Sir John Frederick Bridge (5 December 1844 – 18 March 1924) was an English organist, composer, teacher and writer. From a musical family, Bridge became a church organist before he was 20, and he achieved his ambition to become a cathedral organist by the age of 24, at

Manchester Cathedral Manchester Cathedral, formally the Cathedral and Collegiate Church of St Mary, St Denys and St George, in Manchester, England, is the mother church Mother church or matrice is a term depicting the Christian Church as a mother ...

. After six years there, he was invited to become organist at

Westminster Abbey Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, is an historic, mainly Gothic church in the City of Westminster, London, England, just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is one of the United ...

, where he remained for the rest of his career. He instituted several changes to modernise and improve the music-making at the Abbey and organised the music for several state occasions, including two coronations. As a teacher and lecturer, Bridge held posts at the

Royal College of Music The Royal College of Music is a music school, conservatoire established by royal charter in 1882, located in South Kensington, London, UK. It offers training from the Undergraduate education, undergraduate to the Doctorate, doctoral level in a ...

Gresham College Gresham College is an institution of higher learning located at Barnard's Inn Hall off Holborn in Central London, England. It does not enroll students or award degrees. It was founded in 1596 under the will of Sir Thomas Gresham, and hosts ove ...

and the

University of London The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in post-nominals) is a federal public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The university was established by royal charter in 1836 as a degree ...

. His students included the composers

Arthur Benjamin Arthur Leslie Benjamin (18 September 1893, in Sydney – 10 April 1960, in London) was an Australian composer, pianist, conductor and teacher. He is best known as the composer of '' Jamaican Rumba'' (1938) and of the ''Storm Clouds Cantata'', f ...

and

Noel Gay Noel or Noël may refer to: Christmas * , French for Christmas * Noel is another name for a Christmas carol Places * Noel, Missouri, United States, a city *Noel, Nova Scotia, Canada, a community * 1563 Noël, an asteroid *Mount Noel, Britis ...

, the organists

Edward Bairstow Sir Edward Cuthbert Bairstow (22 August 18741 May 1946) was an English organist and composer in the Anglican church music tradition. Life and career Bairstow was born in Trinity Street, Huddersfield in 1874. His grandfather Oates Bairstow was ...

and

Herbert Brewer Sir Alfred Herbert Brewer (21 June 18651 March 1928) was an English composer and organist. As organist of Gloucester Cathedral from 1896 until his death, he contributed a good deal to the Three Choirs Festival for 30 years.Edwards, F.G. 'Brew ...

, the conductor

Landon Ronald Sir Landon Ronald (born Landon Ronald Russell) (7 June 1873 – 14 August 1938) was an English conductor, composer, pianist, teacher and administrator. In his early career he gained work as an accompanist and ''répétiteur'', but struggled ...

and the early music pioneer Arnold Dolmetsch. His public lectures at Gresham College attracted large audiences, and they covered a wide range of subjects and musical periods. For 25 years, Bridge was conductor of the

Royal Choral Society The Royal Choral Society (RCS) is an amateur choir, based in London. History Formed soon after the opening of the Royal Albert Hall in 1871, the choir gave its first performance as the Royal Albert Hall Choral Society on 8 May 1872 – the choir' ...

, with whom he performed many new works, including some of his own compositions and works by the British composers

Elgar Sir Edward William Elgar, 1st Baronet, (; 2 June 1857 – 23 February 1934) was an English composer, many of whose works have entered the British and international classical concert repertoire. Among his best-known compositions are orchestr ...

Vaughan Williams Ralph Vaughan Williams, (; 12 October 1872– 26 August 1958) was an English composer. His works include operas, ballets, chamber music, secular and religious vocal pieces and orchestral compositions including nine symphonies, written over ...

and

Parry PARRY was an early example of a chatbot, implemented in 1972 by psychiatrist Kenneth Colby. History PARRY was written in 1972 by psychiatrist Kenneth Colby, then at Stanford University. While ELIZA was a tongue-in-cheek simulation of a Rogeria ...

Life and career

Early years

Bridge was born in Oldbury, then in

Worcestershire Worcestershire ( , ; written abbreviation: Worcs) is a county in the West Midlands of England. The area that is now Worcestershire was absorbed into the unified Kingdom of England in 927, at which time it was constituted as a county (see His ...

