Basil Ramsey (26 April, 1929 – 12 June, 2018), was an English music publisher, journalist, editor and organist.
/ref> Ramsey was born in

Chelmsford Chelmsford () is a city in the City of Chelmsford district in the county of Essex, England. It is the county town of Essex and one of three cities in the county, along with Southend-on-Sea and Colchester. It is located north-east of Lond ...

and grew up in London. He joined the music publisher

Novello and Co Wise Music Group is a global music publisher, with headquarters in Berners Street, London. In February 2020, Wise Music Group changed its name from The Music Sales Group. In 2014 Wise Music Group (as The Music Sales Group) acquired French cla ...

in 1949, becoming Director of Publications in 1963. While there he worked with composers including Peter Dickinson, Geoffrey Bush, John Joubert and John McCabe. In 1974 he set up his own publishing business (Basil Ramsey/Banks Music Publications) with his friend, the composer Bernard Herrmann – though Herrmann unfortunately died the following year. Ramsey published many pieces by the musical medium Rosemary Brown. He also became the publisher of the Maltese composer Charles Camilleri. He was the editor of and contributor to various publications, including ''Organists’ Review'' (1972–84), ''Music & Musicians'' (1989–90), and ''

The Musical Times ''The Musical Times'' is an academic journal of classical music edited and produced in the United Kingdom and currently the oldest such journal still being published in the country. It was originally created by Joseph Mainzer in 1842 as ''Mainze ...

'' (1990-92), and was the founding editor of ''Choir and Organ'' in 1993.Obituary at Rhinegold Publishing
/ref> Ramsey suffered a stroke three years later, but continued editing for another decade from his wheelchair. And in 1999, with Keith Bramich, he founded the online music magazine ''Music & Vision'', where he continued working until 2006.Dickinson, Peter. Obituary in ''The Guardian'', 24 July, 2018
/ref> Ramsey was also a church organist in London, at St Luke’s, Old Street, and St Giles, Cripplegate, in London. He arranged the carol ''From Heaven Winging'', which is still performed. He married his wife Violet Simpson in 1952 and there were two daughters and a son. She died in 1996. Basil Ramsey died in North Yorkshire on 13 June 2018, aged eighty-nine, following a long illness.

References

External Links

''Music & Vision'' (now ''Classical Music Daily'') website

''From Heaven Winging'' (Arr. Basil Ramsey for Choir & Orchestra)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ramsey, Basil 1929 births 2018 deaths English music critics Classical music critics The Musical Times editors Music publishing Music publishers (people) People from Chelmsford