Raymond Sunderland FRCO (21 December 1921 – 25 December 1977) was an English organist and composer.

Background

Raymond G Sunderland started learning organ at age 12 and until 16 he studied with his father, the organist of Broadstone Baptist Church, Yorkshire. During the Second World War he served in the Royal Armoured Corps and in 1944–45, whilst serving in Belgium, he gave a series of organ recitals from memory in Ypres Cathedral. After the war, he studied with Shackleton Pollard at Halifax Parish Church and served there as Assistant Organist. In 1951 he gained his FRCO and was appointed organist and choirmaster at Burnley Parish Church in Lancashire; whilst there he became also organist to the Halifax Choral Society. In 1955 he moved to St. Edmunds Church, Roundhay, Leeds, before being appointed in 1957 to his final post as Organist and Master of the Choristers at

Bridlington Priory Priory Church of St Mary, Bridlington, , commonly known as Bridlington Priory Church is a parish church in Bridlington, East Riding of Yorkshire, England, in the Diocese of York. It is on the site of an Augustinian priory founded in 1113 which w ...

Church. Raymond Sunderland's "abilities as a performer, and not least as an improviser of immense talent, were widely acclaimed." Raymond Sunderland died in the early hours of Christmas morning 1977 in

having just played the organ for the Midnight Communion; he is buried in the Priory churchyard.

Appointments

*Organist and choirmaster, Burnley Parish Church 1951 - 1955 *Organist, St. Edmunds Church, Roundhay, Leeds 1955 - 1957 *Organist and Master of the Choristers at

1957 - 1977

Compositions

*A Meditation for Eastertide **dedicated "To the Venerable Rev Eric Treacy, Archdeacon and Vicar of Halifax, after a sermon at Evensong Palm Sunday 1955" *Requiem **composed following the assassination of President

John F Kennedy John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), often referred to by his initials JFK and the nickname Jack, was an American politician who served as the 35th president of the United States from 1961 until his assassination i ...

in 1963. The manuscript is headed with a quote from Psalm 127 which was to have been the text for Kennedy's speech on the day of his death: "Except the Lord keep the house, the watchman waketh but in vain." *Ceremonial Fanfare and March **written for the re-dedication of the Priory organ in 1968 following its rebuild by the firm of Laycock and Bannister; dedicated to Conrad Eden, organist at

Durham Cathedral The Cathedral Church of Christ, Blessed Mary the Virgin and St Cuthbert of Durham, commonly known as Durham Cathedral and home of the Shrine of St Cuthbert, is a cathedral in the city of Durham, County Durham, England. It is the seat of t ...

, who played for the re-dedication service Hughes, John (2006) ''Op. cit.'' p. 21 *Bridal Fanfare and March **written for the wedding of his daughter Susan in 1972 and dedicated to her

Recordings

On the Vista label is a recording "The Organ of Bridlington Priory" (VPS1006), dating from October 1972, made by Raymond Sunderland himself on the, then recently restored, Priory organ. The recording includes works by Karg-Elert, Healy Willan and a rare performance of Garth Edmundson's three movement Apostolic Symphony as well as the "Bridal Fanfare and March" written for the wedding of one of his own daughters. The content of this LP was re-released in 2003 as part of a CD "Bridlington Priory Organ" (BP 001) with additional tracks by the current Priory organist, Michael Smith, including Sunderland's "Ceremonial Fanfare and March".

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sunderland, Raymond 1921 births 1977 deaths English organists British male organists 20th-century classical musicians 20th-century English composers 20th-century organists 20th-century British male musicians British Army personnel of World War II Royal Armoured Corps soldiers