Peter Hurford
Encyclopedia
Peter Hurford OBE is a British organist, born St Cecilia
's day (22 November) 1930 in Minehead
, Somerset
.
Educated at Blundell's School
,http://www.blundells.org/admin/school_famous-obs.htm he later studied both music and law at Jesus College
, Cambridge
, graduating with dual degrees, subsequently obtaining an enviable reputation for both musical scholarship and organ playing. Hurford subsequently studied in Paris under the blind French organist, André Marchal
, exploring music of the Baroque period.
He is best known for his interpretations of Bach
, having recorded the complete Bach organ works for Decca
and BBC Radio 3
. His expertise also encompasses recordings of the Romantic literature for organ, performances notable for attention to stylistic detail. His playing style is noted for clean articulation, beauty of expression, and a sense of proper tempi.
Hurford was appointed organist and choirmaster of St Albans Cathedral Choir
in 1958, serving with great distinction in this capacity for exactly twenty years. He conceived the idea of an organ competition in 1963, partly to celebrate the new Harrison & Harrison
organ designed by Ralph Downes
and himself. This venture was successful mainly because of the young Hurford's rapidly growing stature in Britain and overseas as a result of his refreshing notions of authentic performing style. This has grown into the St Albans International Organ Festival
, a world-renowned festival of organ music with competitions whose past winners include many of the great names in modern organ music including Dame Gillian Weir
, David Sanger
, Thomas Trotter
and Kevin Bowyer
.
He is the holder of a number of Honorary Doctorates, was appointed an Honorary Fellow of Jesus College in 2006 and has been appointed an OBE. He has written a book: Making Music on the Organ (1998, Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-816207-3) and published a deal of choral music for the Anglican liturgy, much of it issued by leading publishers such as Novello and Oxford University Press. His Litany to the Holy Spirit to a famous text by Robert Herrick
, is sung worldwide.
Saint Cecilia
Saint Cecilia is the patroness of musicians and Church music because as she was dying she sang to God. It is also written that as the musicians played at her wedding she "sang in her heart to the Lord". St. Cecilia was an only child. Her feast day is celebrated in the Roman Catholic, Anglican,...
's day (22 November) 1930 in Minehead
Minehead
Minehead is a coastal town and civil parish in Somerset, England. It lies on the south bank of the Bristol Channel, north-west of the county town of Taunton, from the border with the county of Devon and in proximity of the Exmoor National Park...
, Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
.
Educated at Blundell's School
Blundell's School
Blundell's School is a co-educational day and boarding independent school located in the town of Tiverton in the county of Devon, England. The school was founded in 1604 by the will of Peter Blundell, one of the richest men in England at the time, and relocated to its present location on the...
,http://www.blundells.org/admin/school_famous-obs.htm he later studied both music and law at Jesus College
Jesus College, Cambridge
Jesus College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The College was founded in 1496 on the site of a Benedictine nunnery by John Alcock, then Bishop of Ely...
, Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
, graduating with dual degrees, subsequently obtaining an enviable reputation for both musical scholarship and organ playing. Hurford subsequently studied in Paris under the blind French organist, André Marchal
André Marchal
André Marchal was a French organist and organ teacher. He was one of the great initiators of the twentieth-century organ revival in France.Marchal was born blind...
, exploring music of the Baroque period.
He is best known for his interpretations of Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity...
, having recorded the complete Bach organ works for Decca
Decca Records
Decca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
and BBC Radio 3
BBC Radio 3
BBC Radio 3 is a national radio station operated by the BBC within the United Kingdom. Its output centres on classical music and opera, but jazz, world music, drama, culture and the arts also feature. The station is the world’s most significant commissioner of new music, and its New Generation...
. His expertise also encompasses recordings of the Romantic literature for organ, performances notable for attention to stylistic detail. His playing style is noted for clean articulation, beauty of expression, and a sense of proper tempi.
Hurford was appointed organist and choirmaster of St Albans Cathedral Choir
St Albans Cathedral Choir
St. Albans Cathedral Choir is an English Cathedral Choir based in St Albans, Hertfordshire, England. It is made up of around 25 boy choristers aged 7–14 and 12 adult Lay Clerks...
in 1958, serving with great distinction in this capacity for exactly twenty years. He conceived the idea of an organ competition in 1963, partly to celebrate the new Harrison & Harrison
Harrison & Harrison
Harrison & Harrison Ltd are a British company that make and restore pipe organs, based in Durham and established in 1861. They are well known for their work on instruments such as King's College Cambridge, Westminster Abbey and the Royal Festival Hall....
organ designed by Ralph Downes
Ralph Downes
Ralph William Downes CBE was an English organist, organ designer, teacher and music director, and was formerly Professor of Organ of the Royal College of Music....
and himself. This venture was successful mainly because of the young Hurford's rapidly growing stature in Britain and overseas as a result of his refreshing notions of authentic performing style. This has grown into the St Albans International Organ Festival
St Albans International Organ Festival
The International Organ Festival is a biennial music festival and organ competition held in St Albans, England since 1963. Originally held annually, it was changed to every two years in 1965 due to the complexity of organising the increasingly ambitious programme...
, a world-renowned festival of organ music with competitions whose past winners include many of the great names in modern organ music including Dame Gillian Weir
Gillian Weir
Dame Gillian Constance Weir DBE is a New Zealand organist.-Biography:Gillian Weir was a co-winner of the Auckland Star Piano Competition at 19, playing Mozart. A year later she won a scholarship of the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music in London...
, David Sanger
David Sanger (organist)
David John Sanger was a concert organist, professor and president of the Royal College of Organists.- Biography :Sanger was educated at Eltham College and the Royal Academy of Music...
, Thomas Trotter
Thomas Trotter
Thomas Trotter is a British concert organist. He is Birmingham City Organist and organist of St. Margaret's, Westminster and visiting Professor of Organ at the Royal College of Music, London....
and Kevin Bowyer
Kevin Bowyer
Kevin John Bowyer is an English organist, known for his prolific recording and recital career and his interest in playing unusual, modern and extremely difficult compositions.-Biography:...
.
He is the holder of a number of Honorary Doctorates, was appointed an Honorary Fellow of Jesus College in 2006 and has been appointed an OBE. He has written a book: Making Music on the Organ (1998, Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-816207-3) and published a deal of choral music for the Anglican liturgy, much of it issued by leading publishers such as Novello and Oxford University Press. His Litany to the Holy Spirit to a famous text by Robert Herrick
Robert Herrick (poet)
Robert Herrick was a 17th-century English poet.-Early life:Born in Cheapside, London, he was the seventh child and fourth son of Julia Stone and Nicholas Herrick, a prosperous goldsmith....
, is sung worldwide.
External links
- Peter Hurford interview by Bruce Duffie, March 18, 1990
- Peter Hurford in Bach-Cantatas