He was a canon, musician, author, editor and translator born Charles Winfred Douglas in Oswego, New York, who studied at Syracuse University and gained a Bachelor of Music in 1891, taking further studies at the St. Andrew’s Divinity School in Syracuse, Matthew’s Hall in Denver, Colorado and several European countries. His time in France was spent with the Benedictine monks in Solesmes.
He was also a singer at St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral and after graduation he took Holy Orders in 1893 and was ordained as a deacon. Experiencing problems with his health he moved to Evergreen, Colorado, in 1894 and took up a position as a canon minor.
In 1897 he became an associate missionary and began the Church of Transfiguration and in 1899 he was ordained a priest. In 1907 he took the position of canon residentiary in Wisconsin at Font du Lac’s St. Paul’s Cathedral and was instrumental in founding the Evergreen Conference in 1923.
Being recognised for his works for the church and his contribution to religious music, he was made an honorary canon by St. John’s Cathedral in Denver in 1937.
His translations include the hymns “From Heaven High I Come To You”, “On Jordan’s Bank” and “Give Praise and Glory Unto God”. He is also known for his work on arranging and bringing translating Gregorian chant and bringing it to the fore.
His publications include the 1955 Church Music in History and Practice: Study in the Praise and Worship and the 1933 The Midnight Mass, Poems and Translations. He edited the Episcopal New Hymnal in 1918 and was instrumental in the development of its 1940 version.
He died in Santa Rosa, California, in 1944 aged 76.
From Heaven High I Come To You recordings
Leroy Anderson and His Orchestra
Decca B0003552-02 (CD: A Leroy Anderson Christmas)
Sources:
- http://www.cyberhymnal.org/bio/d/o/douglas_cw.htm
- http://anglicanhistory.org/music/douglas/list.html
- http://homepages.nyu.edu/~rb847/final%20Bibliography.htm
- http://www.episcopalian.org/pbs1928/Mandate/Mandate_9-12NovDec.pdf
- http://choralnet.org/resources/viewResource.phtml?id=429&lang=en&category=5
- http://www.episcopalchurch.org/19625_12609_ENG_Print.html