Archive

The forgotten Father Smith organ at the Bishop’s Palace in County Durham (England)

Description and history of a seemingly “forgotten” organ by Bernard “Father” Smith, the organ-builder superstar of the seventeenth century, which includes 4 complete pieces played on the original 1688 stops. […]

The Choir of King’s College, Cambridge and the man who made it famous. Part 1

The first of a two blog posts about Boris Ord, the organist and choirmaster who took over the Choir of King’s College, Cambridge in 1929 and made it world-famous. […]

E.H. Fellowes, the scholar and performer who “found” the English composer, John Dowland, and rediscovered the lute song. Part 4 of 4

 

For me, two stories from Fellowes’ 1946 autobiography, Memoirs of an Amateur Musician, stand out:

Byrd’s Great Service

According to Fellowes, “the greatest thrill in the course of the whole of [his] researches” was finding Byrd’s Great Service, which he stumbled upon while visiting Durham to complete some Gibbons anthems. As soon as […]

E.H. Fellowes, the scholar and performer who “found” the English composer, John Dowland, and rediscovered the lute song. Part 3 of 4

Edmund aged 7

Fellowes’ life and legacy

Aided in the churchy sphere by Professor Sir Percy Buck, who was one of his oldest friends (and a teacher of Mary Potts at the RCM), Edmund Fellowes brought about a revolution, albeit a gentle one: he both changed the way in which choral and other […]

E.H. Fellowes, the scholar and performer who “found” the English composer, John Dowland, and rediscovered the lute song. Part 2 of 4

Fellowes’ interpretation of Tudor music

As a church musician himself, Fellowes recognized that what little Cathedral repertoire there was in his day was usually poorly performed. “The interpretation of Tudor music began to force itself on my attention,” he wrote. “It became increasingly clear that rhythmic irregularity, as an essential feature of this music, […]