Martin Gerard James Neary

LVO 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, or ...

is an

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

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

choral conductor Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance, such as an orchestral or choral concert. It has been defined as "the art of directing the simultaneous performance of several players or singers by the use of gesture." The primary duties ...

. Neary was born in

London London is the capital and 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 down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

, and read theology and music at

Cambridge University , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...

. He was Organist and Director of Music at

Winchester Cathedral The Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity,Historic England. "Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity (1095509)". ''National Heritage List for England''. Retrieved 8 September 2014. Saint Peter, Saint Paul and Saint Swithun, commonly known as Winches ...

from 1972 to 1988, and Organist and Master of the Choristers 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 ...

from 1988 to 1998. In 1984 he was Artist-in-Residence at the University of California at Davis. The years at Winchester were especially innovative. In addition to extending the traditional choral repertoire, Dr Neary commissioned new works from Jonathan Harvey and, in particular,

John Tavener Sir John Kenneth Tavener (28 January 1944 – 12 November 2013) was an English composer, known for his extensive output of choral religious works. Among his best known works are '' The Lamb'' (1982), '' The Protecting Veil'' (1988), and ''Song ...

. Overseas tours were made with the Cathedral choir, and in addition to his own organ recitals at the Cathedral he drew distinguished organists from across the world to play there, memorably including Daniel Chorzempa, Daniel Hathaway and Marilyn Keiser from USA, Raymond Daveluy from Montreal, Peter Planyavsky from Vienna and (among others) from the UK, Ralph Downes. With his assistant organists

James Lancelot James Bennett Lancelot (born 2 December 1952) was master of the Choristers, and cathedral organist at Durham Cathedral from 1985. He retired in 2017 and was appointed canon organist emeritus by the bishop of Durham. Lancelot was educated at St ...

and Timothy Byram-Wigfield he was responsible for planning of the major rebuilding and enlargement of the Cathedral organ by

Harrison and Harrison Harrison & Harrison Ltd is a British company that makes and restores pipe organs, based in Durham and established in Rochdale in 1861. It is well known for its work on instruments such as King's College, Cambridge, Westminster Abbey, and the R ...

in 1986–88. As the organist at Westminster Abbey, he was the musical director of the funeral service for

Diana, Princess of Wales Diana, Princess of Wales (born Diana Frances Spencer; 1 July 1961 – 31 August 1997) was a member of the British royal family. She was the first wife of King Charles III (then Prince of Wales) and mother of Princes William and Harry. Her ac ...

, for which he was appointed a Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order (LVO) in the

New Year Honours List The New Year Honours is a part of the British honours system, with New Year's Day, 1 January, being marked by naming new members of orders of chivalry and recipients of other official honours. A number of other Commonwealth realms also mark this ...

in 1998. Neary's promotion of the music of

, the latter's "

Song for Athene "Song for Athene" (also known as "Alleluia. May Flights of Angels Sing Thee to Thy Rest") is a musical composition by British composer John Tavener with lyrics by Mother Thekla, an Orthodox nun, which is intended to be sung a cappella by a fou ...

" was performed by the choir of the Abbey as the coffin was borne out by the

pallbearer A pallbearer is one of several participants who help carry the casket at a funeral. They may wear white gloves in order to prevent damaging the casket and to show respect to the deceased person. Some traditions distinguish between the roles of ...

s. On 22 April 1998,

Wesley Carr Arthur Wesley Carr KCVO (26 July 1941 – 15 July 2017) was an Anglican priest who was the Dean of Westminster from 1997 to 2006. Early life Carr was educated at Dulwich College and then at Jesus College, Oxford. After theological studies at R ...

, the Dean of Westminster Abbey, dismissed Neary from his position at

on the grounds of gross misconduct regarding the finances of a company that he and his wife had set up to administer fees from concerts at the Abbey. Neary petitioned

Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. She was queen ...

, as Visitor of the Abbey, to resolve the dispute. The Queen appointed

Charles Jauncey, Baron Jauncey of Tullichettle Charles Eliot Jauncey, Baron Jauncey of Tullichettle, PC (8 May 1925 – 18 July 2007) was a British judge and advocate. He was often praised as one of the finest legal minds of his generation in Scotland, and his legal opinions - both as a pract ...

, to be her Commissioner. Lord Jauncey determined that the summary dismissal was justified. The report also stated that Neary's well recognised musical abilities, and the hard work which he and his wife had done on behalf of the Abbey and the choir, were not in question.‘Determination Of Lord Jauncey Of Tullichettle Acting as a Special Commissioner Appointed by Her Majesty The Queen as Visitor to Westminster Abbey and as Arbitrator’, 9 Dec 199

/ref> His daughter, Alice Neary, cellist, won the 1998 Pierre Fournier Award at the Wigmore Hall.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Neary, Martin English classical organists British male organists English conductors (music) British male conductors (music) Honorary Members of the Royal Academy of Music Living people Master of the Choristers at Westminster Abbey 21st-century British conductors (music) 21st-century organists 21st-century British male musicians Male classical organists Year of birth missing (living people)