William H. Harris

William Henry Harris was better known in his life time as an organist and choirmaster than composer. Not really that he didn’t become successful in the second option effort: in the world of Anglican Chapel music, Harris had written several popular, well-crafted functions. Included in this was the motet Faire may be the Heaven, for unaccompanied dual choir, and Communion Assistance in F. His substantial The Hound of Heaven, for baritone soloist, chorus, and orchestra, can be one of is own finest large functions. But he also had written several high-quality compositions for solo body organ, included in this the masterly Four Brief Items (1938). It says a lot of his good-natured personality that he was referred to as “Doc H” towards the choristers offering under him. Harris resided 90 years with his loss of life was rightly regarded as probably one of the most essential figures in British Church music from the twentieth hundred years. Harris was created in London on March 28, 1883. He demonstrated extraordinary talent in early stages, portion being a chorister and organist in his youngsters and gaining the esteemed rank of Fellow from the Royal University of Organists (FRCO) by his early teenagers. From 1897-1899 he held an organist post at St. David’s Cathedral in Wales. From 1899 he examined on the Royal University of Music, where his instructors included Walter Parratt (body organ) and Walford Davies and Charles Hardwood (both structure). Harris kept several helper organist content in the first 1900s, including at London’s Temple Cathedral and, from 1911, on the Litchfield Cathedral. From 1919-1921 he was organist at New University, Oxford. It had been around this period that Harris started turning out his most significant compositions, you start with these choral function The Hound of Heaven in 1919 and his ever-popular Faire may be the Heaven (1925). In 1921 Harris became a member of the faculty in the Royal University of Music, where he trained organ and tranquility. The occupied composer after that branched out, performing the Bach Choir from 1926-1933. Additional organ articles ensued: Christ (Catholic) Chapel, Oxford (1929-1933), and St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle (1933-1961). In his old age Harris offered in two administrative articles: from 1946-1948 in the Royal University of Organists (chief executive) and from 1956-1961 in the Royal College of Chapel Music (movie director of music research). Among Harris’ most significant late works can be Bring Us, O Lord God (1959), for unaccompanied dual choir. Harris passed away in Petersfield on Sept 6, 1973.