, in central England, the eldest son of John Bridge and his wife, Rebecca ''née'' Cox.Alcock, W. G., rev. Judith Blezzard
"Bridge, Sir (John) Frederick (1844–1924)"
''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', Oxford University Press, 2004, accessed 27 October 2011 In 1850, his father was appointed a vicar-choral of

Rochester Cathedral Rochester Cathedral, formally the Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary, is an English church of Norman architecture in Rochester, Kent. The church is the cathedral of the Diocese of Rochester in the Church of England and the s ...

. Young Bridge was admitted to the cathedral choir as a "practising boy" (that is, a probationer). The choirboys were educated by another of the vicars-choral. The régime was severe in discipline and rudimentary in curriculum, but among the alumni of the choir school of this period were future organists of four English cathedrals and of

. They included Bridge's younger brother Joseph, who eventually became organist of

Chester Cathedral Chester Cathedral is a Church of England cathedral and the mother church of the Diocese of Chester. It is located in the city of Chester, Cheshire, England. The cathedral, formerly the abbey church of a Benedictine monastery dedicated to Sain ...

."Sir Frederick Bridge"
'' The Musical Times and Singing Class Circular'', Vol. 38, No. 654 (August 1897), pp. 513–516 Bridge first participated in a great national commemoration in 1852, when, aged eight, he was allowed to help toll the cathedral bell to mark the death of the

Duke of Wellington Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, (1 May 1769 – 14 September 1852) was an Anglo-Irish soldier and Tory statesman who was one of the leading military and political figures of 19th-century Britain, serving twice as prime minister of ...

. When Bridge was nine, he and his father were members of the choir assembled by Michael Costa for the opening of

the Crystal Palace The Crystal Palace was a cast iron and plate glass structure, originally built in Hyde Park, London, Hyde Park, London, to house the Great Exhibition of 1851. The exhibition took place from 1 May to 15 October 1851, and more than 14,000 exhibit ...

in June 1854. At the age of 14 Bridge left the cathedral choir and was apprenticed to John Hopkins, organist of Rochester Cathedral. While still studying under Hopkins, Bridge was appointed organist of the village church of

Shorne Shorne is a village and civil parishes in England, civil parish in the borough of Gravesham in Kent, England. The parish lies east of Gravesend. Most of the land is well-drained but its marshes, the Shorne Marshes reach down to the Thames Estuar ...

in 1851, and the following year moved to

Strood Strood is a town in the unitary authority of Medway in Kent, South East England. The town forms a conurbation with neighbouring towns Chatham, Rochester, Gillingham and Rainham. It lies on the northwest bank of the River Medway at its lowes ...

Parish Church. From 1863 to 1867 he studied composition with John Goss, professor of harmony at the

Royal Academy of Music The Royal Academy of Music (RAM) in London, England, is the oldest conservatoire in the UK, founded in 1822 by John Fane and Nicolas-Charles Bochsa. It received its royal charter in 1830 from King George IV with the support of the first Duke of ...

. Bridge said in 1897, "Very happy and improving lessons they were and it is impossible for me to over-estimate the value of the instruction given by that dear, simple-minded musician." In 1865 Bridge was appointed organist of Holy Trinity Church,

Windsor Windsor may refer to: Places Australia * Windsor, New South Wales ** Municipality of Windsor, a former local government area * Windsor, Queensland, a suburb of Brisbane, Queensland **Shire of Windsor, a former local government authority around Wi ...

. There he was encouraged and influenced by

George Job Elvey Sir George Job Elvey (1816–1893) was an English organist and composer. Life He was born at Canterbury on 29 March 1816, a son of John Elvey. For several generations, his family had been connected with the musical life of the cathedral city. A ...

, organist of

St. George's Chapel, Windsor St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle in England is a castle chapel built in the late-medieval Perpendicular Gothic style. It is both a Royal Peculiar (a church under the direct jurisdiction of the monarch) and the Chapel of the Order of the Gart ...

, and made many friends including

John Stainer Sir John Stainer (6 June 1840 – 31 March 1901) was an English composer and organist whose music, though seldom performed today (with the exception of ''The Crucifixion'', still heard at Passiontide in some churches of the Anglican Communi ...

and the young

Hubert Parry Sir Charles Hubert Hastings Parry, 1st Baronet (27 February 18487 October 1918) was an English composer, teacher and historian of music. Born in Richmond Hill in Bournemouth, Parry's first major works appeared in 1880. As a composer he is b ...

