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Thiman was a prolific composer whose works were widely published in the UK and the USA. The catalogue of his published works numbers about 1,300.<ref>[https://www.southwellminster.org/theme/eric-thiman-collection/ Eric Thiman Collection, Southwell Minster]</ref> These include a large number of [[part songs]] (many for SS or SSA and piano, but also many for [[SATB]]) and many anthems and carols, as well as over 100 published organ pieces. Most of his church music was written for the non-conformist churches, but he also wrote anthems and [[canticle]]s for Church of England choirs. It was considered he was strongly influenced by [[Edward Elgar]] (1857–1934).<ref name=News1939 />, but as [[Michael Hurd (composer)|Michael Hurd]] points out, the titles of his extended choral works - ''The Last Supper'' (1930), ''The Parables'' (1931), ''The High Tide on the Coast of Lincolnshire'' (1932) and ''The Temptations of Christ'' (1952) - more closely reflect the pre-Elgar lineage of [[John Stainer]], [[Charles Villiers Stanford|Stanford]] and [[Hubert Parry|Parry]].<ref name=grove/> ''The Last Supper'' is sometimes programmed as an alternative to Stainer's ''[[The Crucifixion (Stainer)|The Crucifixion]]''.<ref name=gt/>
Thiman was a prolific composer whose works were widely published in the UK and the USA. The catalogue of his published works numbers about 1,300.<ref>[https://www.southwellminster.org/theme/eric-thiman-collection/ Eric Thiman Collection, Southwell Minster]</ref> These include a large number of [[part songs]] (many for SS or SSA and piano, but also many for [[SATB]]) and many anthems and carols, as well as over 100 published organ pieces. Most of his church music was written for the non-conformist churches, but he also wrote anthems and [[canticle]]s for Church of England choirs. It was considered he was strongly influenced by [[Edward Elgar]] (1857–1934).<ref name=News1939 />, but as [[Michael Hurd (composer)|Michael Hurd]] points out, the titles of his extended choral works - ''The Last Supper'' (1930), ''The Parables'' (1931), ''The High Tide on the Coast of Lincolnshire'' (1932) and ''The Temptations of Christ'' (1952) - more closely reflect the pre-Elgar lineage of [[John Stainer]], [[Charles Villiers Stanford|Stanford]] and [[Hubert Parry|Parry]].<ref name=grove/> ''The Last Supper'' is sometimes programmed as an alternative to Stainer's ''[[The Crucifixion (Stainer)|The Crucifixion]]''.<ref name=gt/>


He also composed secular and sacred partsongs and solo songs, including some lighter songs under the name Eric Harding. A selection of songs were recorded by Convivium Records in 2022.<ref>''The Silver Swan'', Convivium CR075 (2022), performed by Emily Gray and Nicole Johnson</ref> Although he mostly wrote with amateurs and practical church musicians in mind, there were also orchestral works and instrumental pieces for professionals. His first extended chamber piece was the Violin Sonata, dedicated to the violinist Sydney Hall and broadcast by him with the composer at the piano the following year.<ref>[https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/page/cbfb185b82e845209a2efdd8d3d6bd7e?page=25 ''Radio Times'' Issue 623, 8 September, 1935, pp. 25-6]</ref> The four movement Suite in E for two pianos (1947) was written for [[Harry Isaacs (pianist)|Harry Isaacs]] and [[York Bowen]], both colleagues of his at the Royal Academy.<ref name=gt>Guy Turner. ''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qbvrj2GvfR0 Eric Thiman and his Music: An Introduction]'', Southwell Minster video (2020)</ref>
He also composed secular and sacred partsongs and solo songs, including some lighter songs under the name Eric Harding. A selection of songs were recorded by Convivium Records in 2022.<ref>''The Silver Swan'', Convivium CR075 (2022), performed by Emily Gray and Nicole Johnson</ref> Although he mostly wrote with amateurs and practical church musicians in mind, there were also orchestral works and instrumental pieces for professionals. His first extended chamber piece was the Violin Sonata of 1934, dedicated to the violinist Sydney Hall and broadcast by him with the composer at the piano the following year.<ref>[https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/page/cbfb185b82e845209a2efdd8d3d6bd7e?page=25 ''Radio Times'' Issue 623, 8 September, 1935, pp. 25-6]</ref> The four movement Suite in E for two pianos (1947) was written for [[Harry Isaacs (pianist)|Harry Isaacs]] and [[York Bowen]], both colleagues of his at the Royal Academy.<ref name=gt>Guy Turner. ''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qbvrj2GvfR0 Eric Thiman and his Music: An Introduction]'', Southwell Minster video (2020)</ref>


