Bernard Rose (musician)
Encyclopedia
Bernard William George Rose, OBE (9 May 1916 – 21 November 1996) was variously a student at the Royal College of Music
1933-1935, organist, soldier, and composer. A graduate of St Catharine's College
, Cambridge
1935-1939, studying under Hubert Middleton
and Edward Joseph Dent
, he started his academic career at Queen's College, Oxford 1939-1940: 1945-1957, before being appointed Informator Choristarum (organist and master of the choristers) at Magdalen College
1957-1981: Vice President of Magdalen College, Oxford, 1973-1975. Emeritus Fellow 1981-1996. He was in his later years president of the Royal College of Organists
1974-1976. His Preces and Responses
, for use in the Anglican service of evensong
, are still very widely performed.
A chorister at Salisbury Cathedral
from 1925 to 1931, Bernard Rose studied the organ under Sir Walter Galpin Alcock, and was appointed as an assistant organist at the cathedral aged just 15. He continued to study the organ under Sir Walter when he became a student at the Royal College of Music. He won the organ scholarship to St Catharine's College over Edward Heath
. As Dr. Rose began his position as a tutor in music, organist of The Queen's College Oxford and conductor of the Eaglesfield Music Society, the Second World War was declared. He volunteered and was seen by an army selection board and called up in September 1940, when he underwent training. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant
in 2nd Northamptonshire Yeomanry
on 26 January 1941. He saw action in the North African and Italian campaigns as a "Desert Rat" with the 4th County of London Yeomanry
, and took part in the D-day landings on 6 June 1944. Captured on 13 June 1944 during the Battle of Villers-Bocage
in Normandy, he was to spend the remainder of the war at Oflag 79
, a German POW camp near Brunswick, Lower Saxony, until the Ninth United States Army released him and his colleagues on 12 April 1945. He left the army with the rank of captain
.
Resuming his academic studies he was to become a sought-after tutor with particular emphasis on harmony and counterpoint. His pupils included Kenneth Leighton
, Dudley Moore
and Harry Christophers
of The Sixteen
. His special study of the choral music of Thomas Tomkins
was published in Musica Deo Sacra; another major work was his editing of Handel's oratorio Susanna
(Kassel 1967). Former choristers inspired by his leadership include Daniel Sandford
, John La Bouchardière
and Jonathan Powell
.
He was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 1980 New Year Honours
, "For Services to Music".
Lift up your heads (Introit)
Versicles and responses
Psalm 142
Psalm 148
Magnificat & Nunc dimittis
Praise ye the Lord (Anthem)
Praise ye the Lord
Lord, I ye have loved
O quam gloriosum
When the sun
Dominus custodit te
Surely Thou has tasted
When all Thy mercies
The Lord my pasture
The spacious firmament on high
Royal College of Music
The Royal College of Music is a conservatoire founded by Royal Charter in 1882, located in South Kensington, London, England.-Background:The first director was Sir George Grove and he was followed by Sir Hubert Parry...
1933-1935, organist, soldier, and composer. A graduate of St Catharine's College
St Catharine's College, Cambridge
St. Catharine’s College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Founded in 1473, the college is often referred to informally by the nickname "Catz".-History:...
, Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
1935-1939, studying under Hubert Middleton
Hubert Stanley Middleton
Hubert Stanley Middleton was an cathedral organist, who served at Truro Cathedral and Ely Cathedral before an appointment to Trinity College, Cambridge.-Background:Hubert Stanley Middleton was born on 11 May 1890 in Windsor....
and Edward Joseph Dent
Edward Joseph Dent
Edward Joseph Dent, generally known by his initials as E. J. Dent was a British writer on music....
, he started his academic career at Queen's College, Oxford 1939-1940: 1945-1957, before being appointed Informator Choristarum (organist and master of the choristers) at Magdalen College
Magdalen College, Oxford
Magdalen College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2006 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £153 million. Magdalen is currently top of the Norrington Table after over half of its 2010 finalists received first-class degrees, a record...
1957-1981: Vice President of Magdalen College, Oxford, 1973-1975. Emeritus Fellow 1981-1996. He was in his later years president of the Royal College of Organists
Royal College of Organists
The Royal College of Organists or RCO, is a charity and membership organisation based in the United Kingdom, but with members around the world...
1974-1976. His Preces and Responses
Preces
Preces are, in liturgical worship, short petitions that are said or sung as versicle and response by the officiant and congregation respectively...
, for use in the Anglican service of evensong
Evening Prayer (Anglican)
Evening Prayer is a liturgy in use in the Anglican Communion and celebrated in the late afternoon or evening...
, are still very widely performed.
A chorister at Salisbury Cathedral
Salisbury Cathedral
Salisbury Cathedral, formally known as the Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, is an Anglican cathedral in Salisbury, England, considered one of the leading examples of Early English architecture....
from 1925 to 1931, Bernard Rose studied the organ under Sir Walter Galpin Alcock, and was appointed as an assistant organist at the cathedral aged just 15. He continued to study the organ under Sir Walter when he became a student at the Royal College of Music. He won the organ scholarship to St Catharine's College over Edward Heath
Edward Heath
Sir Edward Richard George "Ted" Heath, KG, MBE, PC was a British Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and as Leader of the Conservative Party ....