."Sir F. Bridge", ''The Times'', 19 March 1924, p. 16 During his time at Windsor, Bridge passed the examination for the Fellowship of the

Royal College of Organists The Royal College of Organists (RCO) is a charity and membership organisation based in the United Kingdom, with members worldwide. Its role is to promote and advance organ playing and choral music, and it offers music education, training and de ...

, in 1867, and took his

Bachelor of Music Bachelor of Music (BM or BMus) is an academic degree awarded by a college, university, or conservatory upon completion of a program of study in music. In the United States, it is a professional degree, and the majority of work consists of prescr ...

degree at the

University of Oxford , mottoeng = The Lord is my light , established = , endowment = £6.1 billion (including colleges) (2019) , budget = £2.145 billion (2019–20) , chancellor ...

Cathedral organist

After four years at Windsor, Bridge achieved his ambition to become a cathedral organist, successfully competing for the post at

. He spent six years there from 1869, with his brother Joseph as his assistant. While at Manchester, he took his

Doctor of Music The Doctor of Music degree (D.Mus., D.M., Mus.D. or occasionally Mus.Doc.) is a higher doctorate awarded on the basis of a substantial portfolio of compositions and/or scholarly publications on music. Like other higher doctorates, it is granted b ...

degree at Oxford in 1874, and was professor of harmony at

Owens College Owens may refer to: Places in the United States *Owens Station, Delaware *Owens Township, St. Louis County, Minnesota *Owens, Missouri *Owens, Ohio *Owens, Virginia People * Owens (surname), including a list of people with the name * Owens Bro ...

from 1872.Warrack, Guy and Christopher Kent
"Bridge, Sir Frederick"
''Grove Music Online'',. Oxford Music Online, accessed 27 October 2011 Under Bridge's leadership musical standards of the cathedral were improved, and the unsatisfactory old organ was replaced. The state of the existing instrument was described by ''

The Manchester Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...

'' as "not only discreditable to Churchmen, but especially objectionable when existing in the cathedral church of a wealthy diocese."."The New Organ for Manchester Cathedral", ''The Manchester Guardian'', 20 March 1872, p. 6 The

churchwarden A churchwarden is a lay official in a parish or congregation of the Anglican Communion or Catholic Church, usually working as a part-time volunteer. In the Anglican tradition, holders of these positions are ''ex officio'' members of the parish b ...

William Houldsworth Sir William Henry Houldsworth, 1st Baronet (20 August 1834 – 18 April 1917) was a British mill-owner in Reddish, Lancashire. He was Conservative MP for Manchester North West from 1883 to 1906, and sometime chairman of the Fine Cotton Sp ...

gave £5,000, and a magnificent new instrument was built by Hill and Sons of London.

Westminster Abbey

In 1875, the organist and master of the choristers at

James Turle James Turle (5 March 1802 – 28 June 1882) was an English organist and composer, best known today as the writer of several widely sung Anglican chants and the hymn tune "Westminster" sung to the words of Frederick William Faber "My God, how wond ...

, retired. Bridge was invited to succeed him. As Turle was permitted to retain his former title in retirement, Bridge was formally "Permanent Deputy-Organist of Westminster Abbey" until Turle's death in 1882, but he was effectively in sole charge from the outset. ''

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 ...

'' wrote: According to a younger organist, Sir Walter Alcock, Bridge fulfilled those hopes: "He reformed many unsound traditions in the choir, such as life-tenure of posts as vicars-choral and inadequate rehearsal of boys and men together. The services soon became renowned through his marked gifts as a trainer of boys' voices." To the general public, Bridge became known for organising the music, and composing some of it, for great state occasions, notably

Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 21 ...

's jubilee (1887), the Coronation of King Edward VII (1902), the national memorial service for Edward VII (1910),

George V George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until Death and state funeral of George V, his death in 1936. Born duri ...

's coronation (1911), and the reinauguration of

Henry VII's Chapel The Henry VII Lady Chapel, now more often known just as the Henry VII Chapel, is a large Lady chapel at the far eastern end of Westminster Abbey, paid for by the will of King Henry VII. It is separated from the rest of the abbey by brass gates a ...

as the chapel of the

Order of the Bath The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I of Great Britain, George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate medieval ceremony for appointing a knight, which involved Bathing#Medieval ...