An archive of his music, The Eric Thiman Collection, was set up in 2014 in the choir library of [[Southwell Minster]] by his niece Francis Thiman and Paul Hale (then Rector Chori at Southwell).<ref>[https://www.southwellminster.org/eric-thiman-collection/reflections-on-the-collection/ Francis Thiman. ''Reflections on the Collection'', Southwell Minster]</ref> A CD selection of his anthems, partsongs and organ music was recorded in 2016 by the Tudor Singers and the Eric Thiman Singers of Caterham School.<ref>[https://www.southwellminster.org/eric-thiman-collection/cd-music-of-eric-thiman/ ''Music of Eric Thiman'', Guy Turner]</ref>
An archive of his music, The Eric Thiman Collection, was set up in 2014 in the choir library of [[Southwell Minster]] by his niece Francis Thiman and Paul Hale (then Rector Chori at Southwell).<ref>[https://www.southwellminster.org/eric-thiman-collection/reflections-on-the-collection/ Francis Thiman. ''Reflections on the Collection'', Southwell Minster]</ref> A CD selection of his anthems, partsongs and organ music was recorded in 2016 by the Tudor Singers and the Eric Thiman Singers of Caterham School.<ref>[https://www.southwellminster.org/eric-thiman-collection/cd-music-of-eric-thiman/ ''Music of Eric Thiman'', Guy Turner]</ref>

Revision as of 11:45, 24 November 2022

Eric Harding Thiman (12 September 1900 – 13 February 1975)[1] was an English composer, conductor and organist. The surname is pronounced 'tea-man'.[2] By 1939 he was considered one of the leading non-conformist organists in England.[3] His choral and educational music is still performed today.

Leben

Thiman was born in Ashford, Kent, England as Eric Harding Thimann. He later changed his last name to Thiman. Educated at Caterham School he was largely self-taught in music.[4] In 1921 he was awarded a fellow of the Royal College of Organists (FRCO) and (after some coaching from Harold Darke, who remained a friend) took his DMus in 1928.[5] That year he married Madeline Arnold. From 1930 he was Professor of Harmony at the Royal Academy of Music and later, from 1956 to 1962, was Dean of the Faculty of Music at the University of London.[6]

In 1958, after 29 years as organist at Park Chapel (a Congregational church in Crouch End, later to join with Ferme Park Baptist Church to form a Union Church in the same district), Thiman was appointed organist of the City Temple in London. He was a keen advocate of amateur music-making and in the 1960s was the conductor and Musical Director of the Purley Choral Society, which performed his choral song cycle Spring Garland in 1964. He wrote much educational music for piano and other instruments,[7] as well as music for church choirs, some of which is still performed. He was the musical editor of the hymn book Congregational Praise (1951).[4] He is best remembered for his short passion cantata, The Last Supper (1930), which sets texts from the gospels of Matthew and John and hymns by St Thomas Aquinas, Charles Wesley and Johann Franck.

He founded and conducted The Eric Thiman String Ensemble in the 1940s.[4] He was conductor of the Elysian Concert Society, holding concerts at Hornsey Town Hall, The City Temple and other venues in London. In August 1951 he toured Australia to conduct examinations for the Australian Musical Examinations Board.[2][8]

Thiman was still working actively when he died of cancer in 1975, aged 74 years. He was survived by his wife Madeline, there were no children. Their address in the 1960s and 1970s was 7 Edmunds Walk, London NW2.

