Robert Ashfield
Encyclopedia
Robert Ashfield was an English cathedral
organist
, choirmaster and composer
.
. Educated at Tonbridge School
and the Royal College of Music
(RCM), he inherited his considerable musical talent from his mother, a fine amateur musician. At the RCM he came under the influence of Sir Ernest Bullock
, then organist of Westminster Abbey
, and became his assistant.
Ashfield became a Fellow of the Royal College of Organists
in 1932, and then served as organist of St John's, Smith Square, London, from 1934 until 1941. After being awarded his doctorate by the University of London
in 1941, he served in the Army during the Second World War.
. Here he was fortunate in receiving the full support of the Provost
, Hugh Heywood, which assisted him in breathing new life into the choir. He began by establishing a regular and disciplined rehearsal routine, and before long the choir was known for its bold and incisive sound. Ashfield also increased the range of choral repertoire performed, and expanded other areas of musical life within the cathedral.
in 1956 as organist and master of the choristers. Over the next 21 years he also made his mark on the local community, notably as conductor of the Rochester Choral Society. From 1958 until 1977, he also taught at the RCM.
His arrival at Rochester coincided with the opportunity to redesign and completely rebuild the cathedral organ. In consultation with the organ builder
s, J. W. Walker & Sons Ltd
, Ashfield rejected much of the piecemeal work that had gone before producing, in 1960, an instrument with a traditional feel but well-suited to the needs of the cathedral.
He retired from his cathedral post in 1977, but remained in Rochester until his death in December 2006.
allowed him to write well for voices. Many of his anthems, services
, responses
, chants
and other choral works, often written for special occasions, have retained their place in the repertoire. perhaps best known is his setting of Lionel Johnson
's 1895 poem, The Fair Chivalry, commissioned for the Southwell Diocesan Choral Festival of 1949.
Following his retirement, his compositional output increased due to the greater amount of time he could commit to it. To an already large set of works was added much chamber music
, an opera
, The Bishop's Candlestick, and many instrumental pieces.
Of all the compositions, his own favourite remained a setting of Robert Bridges
's Christmas Eve, commissioned by David Poulter and the Tudor Consort for voices and a chamber ensemble including harp
, flute
, oboe
and string quartet
.
and musicians in the Church of England
became increasingly strained over the question of fees and salaries. Ashfield represented the Royal College of Organists, working initially in partnership with William Cole
, of the Associated Board
, and Gerald Knight, director of the Royal School of Church Music
, he helped to provide a series of recommendations. However, following delays in their acceptance, Ashfield unilaterally produced his own suggested set of fees. Subsequently championed by The Church Times, the Ashfield Scale, as it became known, stayed in vogue throughout the decade.
He was also a member of the council of the Royal College of Organists, Fellow of the Guild of Church Musicians and a special commissioner of the Royal School of Church Music.
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
organist
Organist
An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ. An organist may play solo organ works, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumental soloists...
, choirmaster and composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
.
Early life and education
Robert James Ashfield was born in 1911 at Chipstead, SurreySurrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
. Educated at Tonbridge School
Tonbridge School
Tonbridge School is a British boys' independent school for both boarding and day pupils in Tonbridge, Kent, founded in 1553 by Sir Andrew Judd . It is a member of the Eton Group, and has close links with the Worshipful Company of Skinners, one of the oldest London livery companies...
and the Royal College of Music
Royal College of Music
The Royal College of Music is a conservatoire founded by Royal Charter in 1882, located in South Kensington, London, England.-Background:The first director was Sir George Grove and he was followed by Sir Hubert Parry...
(RCM), he inherited his considerable musical talent from his mother, a fine amateur musician. At the RCM he came under the influence of Sir Ernest Bullock
Ernest Bullock
Sir Ernest Bullock was an English organist, composer, and educator.-Education:...
, then organist of Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey
The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
, and became his assistant.
Ashfield became a Fellow of the Royal College of Organists
Royal College of Organists
The Royal College of Organists or RCO, is a charity and membership organisation based in the United Kingdom, but with members around the world...
in 1932, and then served as organist of St John's, Smith Square, London, from 1934 until 1941. After being awarded his doctorate by the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
in 1941, he served in the Army during the Second World War.
Southwell
After his war service, he was, in 1946, appointed "magister and rector chori" at Southwell MinsterSouthwell Minster
Southwell Minster is a minster and cathedral, in Southwell, Nottinghamshire, England. It is six miles away from Newark-on-Trent and thirteen miles from Mansfield. It is the seat of the Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham and the Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham.It is considered an outstanding...
. Here he was fortunate in receiving the full support of the Provost
Provost (religion)
A provost is a senior official in a number of Christian churches.-Historical Development:The word praepositus was originally applied to any ecclesiastical ruler or dignitary...
, Hugh Heywood, which assisted him in breathing new life into the choir. He began by establishing a regular and disciplined rehearsal routine, and before long the choir was known for its bold and incisive sound. Ashfield also increased the range of choral repertoire performed, and expanded other areas of musical life within the cathedral.
Rochester
After 10 years at Southwell, he moved to Rochester CathedralRochester Cathedral
Rochester Cathedral, or the Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary, is a Norman church in Rochester, Kent. The bishopric is second oldest in England after Canterbury...
in 1956 as organist and master of the choristers. Over the next 21 years he also made his mark on the local community, notably as conductor of the Rochester Choral Society. From 1958 until 1977, he also taught at the RCM.
