Donnell]], LVO
*2023: [[Andrew Nethsingha]]
{{div col end}}

==Sub-Organists==
{{div col|colwidth=28em}}
*1860: Charles Sherwood Jekyll
*1875: Sir [[Frederick Bridge]] [[Commander of the Royal Victorian Order|CVO]]
*1881: Henry Davan Wetton
*1896: Sir [[Walter Galpin Alcock]] [[Member of the Royal Victorian Order|MVO]]
*1917: Stanley Roper CVO
*1921: [[Osborne Harold Peasgood]] CVO
*1941−1946: vacant
*1946: [[Osborne Harold Peasgood]] CVO
*1954: [[Derek Holman]] [[Order of Canada|CM]]
*1956: Robert Henry Charles Palmer
*1962: [[Simon Preston]] [[CBE]]
*1967: Tim Farrell
*1974: Sir [[Stephen Cleobury]] [[CBE]]
*1978: [[Christopher Herrick]]
*1984: [[Harry Bicket]]
*1988: {{ill|Iain Simcock|fr}}
*1988: [[Andrew Lumsden (choral director)|Andrew Lumsden]]
*1992: [[Martin Baker (organist)|Martin Baker]]
*1998: Philip Scriven (acting)
*2000: Andrew Reid
*2004: [[Robert Quinney]]
*2013: [[Daniel Cook (musician)|Daniel Cook]]
*2017: [[Peter Holder (organist)|Peter Holder]]
{{div col end}}

==Assistant Organists==
{{columns-list|colwidth=28em|
*1875: Charles Sherwood Jekyll
*1886−1895: W.J. Winter
*1896−1916: [[Walter Alcock]]
*1947−1950: Hugh Marchant
*1950−1959: Hugo Limer
*1959−1984: Rilford Trafalgar
*1968−1974: [[David Bruce-Payne]]
*dates unknown: Christopher Herrick
*1978−1988: Geoffrey Morgan (later sub-organist at [[Guildford Cathedral]], then organist at [[Christchurch Priory]])
*1989−1991: Miles Quick
*1991−2001: Stephen Le Prevost (later organist and director of music at the Town Church in [[Saint Peter Port]], [[Guernsey]])
*2001−2002: Simon Bell (later assistant director of music at [[Winchester Cathedral]], then director of Schola Cantorum, [[Tewkesbury Abbey]])
*2003−2005: [[Daniel Cook (musician)|Daniel Cook]]
*2005−2008: [[Ashley Grote]]
*2008−2011: [[James McVinnie]]
*2011−2015: Martin Ford
*2016−present: [[Matthew Jorysz]]
}}