Music

Thiman was a prolific composer whose works were widely published in the UK and the USA. The catalogue of his published works numbers about 1,300.[9] These include a large number of part songs (many for SS or SSA and piano, but also many for SATB) and many anthems and carols, as well as over 100 published organ pieces. Most of his church music was written for the non-conformist churches, but he also wrote anthems and canticles for Church of England choirs. It was considered he was strongly influenced by Edward Elgar (1857–1934).[3], but as Michael Hurd points out, the titles of his extended choral works - The Last Supper (1930), The Parables (1931), The High Tide on the Coast of Lincolnshire (1932) and The Temptations of Christ (1952) - more closely reflect the pre-Elgar lineage of John Stainer, Stanford and Parry.[5] The Last Supper is sometimes programmed as an alternative to Stainer's The Crucifixion.[10]

He also composed secular and sacred partsongs and solo songs, including some lighter songs under the name Eric Harding. A selection of songs were recorded by Convivium Records in 2022.[11] Although he mostly wrote with amateurs and practical church musicians in mind, there were also orchestral works and instrumental pieces for professionals. His first extended chamber piece was the Violin Sonata of 1934, dedicated to the violinist Sydney Hall and broadcast by him with the composer at the piano the following year.[12] The four movement Suite in E for two pianos (1947) was written for Harry Isaacs and York Bowen, both colleagues of his at the Royal Academy.[10]

An archive of his music, The Eric Thiman Collection, was set up in 2014 in the choir library of Southwell Minster by his niece Francis Thiman and Paul Hale (then Rector Chori at Southwell).[13] A CD selection of his anthems, partsongs and organ music was recorded in 2016 by the Tudor Singers and the Eric Thiman Singers of Caterham School.[14]

Selected works

Cantatas

  • The Last Supper (Passion cantata, 1930)[15]
  • The Parables (1931)
  • The High Tide on the Coast of Lincolnshire (1932)
  • The Nativity (Christmas cantata, 1934)
  • Ring Out Ye Crystal Spheres (text: Milton) (1938)
  • The Temptations of Christ Lenten cantata, 1952)

Anthems

  • Morning Hymn (Three Choral Songs of Praise, No 1)
  • I Praised the Earth (Three Choral Songs of Praise, No 2)
  • A Morning Prayer (text: W B Heathcote)
  • Who would true valour see
  • There is a stream
  • Fight the good fight (hymn anthem)
  • Lord, think on me
  • Seek ye the Lord
  • Let Thy merciful ears, O Lord
  • Te Deum in D flat

Song cycles

  • A Folk Song Sequence (1961)
  • Six Sea Songs
  • A Spring Garland, for mixed choir and orchestra
  • Songs of England

Partsongs and solo songs

(many appeared in both solo voice and choral arrangements)

  • Away to Rio
  • The Birds (text: Belloc)
  • Easter Prayer
  • Evening in Lilac Time
  • Evening in the Birch-Path
  • Fain Would I Change That Note
  • The Ferry (text: Christina Rossetti)
  • The Heavenly Down (text: Irene Gass)
  • I Saw Three Ships
  • I Wandered Lonely as a cloud (text: Wordsworth)
  • Jesus the Very Thought of You
  • Madonna and Child
  • The Man in the Moon
  • Now Sleeps the Crimson Petal (text: Tennyson)[16]
  • The Path to the Moon
  • The Rainbow
  • The Shepherd (text: William Blake)
  • She Walks in Beauty (text: Byron)
  • The Silver Swan
  • Sleeping
  • Song of Farewell
  • The Swans
  • Sweet Afton (text: Robert Burns)
  • Where Go the Boats (text: R.L. Stevenson)