His arrival at Rochester coincided with the opportunity to redesign and completely rebuild the cathedral organ. In consultation with the organ builder
Organ builder
-Australia:* William Anderson * Australian Pipe Organs Pty Ltd* Robert Cecil Clifton * William Davidson* J.E. Dodd & Sons Gunstar Organ Works* Fincham & Hobday* Geo. Fincham & Son* Alfred Fuller * Peter D.G. Jewkes Pty Ltd...
s, J. W. Walker & Sons Ltd
J. W. Walker & Sons Ltd
J. W. Walker & Sons Ltd is a British firm of organ builders established in 1828 by Joseph William Walker in London. Walker organs were popular additions to churches during the Gothic Revival era of church building and restoration in Victorian Britain, and instruments built by Walker are found in...
, Ashfield rejected much of the piecemeal work that had gone before producing, in 1960, an instrument with a traditional feel but well-suited to the needs of the cathedral.
He retired from his cathedral post in 1977, but remained in Rochester until his death in December 2006.
Composition
His practical experience of the liturgyLiturgy
Liturgy is either the customary public worship done by a specific religious group, according to its particular traditions or a more precise term that distinguishes between those religious groups who believe their ritual requires the "people" to do the "work" of responding to the priest, and those...
allowed him to write well for voices. Many of his anthems, services
Service (music)
In Anglican church music, a service is a musical setting of certain parts of the liturgy, generally for choir with or without organ accompaniment.-Morning Prayer:*Venite *Te Deum or Benedicite...
, responses
Preces
Preces are, in liturgical worship, short petitions that are said or sung as versicle and response by the officiant and congregation respectively...
, chants
Anglican chant
Anglican chant is a way to sing un-metrical texts, such as prose translations of the psalms, canticles, and other, similar biblical texts by matching the natural speech-rhythm of the words in each verse to a short piece of metrical music. It may be fairly described as "harmonized recitative"...
and other choral works, often written for special occasions, have retained their place in the repertoire. perhaps best known is his setting of Lionel Johnson
Lionel Johnson
Lionel Pigot Johnson was an English poet, essayist and critic. He was born at Broadstairs, and educated at Winchester College and New College, Oxford, graduating in 1890. He became a Catholic convert in 1891. He lived a solitary life in London, struggling with alcoholism and his repressed...
's 1895 poem, The Fair Chivalry, commissioned for the Southwell Diocesan Choral Festival of 1949.
Following his retirement, his compositional output increased due to the greater amount of time he could commit to it. To an already large set of works was added much chamber music
Chamber music
Chamber music is a form of classical music, written for a small group of instruments which traditionally could be accommodated in a palace chamber. Most broadly, it includes any art music that is performed by a small number of performers with one performer to a part...
, an opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
, The Bishop's Candlestick, and many instrumental pieces.
Of all the compositions, his own favourite remained a setting of Robert Bridges
Robert Bridges
Robert Seymour Bridges, OM, was a British poet, and poet laureate from 1913 to 1930.-Personal and professional life:...
's Christmas Eve, commissioned by David Poulter and the Tudor Consort for voices and a chamber ensemble including harp
Harp
The harp is a multi-stringed instrument which has the plane of its strings positioned perpendicularly to the soundboard. Organologically, it is in the general category of chordophones and has its own sub category . All harps have a neck, resonator and strings...
, flute
Flute
The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
, oboe
Oboe
The oboe is a double reed musical instrument of the woodwind family. In English, prior to 1770, the instrument was called "hautbois" , "hoboy", or "French hoboy". The spelling "oboe" was adopted into English ca...
and string quartet
String quartet
A string quartet is a musical ensemble of four string players – usually two violin players, a violist and a cellist – or a piece written to be performed by such a group...
.
Administrative influence
In the late 1960s, relations between clergyClergy
Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given religion. A clergyman, churchman or cleric is a member of the clergy, especially one who is a priest, preacher, pastor, or other religious professional....
and musicians in the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
became increasingly strained over the question of fees and salaries. Ashfield represented the Royal College of Organists, working initially in partnership with William Cole
William Cole (Musician)
William Charles Cole FSA was a conductor, composer and organist. He went to Saint Olave's Grammar School, where he in fact almost lost his scholarship there because 'his music was getting in the way of his studies'. He also studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London, where he won the Stewart...
, of the Associated Board
Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music
ABRSM is an internationally recognised educational body and charity that provides examinations in music The organisation, based in London, UK, runs exams in centres all over the world...
, and Gerald Knight, director of the Royal School of Church Music
Royal School of Church Music
The largest church music organisation in Britain, the Royal School of Church Music was founded in 1927 by Sir Sydney Nicholson and has 11,000 members worldwide; it was originally named the School of English Church Music. It seeks to enable church music in the present and invest in its future,...
, he helped to provide a series of recommendations. However, following delays in their acceptance, Ashfield unilaterally produced his own suggested set of fees. Subsequently championed by The Church Times, the Ashfield Scale, as it became known, stayed in vogue throughout the decade.
He was also a member of the council of the Royal College of Organists, Fellow of the Guild of Church Musicians and a special commissioner of the Royal School of Church Music.
External links
- obituary, The TimesThe TimesThe Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
, 1 February 2007