==Organ scholars==
{{columns-list|colwidth=38em|
*James Cryer
*James Cryer
*Jonathan Dimmock
*Jonathan Dimmock
*Adrian Lenthall
*Adrian Lenthall
*Simon Morley (became Assistant Organist at [[Lincoln Cathedral]], thence Organist of [[Ripon Cathedral]])
*Simon Morley (late assistant organist at [[Lincoln Cathedral]], then organist of [[Ripon Cathedral]])
*Geoffrey Styles (became Organ Scholar at [[Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford]]) [https://web.archive.org/web/20110406122945/http://www.geoffreystyles.com/]
*Geoffrey Styles (later organ scholar at [[Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford]]) [https://web.archive.org/web/20110406122945/http://www.geoffreystyles.com/]
*James Cryer
*Nick Murdoch
*Nick Murdoch
*Jane Watts 1981-1982
*1981−1982: Jane Watts
*Richard Moorhouse 1990–1992 (Organist and Master of the Choristers at [[Llandaff Cathedral]])
*1990−1992: Richard Moorhouse (later organist at [[Llandaff Cathedral]])
*Meirion Wynn Jones 1992–1993 (Assistant Organist at [[Brecon Cathedral]])
*1992−1993: Meirion Wynn Jones (later assistant organist at [[Brecon Cathedral]])
*[[William Whitehead (organist)|William Whitehead]] 1993 - 1994 (became Assistant Organist at [[Rochester Cathedral]])
*1993−1994: [[William Whitehead (organist)|William Whitehead]]
*Louise Reid (née Marsh) 1994 - 1996
*1994−1996: Louise Reid
*John Hosking 1996–1999 (Assistant Organist at [[St Asaph Cathedral]])
*1996−1999: John Hosking (later assistant organist at [[St Asaph Cathedral]])
*Iestyn Evans 1999–2000 (Director of Music, St James's, Spanish Place, London)
*1999−2000: Iestyn Evans (later organist st [[St James's, Spanish Place]], London)
*2000−2001: Simon Bell
*Simon Bell 2000–2001 (Assistant Director of Music at [[Winchester Cathedral]] and subsequently Director of Schola Cantorum of [[Tewkesbury Abbey]])
*Justin Luke 2001–2002
*2001−2002: Justin Luke
*[[Daniel Cook (musician)|Daniel Cook]] 2002–2003 (Assistant Director of Music at [[Salisbury Cathedral]] and subsequently Organist of [[St Davids Cathedral]])
*2002−2003: [[Daniel Cook (musician)|Daniel Cook]]
*Richard Hills 2003–2004 (Assistant Organist at St Mary's, Bourne Street, London)
*2003−2004: Richard Hills (later organist of [[St Mary's, Bourne Street]], London)
*Ian Keatley 2004–2006 (Organist and Director of Music at [[Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin]])
*2004−2006: Ian Keatley (later organist at [[Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin]])
*Simon Jacobs 2006–2007
*2006−2007: Simon Jacobs
*Benjamin Chewter 2007–2008 (Assistant Organist at [[Lincoln Cathedral]] and subsequently Assistant Director of Music at [[Chester Cathedral]])
*2007−2008: Benjamin Chewter (later assistant organist at [[Lincoln Cathedral]], then assistant organist at [[Chester Cathedral]])
*2008−2009: Léon Charles
*Léon Charles 2008–2009 (See http://leoncharles.co.uk for more details)
*2009−2010: Samuel Prouse
*Samuel Rathbone 2009–2010 (Assistant Director of Music at [[Rochester Cathedral]])
*Edward Tambling 2010-2011 (Assistant Director of Music, St James's, Spanish Place, London)
*2010−2011: Edward Tambling (later assistant organist at St James's Church, Spanish Place, London)
*Andrej Kouznetsov 2011-2012 (Organist, [[St John's Cathedral (Brisbane)]])
*2011−2012: Andrej Kouznetsov (later organist at [[St John's Cathedral (Brisbane)|St John's Cathedral, Brisbane]])
*2012−2014: [[Peter Holder (organist)|Peter Holder]] (later sub-organist of Westminster Abbey)
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20141022061300/http://www.stpauls.co.uk/Worship-Music/Choir-Musicians/Cathedral-Musicians Peter Holder] 2012-2014 (Sub-Organist, [[St Paul's Cathedral]])
*Jeremy Woodside 2014-2015
*2014−2015: Jeremy Woodside
*[[Matthew Jorysz (organist)|Matthew Jorysz]] 2015 - 2016
*2015−2016: [[Matthew Jorysz (organist)|Matthew Jorysz]]
*Benjamin Cunningham 2016-2018 (Assistant Director of Chapel Music, [[Winchester College]])
*2016−2018: Benjamin Cunningham (later assistant director of chapel music, [[Winchester College]])
*Alexander Hamilton 2018-19
*2018−2020: Alexander Hamilton (later assistant organist at [[Wells Cathedral]])
*2020−2022: Charles Maxtone-Smith
{{Expand list|date=May 2009}}
*2022−2023: Dewi Rees
*2023−2024: Carolyn Craig (later Assistant Director of Music at Wells Cathedral)
}}


==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}

==External links==



[[Category:English classical organists| ]]
[[Category:English classical organists| ]]

Latest revision as of 19:11, 5 July 2024

This is a list of Westminster Abbey organists, containing the names of the musicians who have been appointed an organist, sub-organist, assistant organist and organ scholar since the sixteenth century.[1][2]

The Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, is a large, mainly Gothic abbey church in the City of Westminster in London, located close to the Palace of Westminster.[3] It is the traditional site for the coronation of the British monarch, for royal weddings and funerals and for other state occasions. In addition, the organist oversees the music for daily services sung by a choir of 12 professional adults and up to 30 boys from the adjacent choir school, accompanied by a Harrison & Harrison installed in 1937.[4]

Andrew Nethsingha is the current organist and master of the choristers, Peter Holder is the sub-organist, Matthew Jorysz is the assistant organist and Carolyn Craig is the organ scholar.[4]

Organists and Masters of the Choristers

[edit]

Sub-Organists

[edit]

Assistant Organists

[edit]

Organ scholars

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ John E. West, Cathedral Organists Past and Present, "London: Westminster Abbey" (1921), pp. 142−149.
  2. ^ David Stanley Knight, "The organs of Westminster Abbey and their music, 1240−1908", King's College London doctoral dissertation, 2001.
  3. ^ Westminster Abbey website. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  4. ^ a b Westminster Abbey: The Abbey Choir and musicians. Retrieved 15 May 2023.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_Westminster_Abbey_organists&oldid=1232817078"