(1913). In the musical world he was known for his special commemorations of English composers of the past. The first was a celebration of

Henry Purcell Henry Purcell (, rare: September 1659 – 21 November 1695) was an English composer. Purcell's style of Baroque music was uniquely English, although it incorporated Italian and French elements. Generally considered among the greatest E ...

in 1895, marking the bicentenary of Purcell's death. Bridge presented Purcell's ''Te Deum'' "purged of the 18th century accretions which had overlaid it". Later commemorations were of

Orlando Gibbons Orlando Gibbons ( bapt. 25 December 1583 – 5 June 1625) was an English composer and keyboard player who was one of the last masters of the English Virginalist School and English Madrigal School. The best known member of a musical famil ...

(1907), and

Samuel Sebastian Wesley Samuel Sebastian Wesley (14 August 1810 – 19 April 1876) was an English organist and composer. Wesley married Mary Anne Merewether and had 6 children. He is often referred to as S.S. Wesley to avoid confusion with his father Samuel Wesley. Bio ...

(1910). Having worked successfully to have the organ at Manchester replaced, Bridge found himself obliged to do the same at the Abbey. He described the instrument he inherited as "a very old-fashioned affair". In 1884 the organ was completely rebuilt by Hill and Son to a very high specification.

Teacher, musicologist and conductor

When the National Training School for Music was set up in 1876 under

Arthur Sullivan Sir Arthur Seymour Sullivan (13 May 1842 – 22 November 1900) was an English composer. He is best known for 14 comic opera, operatic Gilbert and Sullivan, collaborations with the dramatist W. S. Gilbert, including ''H.M.S. Pinaf ...

, Bridge was appointed professor of organ. When the school was reconstituted as the

in 1883 he was appointed professor of harmony and counterpoint. In 1890 he was elected Gresham professor of music at

, London, and in 1903 he was appointed professor of music at the

. According to

Guy Warrack Guy Douglas Hamilton Warrack (6 February 1900 – 12 February 1986) was a Scottish composer, music educator and conductor. He was the son of John Warrack of the Leith steamship company, John Warrack & Co., founded by Guy's grandfather, also c ...

and Christopher Kent in the ''

Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians ''The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians'' is an encyclopedic dictionary of music and musicians. Along with the German-language ''Die Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart'', it is one of the largest reference works on the history and theo ...

'', "accounts of his teaching are not complimentary", but he was generally regarded as a highly successful lecturer, and Alcock's ''

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography The ''Dictionary of National Biography'' (''DNB'') is a standard work of reference on notable figures from British history, published since 1885. The updated ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' (''ODNB'') was published on 23 September ...

'' article states, "Because of his persuasive style and apt illustrations, his lectures drew large audiences." His pupils at the Royal College and the Abbey included

, Arnold Dolmetsch,

Lloyd Powell Lloyd Powell (22 August 188825 March 1975) was an English, later Canadian pianist and teacher. Career Lloyd Ioan Powell was born in Ironbridge, Shropshire in 1888.''Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians'', 5th ed (1954), Vol. VI, p. 901 His p ...

and

John Frederick Bridge Vanity Fair 14 April 1904

When Sir George Grove retired as head of the Royal College at the end of 1894, Bridge, along with

Charles Villiers Stanford Sir Charles Villiers Stanford (30 September 1852 – 29 March 1924) was an Anglo-Irish composer, music teacher, and conductor of the late Romantic music, Romantic era. Born to a well-off and highly musical family in Dublin, Stanford was ed ...

Walter Parratt Sir Walter Parratt (10 February 184127 March 1924) was an English organist and composer. Biography Born in Huddersfield, son of a parish organist, Parratt began to play the pipe organ from an early age, and held posts as an organist while still ...

and Franklin Taylor, was seen as a strong candidate to succeed him. Parry was chosen, and Bridge and the others continued to serve under him.Dibble, Jeremy
"Parry, Sir (Charles) Hubert Hastings, baronet (1848–1918)"
''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography,'' Oxford University Press, 2004, accessed 1 Oct 2009 Bridge's enthusiasms were many and varied. His lectures at Gresham College were well known for the wide range of topics he covered. His articles for the musical press showed a similar variety; some examples are: "Purcell and Nicola Matteis"; "

Samuel Pepys Samuel Pepys (; 23 February 1633 – 26 May 1703) was an English diarist and naval administrator. He served as administrator of the Royal Navy and Member of Parliament and is most famous for the diary he kept for a decade. Pepys had no mariti ...

