Lieutenant Colonel (Dr) Ray Steadman-Allen (18 September 1922 – 15 December 2014) was a British composer of choral and brass band music for the

Salvation Army Salvation (from Latin: ''salvatio'', from ''salva'', 'safe, saved') is the state of being saved or protected from harm or a dire situation. In religion and theology, ''salvation'' generally refers to the deliverance of the soul from sin and its c ...

and for band competition. He was born in the Salvation Army 'Mother's Hospital', Clapton, while his Salvation Army Officer parents were living in the

Horfield Horfield is a suburb of the city of Bristol, in southwest England. It lies on Bristol's northern edge, its border with Filton marking part of the boundary between Bristol and South Gloucestershire. Bishopston lies directly to the south. Monk ...

area of

Bristol Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in ...

. When they were appointed to London in 1937, he obtained a job at International Headquarters as office boy to General

Evangeline Booth Evangeline Cory Booth, OF (December 25, 1865July 17, 1950) was a British evangelist and the 4th General of The Salvation Army from 1934 to 1939. She was the first woman to hold the post. Early life She was born in South Hackney, London, Engl ...

, daughter of The Salvation Army's founder. In 1942 he enlisted in the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...

. He was examined for a music diploma by

Sir Granville Bantock Sir Granville Ransome Bantock (7 August 186816 October 1946) was a British composer of classical music. Biography Granville Ransome Bantock was born in London. His father was an eminent Scottish surgeon.Hadden, J. Cuthbert, 1913, ''Modern Musi ...

who invited him to apply for a job in music after the war. In the event, Bantock died, and Ray Steadman-Allen joined the Music Editorial Department of The Salvation Army. Following a short post-war period as a

trombonist The trombone (german: Posaune, Italian, French: ''trombone'') is a musical instrument in the brass family. As with all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player's vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate ...

with The International Staff Band, he developed his conducting skills and became Bandmaster of the Tottenham Citadel Band. He became a Salvation Army officer in 1949, in the Harrow Corps., and in 1951 he married Joyce Foster, who had become a Salvation Army officer from the

Hastings Hastings () is a large seaside town and borough in East Sussex on the south coast of England, east to the county town of Lewes and south east of London. The town gives its name to the Battle of Hastings, which took place to the north-west ...

Citadel in 1949. Much of his music was ahead of its time, to the point that it was sometimes considered unacceptable to the listener. ''Lord of the Sea'' created a furore. His creativity was given totally to God and was instrumental in guiding Salvation Army music into uncharted territory, particularly when the International Music Editorial Department was under his leadership between 1967 and 1980. Ray Steadman-Allen regularly took part as Bandmaster in the popular radio programme '' Sounding Brass'' which was presented by

Gloria Hunniford Mary Winifred Gloria Hunniford, OBE (born 10 April 1940) is a Northern Irish television and radio presenter, broadcaster and singer. She is known for presenting programmes on the BBC and ITV, such as '' Rip Off Britain'', and her regular appear ...

and Owen Spencer-Thomas on Radio 2 and Radio London in the 1970s. He wrote a book called ''Colour and Texture in the Brass Band Score'' which was published by The Salvation Army. First published in 1980, this volume has been reprinted due to continued demand from composers, arrangers, and university music departments alike. Besides well over 200 brass band works published by The Salvation Army, Ray Steadman-Allen wrote numerous choral works with a large number of compositions and arrangements in manuscript form, often completed for recordings or special concert presentations. As well as completing his Doctorate in Music, Ray Steadman-Allen held several honorary fellowships, was the President of the

National College of Music The National College of Music is an examination board established in 1894 and based in London, United Kingdom, offering external grade examinations in Music, Speech and Drama in the UK and overseas. History The National College of Music was ...

, Vice President of the National Association of Brass Band Conductors and patron of the

London Musicological Research Society 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 major se ...

. Steadman-Allen also encouraged new compositional talent, particularly brass band composers. In his later years, Ray Steadman-Allen became affectionately known as 'RSA'. In 2003, the Royal School of Church Music awarded him its ARSCM (Associate of the RSCM). In 2005, The Salvation Army admitted RSA to its highest honour, the Order of the Founder. In 2012, a suite of articles about his life and works was published by Shield Books under the title of 'History, Harmony and Humanity'. Ray Steadman-Allen died on 15 December 2014 at the age of 92.

References

External links

Steadman-Allen on SAWiki.net
{{DEFAULTSORT:Steadman-Allen, Ray 1922 births 2014 deaths 20th-century British composers 20th-century English musicians Brass band composers Composers of Christian music English composers English Salvationists People from Lower Clapton Royal Navy sailors Salvation Army officers Royal Navy personnel of World War II