Organ

  • Eight Interludes, sets one, two and three (1946-1952)
  • Four Chorale Improvisations
  • Four Occasional Pieces ('A Morning Prelude', 'An Easter Prelude', 'A Lenten Sarabande', 'Christmas Meditation') (1957)
  • Four Quiet Voluntaries (1963)
  • Pastorale (1938)
  • Preludes and Voluntaries, books one, two and three (1940, 1943 and 1947)
  • Six Pieces in Various Styles (1960)
  • Three Preludes on Themes by Orlando Gibbons (1956)
  • Times and Seasons, five pieces for organ, sets 1 and 2 (1954 and 1958)

Other works

  • A Folk Song Suite, for string quartet (1928)
  • Flood Time, solo piano, ABRSM syllabus, Grade 5 (and many other graded piano pieces)
  • Highland Scenes.[17] Five short piano pieces of moderate difficulty: 'By rock-bound coast';'Evening on Skye'; 'Celtic tune'; 'In the heather'; and 'At the highland gathering'.
  • Miniature trio, for piano and strings[18]
  • Suite in E for two pianos (published Curwen, 1947): Alla Menuetto, Fughetta, Sarabande, Rigaudon. (There is also a different Suite in E in three movements: Prelude; Sarabande, Gavotte)[1]
  • Three Shanty Pieces, for piano (1934)
  • Violin Sonata (1934)
  • When Cats Run Home, two part canon[19]

Thiman wrote Varied Harmonies to Hymn Tunes: A short practical treatise and was also the musical director of the Congregational Praise, hymn book, published in 1951.[8] Practical Free Counterpoint was published in 1947. His 13 Songs for Voice and Piano, published by Stainer and Bell, has remained in print since his death.[20]

References

  1. ^ a b "ENGLISH COMPOSERS FOR AMATEURS: No 2 - ERIC THIMAN by Philip L Scowcroft". Musicweb-international.com. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
  2. ^ a b "Noted organist to play in surprise recital". The Argus (Melbourne). Victoria, Australia. 10 August 1951. p. 6. Retrieved 28 February 2020 – via Trove.
  3. ^ a b "Choir's great work". News. South Australia. 3 April 1939. p. 9. Retrieved 28 February 2020 – via Trove.
  4. ^ a b c Obituary, The Daily Telegraph, 15 February, 1975, p. 10
  5. ^ a b Hurd, Michael. 'Thiman, Eric (Harding)' in Grove Music Online (2001)
  6. ^ 'Dr Eric Thiman', in The Times, 19 February, 1975, p. 17
  7. ^ D. Cairns: ‘Eric Thiman’, in Music in Education 19 (1955–6), pp. 13–14
  8. ^ a b "New Organ for City Church". The Age. Victoria, Australia. 11 August 1951. p. 10. Retrieved 28 February 2020 – via Trove.
  9. ^ Eric Thiman Collection, Southwell Minster
  10. ^ a b Guy Turner. Eric Thiman and his Music: An Introduction, Southwell Minster video (2020)
  11. ^ The Silver Swan, Convivium CR075 (2022), performed by Emily Gray and Nicole Johnson
  12. ^ Radio Times Issue 623, 8 September, 1935, pp. 25-6
  13. ^ Francis Thiman. Reflections on the Collection, Southwell Minster
  14. ^ Music of Eric Thiman, Guy Turner
  15. ^ Recorded on I Will Give My Spirit: Music for Easter and Pentecost, Dunelm Records CD DRD 0139 (2000)
  16. ^ Supplement, The Musical Times, Vol. 75, No. 1099 (September 1934), pp. 817-820
  17. ^ "New music". The Sydney Morning Herald. New South Wales, Australia. 16 December 1933. p. 7. Retrieved 28 February 2020 – via Trove.
  18. ^ "Music and theatre". The West Australian. Western Australia. 16 March 1940. p. 4. Retrieved 28 February 2020 – via Trove.
  19. ^ "Fine programme by Harmony Club". The Mercury (Hobart). Tasmania, Australia. 22 November 1950. p. 6. Retrieved 28 February 2020 – via Trove.
  20. ^ 13 Songs for Voice and Piano, Stainer & Bell
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