– A Lover of Musicke"; "A Seventeenth Century View of Musical Education"; and "The Musical Cries of London in Shakespeare's Time". In 1899 he was a pioneer of authentic performance of

Handel George Frideric (or Frederick) Handel (; baptised , ; 23 February 1685 – 14 April 1759) was a German-British Baroque composer well known for his operas, oratorios, anthems, concerti grossi, and organ concertos. Handel received his training i ...

's score for ''

Messiah In Abrahamic religions, a messiah or messias (; , ; , ; ) is a saviour or liberator of a group of people. The concepts of ''mashiach'', messianism, and of a Messianic Age originated in Judaism, and in the Hebrew Bible, in which a ''mashiach'' ...

'', purging it of 18th and 19th century reorchestrations. Bridge's range of enthusiasms caused some carping. ''

The Times ''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper ''The Sunday Times'' (fou ...

'' commented: Besides being in 1903 a founding member of the

Samuel Pepys Club The Samuel Pepys Club is a London club founded in 1903 to do honour to the memory of Samuel Pepys (1633–1703), the English naval administrator and Member of Parliament now best known as a diarist. Origin On 26 May 1903, at the Garrick Club in ...

, Bridge was the conductor of the

from 1896 to 1921. In an article celebrating his work with the society,

Herman Klein Herman Klein (born Hermann Klein; 23 July 1856 – 10 March 1934) was an English music critic, author and teacher of singing. Klein's famous brothers included Charles and Manuel Klein. His second wife was the writer Kathleen Clarice Louise Co ...

listed the new works that it had performed under Bridge's baton. They included six works by

, four apiece by Parry, Stanford, and

Samuel Coleridge-Taylor Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (15 August 18751 September 1912) was a British composer and conductor. Of mixed-race birth, Coleridge-Taylor achieved such success that he was referred to by white New York musicians as the "African Mahler" when ...

, and works by Alexander Mackenzie,

Frederic Cowen Sir Frederic Hymen Cowen (29 January 1852 – 6 October 1935), was an English composer, conductor and pianist. Early years and musical education Cowen was born Hymen Frederick Cohen at 90 Duke Street, Kingston, Jamaica, the fifth and last c ...

Hamilton Harty Sir Herbert Hamilton Harty (4 December 1879 – 19 February 1941) was an Irish composer, conductor, pianist and organist. After an early career as a church organist in his native Ireland, Harty moved to London at about age 20, soon becoming a w ...

Ethel Smyth Dame Ethel Mary Smyth (; 22 April 18588 May 1944) was an English composer and a member of the women's suffrage movement. Her compositions include songs, works for piano, chamber music, orchestral works, choral works and operas. Smyth tended t ...

and

Personal life

Bridge was married three times, first, in 1872, to Constance Ellen Moore (d. 1879); second, in 1883, to Helen Mary Flora Amphlett (d. 1906), and third, in 1914, to Marjory Wedgwood Wood (d. 1929). There were a son and a daughter of the first marriage, and a daughter of the second. Bridge was

knighted A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the Christian denomination, church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood ...

in 1897. He was created a Member (4th class) of the

Royal Victorian Order The Royal Victorian Order (french: Ordre royal de Victoria) is a dynastic order of knighthood established in 1896 by Queen Victoria. It recognises distinguished personal service to the British monarch, Canadian monarch, Australian monarch, o ...

(MVO) in August 1902, for ″valued services recently rendered in connection with the

coronation A coronation is the act of placement or bestowal of a coronation crown, crown upon a monarch's head. The term also generally refers not only to the physical crowning but to the whole ceremony wherein the act of crowning occurs, along with the ...

(of King

Edward VII Edward VII (Albert Edward; 9 November 1841 – 6 May 1910) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and Emperor of India, from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910. The second child and eldest son of Queen Victoria an ...