. As Dr. Rose began his position as a tutor in music, organist of The Queen's College Oxford and conductor of the Eaglesfield Music Society, the Second World War was declared. He volunteered and was seen by an army selection board and called up in September 1940, when he underwent training. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
in 2nd Northamptonshire Yeomanry
Northamptonshire Yeomanry
The Northamptonshire Yeomanry was a unit of the British Army formed in 1794 as volunteer cavalry, it later served in an armoured role before being reduced to squadron level in 1956...
on 26 January 1941. He saw action in the North African and Italian campaigns as a "Desert Rat" with the 4th County of London Yeomanry
County of London Yeomanry
Several British Army regiments have born the title County of London Yeomanry . Most have been mounted, then armoured regiments.-1st County of London Yeomanry:...
, and took part in the D-day landings on 6 June 1944. Captured on 13 June 1944 during the Battle of Villers-Bocage
Battle of Villers-Bocage
The Battle of Villers-Bocage took place during the Second World War on 13 June 1944, one week after the Allies landed in Normandy to begin the liberation of German-occupied France. The battle was the result of a British attempt to improve their position by exploiting a temporary vulnerability in...
in Normandy, he was to spend the remainder of the war at Oflag 79
Oflag 79
Oflag 79 was a World War II prisoner-of-war camp for Allied officers incarcerated by the Germans. The camp was located at Waggum near Braunschweig in Germany, also known by the English name of Brunswick....
, a German POW camp near Brunswick, Lower Saxony, until the Ninth United States Army released him and his colleagues on 12 April 1945. He left the army with the rank of captain
Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)
Captain is a junior officer rank of the British Army and Royal Marines. It ranks above Lieutenant and below Major and has a NATO ranking code of OF-2. The rank is equivalent to a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and to a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force...
.
Resuming his academic studies he was to become a sought-after tutor with particular emphasis on harmony and counterpoint. His pupils included Kenneth Leighton
Kenneth Leighton
Kenneth Leighton was a British composer and pianist. His compositions include much Anglican church music, and many pieces for choir and for piano as well as concertos, symphonies, much chamber music and an opera. He wrote a well-known setting of the Coventry Carol...
, Dudley Moore
Dudley Moore
Dudley Stuart John Moore, CBE was an English actor, comedian, composer and musician.Moore first came to prominence as one of the four writer-performers in the ground-breaking comedy revue Beyond the Fringe in the early 1960s, and then became famous as half of the highly popular television...
and Harry Christophers
Harry Christophers
Harry Christophers is an English conductor. He attended the King's School, Canterbury and was a chorister at Canterbury Cathedral under choirmaster Allan Wicks and played clarinet in the school orchestra alongside Andrew Marriner...
of The Sixteen
The Sixteen
The Sixteen are a choir and period instrument orchestra; founded by Harry Christophers in 1979.The group's special reputation for performing early English polyphony, masterpieces of the Renaissance, bringing fresh insights into Baroque and early Classical music and a diversity of 20th century...
. His special study of the choral music of Thomas Tomkins
Thomas Tomkins
Thomas Tomkins was an English composer of the late Tudor and early Stuart period. In addition to being one of the prominent members of the English madrigal school, he was a skilled composer of keyboard and consort music, and the last member of the English virginalist school.-Life:Tomkins was born...
was published in Musica Deo Sacra; another major work was his editing of Handel's oratorio Susanna
Susanna (Handel)
Susanna is an oratorio by George Frideric Handel. The libretto, questionably attributed to Newburgh Hamilton, is based on the apocryphal 'history of Susanna'...
(Kassel 1967). Former choristers inspired by his leadership include Daniel Sandford
Daniel Sandford (journalist)
Daniel Sandford , is an English TV journalist. He is currently the BBC’s Moscow Correspondent.-Early life and education:Sandford was born in Oxford. His family moved to Ethiopia when he was 3 and he received his primary education there at the English School, which had been founded by his...
, John La Bouchardière
John La Bouchardière
John La Bouchardière BMus MA is a British opera, film and television director.He was a chorister at Magdalen College, Oxford, studied at the University of Birmingham and was a staff director at English National Opera...
and Jonathan Powell
Jonathan Powell (musician)
Jonathan Powell is a British pianist and composer. He was a student of Denis Matthews and Sulamita Aronovsky. He made his performing debut at the age of 20 in the Purcell Room in London....
.
He was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 1980 New Year Honours
New Year Honours
The New Year Honours is a part of the British honours system, being a civic occasion on the New Year annually in which new members of most Commonwealth Realms honours are named. The awards are presented by the reigning monarch or head of state, currently Queen Elizabeth II...
, "For Services to Music".
Original works
Chimes (Organ voluntary)Lift up your heads (Introit)
Versicles and responses
Psalm 142
Psalm 148
Magnificat & Nunc dimittis
Praise ye the Lord (Anthem)
Praise ye the Lord
Lord, I ye have loved
O quam gloriosum
When the sun
Dominus custodit te
Surely Thou has tasted
When all Thy mercies
The Lord my pasture
The spacious firmament on high
External links
- http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-bernard-rose-1312755.html from the Independent