Charles Herbert Kitson (13 November 1874 – 13 May 1944) was an English

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. In addition, an organist may accompany congregational h ...

, teacher, and

music educator Music education is a field of practice in which educators are trained for careers as elementary or secondary music teachers, school or music conservatory ensemble directors. Music education is also a research area in which scholars do original ...

, author of several books on harmony and counterpoint.

Biography

Kitson was born in

Leyburn Leyburn is a market town and civil parish in the district of Richmondshire, North Yorkshire, England, sitting above the northern bank of the River Ure in Wensleydale. Historically in the North Riding of Yorkshire, the name was derived from 'L ...

Yorkshire Yorkshire ( ; abbreviated Yorks), formally known as the County of York, is a historic county in northern England and by far the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its large area in comparison with other English counties, functions have ...

, and attended school in

Ripon Ripon () is a cathedral city in the Borough of Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England. The city is located at the confluence of two tributaries of the River Ure, the Laver and Skell. Historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, the city ...

. Intending originally to take holy orders, he took his BA (1896) and MA (1904) at

Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a College town, university city and the county town in Cambridgeshire, England. It is located on the River Cam approximately north of London. As of the 2021 United Kingdom census, the population of Cambridge was 145,700. Cam ...

, where he was

organ scholar An organ scholar is a young musician employed as a part-time assistant organist at a cathedral, church or institution where regular choral services are held. The idea of an organ scholarship is to provide the holder with playing, directing and adm ...

of Selwyn College. Between those dates, he also took the BMus (1897) and DMus (1902) degrees at

Oxford Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...

, as an external student. After teaching at Haileybury and St Edmund's School, Canterbury, he became organist of St John the Baptist, Leicester. His first important post was as organist at Christ Church Cathedral in

Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of the Wicklow Mountains range. At the 2016 c ...

, in 1913 – a post which he held until 1920 and which he combined with the post of Professor of Theory at the

Royal Irish Academy of Music The Royal Irish Academy of Music (RIAM) in Dublin, Ireland, is one of Europe's oldest music conservatoires, specialising in classical music and the Irish harp. It is located in a Georgian building on Westland Row in Dublin. An institution whic ...

.Houston, Kerry: "Kitson, Charles Herbert", in: ''The Encyclopaedia of Music in Ireland'', ed. Harry White & Barra Boydell (Dublin: UCD Press, 2013), p. 571–2. During his stay in Dublin, he became Professor of Music at

University College Dublin University College Dublin (commonly referred to as UCD) ( ga, Coláiste na hOllscoile, Baile Átha Cliath) is a public research university in Dublin, Ireland, and a member institution of the National University of Ireland. With 33,284 student ...

between 1916 and 1920, filling temporarily the post of Heinrich Bewerunge (1862-1923). In 1920, he resigned both posts and returned to

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

, settling in

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

, where he joined the staff of the

Royal College of Music The Royal College of Music is a conservatoire established by royal charter in 1882, located in South Kensington, London, UK. It offers training from the undergraduate to the doctoral level in all aspects of Western Music including performanc ...

. The same year, he also succeeded Percy Buck as Professor of Music at Trinity College, Dublin – a non-residential post, from which he retired in 1935. Among his notable pupils are

Hubert Clifford __NOTOC__ Hubert John Clifford (31 May 1904 – 4 September 1959) was an Australian-born British composer, conductor and musical director for films. A native of Bairnsdale in rural Victoria, he studied chemistry before taking up music at the Mel ...

, Arthur Duff,

Arwel Hughes Arwel Hughes OBE (25 August 1909 – 23 September 1988) was a Welsh orchestral conductor and composer. Life and career Hughes was born in Rhosllannerchrugog near Wrexham and was educated at Ruabon Grammar School and at the Royal College ...

, John F. Larchet, Herbert Sanders, Robert Still,

Michael Tippett Sir Michael Kemp Tippett (2 January 1905 – 8 January 1998) was an English composer who rose to prominence during and immediately after the Second World War. In his lifetime he was sometimes ranked with his contemporary Benjamin Britten ...

, and

S. Drummond Wolff Stanley Drummond Wolff (4 February 1916 – 9 April 2004) was an English organist, choirmaster, composer, and music educator who was primarily active in North America. His compositional output primarily consists of anthems for choir and works for ...

. He died in Kensington, London, where he was living at 5, Argyll Road, in 1944.

Writings

*''The Art of Counterpoint, and its Application as a Decorative Principle'' (London, 1907) *''The Evolution of Harmony'' (London, 1914) *''Applied Strict Counterpoint'' (London, 1916) *''Elementary Harmony'', three volumes (London, 1920–26) *''Additional Exercises to Elementary Harmony'' (1926) *''Rudiments of Music'' (London, 1926) *''Counterpoint for Beginners'' (London, 1927) *''Invertible Counterpoint and Canon'' (London, 1927) *''The Elements of Fugal Construction'' (London, 1929) *''Six Lectures on Accompanied Vocal Writing'' (London, 1930) *''Contrapuntal Harmony for Beginners'' (London, 1931) *''Rudiments of Music for Junior Classes'' (London, 1931) *''The Elements of Musical Composition'' (London, 1936) Composition - Introit for Whitsuntide - Fountain of Sweets (1931)

References

Sources and external links

*Shaw, Watkins. "Kitson, Charles Herbert"
Grove Music Online
(subscription access)
AIM25 entry for Kitson
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kitson, Charles Herbert 1874 births 1944 deaths British music educators English organists British male organists People from Leyburn Alumni of Selwyn College, Cambridge