)″, and promoted to a Commander of the order (CVO) in 1911. He was awarded honorary degrees from the universities of

Durham Durham most commonly refers to: *Durham, England, a cathedral city and the county town of County Durham *County Durham, an English county * Durham County, North Carolina, a county in North Carolina, United States *Durham, North Carolina, a city in N ...

(1905) and

Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...

(1908). Bridge retired as organist of the Abbey in 1918, but was granted the title of "Organist Emeritus" and continued to live in the Little Cloisters until his death six years later at the age of 79. His funeral took place at Glass,

Aberdeenshire Aberdeenshire ( sco, Aiberdeenshire; gd, Siorrachd Obar Dheathain) is one of the 32 Subdivisions of Scotland#council areas of Scotland, council areas of Scotland. It takes its name from the County of Aberdeen which has substantially differe ...

, where he was buried on 21 March 1924.

Works

Music

Bridge's larger-scale works include the choral pieces ''Mount Moriah'' (oratorio) (1874); ''Boadicea'' (cantata, G.E. Troutbeck, 1880); ''Callirhoë: a Legend of Calydon'' (cantata, W.B. Squire, 1888); ''He giveth his Beloved Sleep'' (meditation,

Elizabeth Barrett Browning Elizabeth Barrett Browning (née Moulton-Barrett; 6 March 1806 – 29 June 1861) was an English poet of the Victorian era, popular in Britain and the United States during her lifetime. Born in County Durham, the eldest of 12 children, Elizabet ...

, 1890); ''The Repentance of Nineveh'' (oratorio, Joseph Bennett, 1890); ''The Inchape Rock'' (ballad,

Robert Southey Robert Southey ( or ; 12 August 1774 – 21 March 1843) was an English poet of the Romantic school, and Poet Laureate from 1813 until his death. Like the other Lake Poets, William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Southey began as a ra ...

, 1891); ''The Cradle of Christ: Stabat mater speciosa'' (canticle, J.M. Neale, 1894); ''The Flag of England'' (ballad,

Rudyard Kipling Joseph Rudyard Kipling ( ; 30 December 1865 – 18 January 1936)''The Times'', (London) 18 January 1936, p. 12. was an English novelist, short-story writer, poet, and journalist. He was born in British India, which inspired much of his work. ...

, 1899); ''The Forging of the Anchor'' (dramatic scene, S. Ferguson, 1901); ''The Lobster's Garden Party'' (cantata, S. Wensley, 1904); ''A Song of the English'' (ballad, Kipling, 1911); and ''Star of the East'' (Christmas fantasy, Lady Lindsay, 1922). Bridge also wrote and edited many carols, and was editor of the ''Westminster Abbey Hymn-Book'' and the ''Wesleyan Hymn-Book''. Among his shorter works are many songs, both comic and serious. The former were popular, and Bridge commented that he had written a good deal of serious music, but that nobody seemed to want to hear it.

Orchestra

* 1886 - ''Morte d'Arthur'', overture (Town Hall, Birmingham, 6 May 1886) * Minuet and trio

Choral and vocal

* 1874 - ''Mount Moriah: The Trial of Abraham's Faith'' (D.Mus. submission), oratorio (Brixton Choral Society, Angell Town Institution, Brixton, London, 1876) * 1880 - ''Boadicea'', cantata (Highbury Philharmonic Society, London, 31 May 1880) * 1883 - ''Hymn to the Creator'' (Highbury Philharmonic Society, Athaneum, Highbury New Park, London, 7 May 1883; Worcester Festival, 7 September 1884) * 1885 - ''Rock of Ages: Jesus pro me perforatus'' (Birmingham Festival, 27 August 1885) * 1885 - ''The Festival: Ballad of Haroun al Raschid'', choral ballad for tenor and bass soli, male voices and orchestra * 1888 - ''Callirhoë: A Legend of Calydon'', cantata (Birmingham Festival, 30 August 1888) * 1890 - ''The Repentance of Nineveh'', dramatic oratorio (Worcester Festival, 11 September 1890) * 1890 - ''He giveth his Belovèd Sleep'', meditation * 1892 - ''The Inchcape Rock'', choral ballad (Finsbury Choral Association, Holloway Hall, Finsbury, London, 21 January 1892) * 1892 - ''The Lord's Prayer'' from Dante's ''Purgatorio'' (Gloucester Festival, 9 September 1892) * 1894 - ''The Cradle of Christ (Stabat mater speciosa)'', canticle for Christmas (Hereford Festival, 12 September 1894) * 1897 - ''The Flag of England'', ballad for chorus and orchestra (Royal Choral Society, Albert Hall, London, 6 May 1897) * 1899 - ''The Frogs and the Ox'', humorous cantata for children * 1899 - ''The Ballad of "The Clampherdown"'', ballad for chorus and orchestra (Royal Choral Society, Royal Albert Hall, London, 7 December 1899) * 1901 - ''The Forging of the Anchor'', dramatic scene (Gloucester Festival, 11 September 1901) * 1902 - ''The Spider and the Fly'', humorous cantata for children * 1904 - ''The Lobster's Garden Party; or, The selfish shell-fish'', humorous cantata for children * 1911 - ''A Song of the English'' (Royal Choral Society, Royal Albert Hall, London, 2 February 1911) * 1922 - ''The Star of the East'', Christmas fantasy for contralto solo (ad lib.) and chorus (1922)

