ABBA

He was a composer, organist, lawyer, author and organ designer born in Wellington, Shropshire, England. His father was a curate, his two sisters were musicians and his mother taught him the organ. He later studied with the organist and composer Wesley. He was asked to become the organist of St. Paul's Cathedral in London by Attwood who had been a pupil of Mozart, but his father was against this as he thought that being a professional musician would face him with "too many temptations of the flesh." He therefore became a lawyer and worked in a practice with his brother in London. He returned to playing the organ in 1827 and campaigned for changes in the design, which was initially frowned upon. He was popular as a performer and handpicked by Mendelssohn to perform Elijah in the Birmingham Town Hall as well as him stating that he was "one of the most remarkable professors of the age". A prolific hymn writer, it has been claimed, although extremely doubtful, that he was the author of around 10,000 hymns which meant he must have written on average three a day for thirty days. The music he wrote for these hymns include the works known as "I Love to Hear the Story", "Gauntlett", "Triumph" , "Hawkhurst" and "Irby" which is used for "Once in Royal David's City" and he was the writer of the words and music of his own version of "As Joseph Was A Walking". He was involved in all the important hymn collections that were published over a period of fifty years, was granted a Lambeth doctorate by the Archbishop of Canterbury and as has his portrait hanging in the Royal College of Organists.

Once in Royal David's City recordings (Henry Gauntlett/Cecil Alexander)

The Bach Choir and members of The Philip Jones Brass Ensemble

London 417 898-2 (CD: O Come All Ye Faithful)

Organ - John Scott

Conductor - Sir David Willcocks

Cathedral Symphony Orchestra,

MHS 512240T

New York Vocal Consort and the American Boychoir

Conductor - James Litton

Choir of Canterbury Cathedral

Conifer CDCF 160

Conductor - Dr. Allan Wicks

Organ - Michael Harris

Choir of Keble College

Priory PRCD 708 (CD: The Complete New English Hymnal, Vol. 8) ymna

Conductor - Gavin Plumley

Organ - Mark Laflin

Choir of King's College, Cambridge

EMI 66241 (CD: Christmas Carols from King's College, Cambridge)

Conductor - Sir David Willcocks

Choir of St. Thomas Church

Pro Organo 7200 (CD: Christmas on Fifth Avenue)

Clare College Singers and Orchestra

EMI 69950 (CD: Carols from Clare)

Conductor - John Rutter

Arturo Delmoni and Nina Bodnar

JMR 18 (CD: A String Quartet Christmas, Volume 2)

Violin - Arturo Delmoni

Violin - Nina Bodnar

Musicians of The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

North Star NS0035 (CD: And The Angels Sing)

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