James Turle (5 March 1802 – 28 June 1882) was an English

organist An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ (music), organ. An organist may play organ repertoire, solo organ works, play with an musical ensemble, ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumentalist, instrumental ...

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 Frederick William Faber (1814–1863) was a noted English hymnwriter and theologian, who converted from Anglicanism to Roman Catholicism in 1845. He was ordained to the Catholic priesthood subsequently in 1847. His best-known work is the hymn ...

"My God, how wonderful thou art". Turle was born at

Taunton Taunton () is the county town of Somerset, England, with a 2011 population of 69,570. Its thousand-year history includes a 10th-century monastic foundation, Taunton Castle, which later became a priory. The Normans built a castle owned by the ...

, Somerset, and started as a

choirboy A choirboy is a boy member of a choir, also known as a treble. As a derisive slang term, it refers to a do-gooder or someone who is morally upright, in the same sense that " Boy Scout" (also derisively) refers to someone who is considered honor ...

Wells Cathedral Wells Cathedral is an Anglican cathedral in Wells, Somerset, England, dedicated to St Andrew the Apostle. It is the seat of the Bishop of Bath and Wells, whose cathedra it holds as mother church of the Diocese of Bath and Wells. Built as a ...

. In 1817 he became a pupil of G. E. Williams, 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 ...

in London, and after acting as deputy for some years he succeeded to this post himself in 1831 and held it until his death. He and Sir John Goss, the organist at

St Paul's Cathedral St Paul's Cathedral is an Anglican cathedral in London and is the seat of the Bishop of London. The cathedral serves as the mother church of the Diocese of London. It is on Ludgate Hill at the highest point of the City of London and is a Grad ...

, had been fellow pupils in London as boys. Turle was a great organist in his day, and composed a good deal of church music which was well known. His son

Henry Frederic Turle Henry Frederic Turle (1835–1883) was an English journalist, known as the editor of ''Notes and Queries''. Life He was the fourth son of James Turle, organist of Westminster Abbey, and was born in York Road, Lambeth, on 23 July 1835. The family ...

(1835–1883) was a journalist.

Notes

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Turle, James 1802 births 1882 deaths English composers English classical organists British male organists People from Taunton Master of the Choristers at Westminster Abbey 19th-century British composers 19th-century English musicians 19th-century British male musicians Male classical organists 19th-century organists