Anthems, etc.

* 1869 - ''The Lord ordereth a good man's going'', anthem * 1870 - ''Give unto the Lord the Glory'', anthem * 1870 - ''We declare unto you glad tidings'', anthem for Easter * 1871 - ''The Lord hath chosen Zion'', anthem * 1873 - ''God hath not appointed us to wrath'', anthem * 1876 - Magnificat and Nunc dimittis in D * 1876 - ''It is a good thing to give thanks'', anthem * 1882 - ''Happy is the man that findeth wisdom'', anthem * 1884 - ''In sorrow and in want'', carol * 1886 - Morning and Evening services in G * 1887 - ''Blessed be the Lord thy God'', homage anthem for Queen Victoria's golden jubilee (Westminster Abbey, London, 21 June 1887) * 1887 - ''Joy, ye people'', carol * 1887 - ''Child divine'', carol * 1888 - ''The God of heaven, he will prosper us'', anthem * 1889 - ''O sing unto the Lord with thanksgiving'', anthem * 1890 - ''When my soul fainted within me'', anthem for Easter * 1890 - ''All jubilant with psalm and hymn'', carol * 1891 - ''Hosanna - Alleluia!'', anthem * 1892 - ''Sweeter than songs of Summer'', carol * 1897 - ''Behold my servant'', anthem for Christmas * 1897 - ''Sing unto the Lord'', anthem * 1900 - ''O Lord, Thy words endureth'', anthem * 1902 - ''Kings shall see and arise'', homage anthem for the coronation of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra (Westminster Abbey, London, 9 August 1902) * 1903 - ''All my heart this night rejoices'', carol * 1904 - ''In that day'', anthem for Christmas * 1911 - Te Deum in A * 1911 - ''Rejoice in the Lord, O ye Righteous'', homage anthem for the coronation of King George V and Queen Mary (Westminster Abbey, London, 22 June 1911) * 1911 - ''The King, o Lord, in Thee this day rejoices'', hymn for the coronation of King George V and Queen Mary (Westminster Abbey, London, 22 June 1911) * 1912 - ''Carmen feriale Westmonasteriense'' * 1912 - Benedictus in A * 1912 - ''Jesu, dear child of God'', carol * 1913 - ''The "Bowe bells"'', carol for chorus, organ and carillon * 1920 - ''Ring Christmas bells'', carol * 1920 - ''By Nazareth's green hill'', carol * 1920 - ''Would I had been a shephard'', carol * 1921 - ''Carol of the three kings'', carol * 1922 - ''Cradle song'', carol * 1923 - ''The inn at Bethlehem'', carol * 1924 - ''When I was yet young I sought wisdom'', anthem

Part-songs, etc.

* 1870 - ''Flowers'', part-song * 1875 - ''Christmas Bells'', part-song * 1879 - ''With thee, sweet Hope!'', glee * 1886 - ''The Goose'', part-song * 1892 - ''Crossing the bar'', part-song * 1892 - ''An old rat's tale'', humorous part-song for male voices * 1892 - ''Ode to the terrestrial globe'', humorous part-song for male voices * 1894 - ''To Phoebe'', humorous part-song * 1895 - ''John Barleycorn'', humorous ballad for male voices * 1895 - ''The flirt'', humorous part-song for male voices * 1896 - ''Hurrah! hurrah! for England'', part-song * 1896 - ''Two snails'', humorous part-song * 1898 - ''The Cabbage and the Rose'', unison song with action ad lib. * 1899 - ''Weep no more, woful shepherds'', madrigal * 1899 - ''For all the wonder of thy regal day'', part-song in honour of Queen Victoria's 80th birthday (Windsor and Eton Madrigal Society, Windsor Castle, Windsor, 29 May 1900) * 1909 - ''The Song of the Milking'', unison song * 1912 - ''When father votes'', humorous quartet * 1912 - ''The nights'', unison song * 1913 - ''The goslings'', humorous part-song * 1915 - ''Peace (a Fable)'', part-song * 1916 - ''Who has seen the wind?'', unison song * 1918 - ''Violets'', unison song * 1919 - ''Spring!'', humorous part-song * 1919 - ''Peace lives again'', motet * 1919 - ''May the Lord bless thee'', motet * 1920 - ''God's goodness hath been great to thee'', motet

Songs

* 1880 - ''Forget-me-not'' * 1880 - ''Tears'' * 1890 - ''Bold Turpin'' * 1896 - ''Katawampus Canticles'' * 1904 - ''The England of to-morrow'' * 1913 - ''Bells, bells, what did you say?'', Christmas song * 1918 - ''A song of England'', two-part song * 1921 - ''The coming of Christmas'' * 1921 - ''Green grows the holly tree''

Organ

* 1885 - Sonata in D * 1896 - Meditation, for organ or harmonium

Scores and manuscripts

Novello, Ewer & Co., London, published vocal scores of ''The Ballad of "The Clampherdown"'', ''Boadicea'', ''Callirhoë'', ''The Cradle of Christ'', ''The Flag of England'', ''Forging the Anchor'', ''The Frogs and the Ox'', ''He giveth his Belovèd Sleep'', ''Hymn to the Creator'', ''The Inchcape Rock'', ''The Lobster's Garden Party'', ''The Lord's Prayer'', ''Mount Moriah'', ''The Repentance of Nineveh'', ''Rock of Ages'' and ''The Spider and the Fly''. Metzler & Co., London, issued the vocal score of ''The Festival''. Bosworth & Co., London, issued the vocal score of ''The Star of the East''. Autograph manuscripts of ''Boadicea'', ''The Flag of England'', ''The Frogs and the Ox'', ''God Save the Queen'', ''The Inchcape Rock'', ''Kings shall see and arise'', ''The Lord's Prayer'', the Magnificat in G, ''The Repentance of Nineveh'', ''Rejoice in the Lord'' and ''Rock of Ages'' are held by the Library of the Royal College of Music, London (Add. Mss 5048).

Books

In addition to several educational works for

Novello & 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 ...

, Bridge published two books based on his lectures, ''Samuel Pepys, Lover of Musicke'' (1903) and ''Twelve Good Musicians from John Bull to Henry Purcell'' (1920), as well as a substantial volume of memoirs, ''A Westminster Pilgrim'' (1918). Reviewing the memoirs, the critic

H. C. Colles Henry Cope Colles (20 April 18794 March 1943) was an English music critic, music lexicographer, writer on music and organist. He is best known for his 32 years as chief music critic of ''The Times'' (1911–1943) and for editing the 3rd and 4th ...

wrote that the book showed why Bridge was "even more widely loved as a man than he has been respected as a musician."Colles, H C. "A Westminster Pilgrim", ''

The Times Literary Supplement ''The Times Literary Supplement'' (''TLS'') is a weekly literary review published in London by News UK, a subsidiary of News Corp. History The ''TLS'' first appeared in 1902 as a supplement to ''The Times'' but became a separate publication i ...

'', 1 May 1919, p. 233

Notes and references

Notes References

Sources

External links

* * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Bridge, Frederick 1844 births 1924 deaths People from Oldbury, West Midlands 20th-century classical composers English classical composers English classical organists British male organists Master of the Choristers at Westminster Abbey Knights Bachelor Composers awarded knighthoods Conductors (music) awarded knighthoods Musicians awarded knighthoods Commanders of the Royal Victorian Order English male classical composers 20th-century English composers 20th-century conductors (music) 20th-century British male musicians Oratorio composers Male classical organists