Herbert Sanders
Encyclopedia
Herbert Sanders was a Canadian organist
, pianist
, conductor
, composer
, writer on music, and music educator of English birth. His compositional outpust includes numerous sacred songs, anthem
s, and works for organ. He won the American Guild of Organists
's Clemson Gold Medal for composition twice. The Canadian Musical Heritage Society has recently reprinted seven of his hymn
s and the anthem
Light's Glittering Morn. Several of his compositions are included in the Catalogue of Printed Music at the British Library
in London and many of his original manuscripts are part of the collection at the Library and Archives Canada
.
, Sanders studied at the Royal College of Music
(RCM) with Charles Swinnerton Heap (organ), Charles H. Kitson (theory), and Charles W. Perkins (organ). After graduating from the RCM with an associates diploma in 1896, he served as the organist at Camphill Presbyterian Church in Birmingham. He left there after a few years to work in the same capacity at St Mary's Methodist Church in Truro, Cornwall. He also played the violin
in a number of orchestras while living in England.
In 1907 Sanders emigrated to Canada to assume the post of organist at Chalmers' Presbyterian in Guelph, Ontario. He left there after just one year to assume a similar role at the Dominion Methodist Church in Ottawa where he remained until 1929. While there he toured extensively throughout Canada as an organ recitalist and accompanist and served as the director of the Ottawa Oratorio Society. He was also president of the Ottawa Arts and Letters Club and worked for the Ottawa Journal
as a music critic. He was hired by Harry Puddicombe
to teach at the Canadian Conservatory of Music
and he also ran a private teaching studio. Among his pupils were Kenneth Meek, Charles O'Neill
, and Bill Richards
.
Sanders relocated to Montreal in 1929 to become the music director of the newly built Tudor Hall in the J.A. Ogilvy Department Store, a position he held up until his death nine years later. At the hall he performed several noon-time organ recitals every week and also arranged for appearances by other notable artists. In 1932-1933 he was president of the Royal Canadian College of Organists
(RCCO). During the 1930s he also served as the organist of Westmount Park Melville United Church. He died in Montreal in 1938 at the age of 59.
As a writer, Sanders contributed articles to numerous musical journals, including Etude, Musical Quarterly, and The American Organist. He was the associate music editor of The Methodist Hymn and Tune Book which was published in 1917; also contributing several of his own hymns to the work. He was the editor of the RCCO's bulletin which was printed in Musical Canada from 1928-1933.
Organist
An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ. An organist may play solo organ works, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumental soloists...
, pianist
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
, conductor
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
, composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, writer on music, and music educator of English birth. His compositional outpust includes numerous sacred songs, anthem
Anthem
The term anthem means either a specific form of Anglican church music , or more generally, a song of celebration, usually acting as a symbol for a distinct group of people, as in the term "national anthem" or "sports anthem".-Etymology:The word is derived from the Greek via Old English , a word...
s, and works for organ. He won the American Guild of Organists
American Guild of Organists
The American Guild of Organists, or AGO, is a national organization of academic, church, and concert organists in the U.S., headquartered in The Interchurch Center in New York City. It was founded in 1896 as both an educational and service organization...
's Clemson Gold Medal for composition twice. The Canadian Musical Heritage Society has recently reprinted seven of his hymn
Hymn
A hymn is a type of song, usually religious, specifically written for the purpose of praise, adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification...
s and the anthem
Anthem
The term anthem means either a specific form of Anglican church music , or more generally, a song of celebration, usually acting as a symbol for a distinct group of people, as in the term "national anthem" or "sports anthem".-Etymology:The word is derived from the Greek via Old English , a word...
Light's Glittering Morn. Several of his compositions are included in the Catalogue of Printed Music at the British Library
British Library
The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom, and is the world's largest library in terms of total number of items. The library is a major research library, holding over 150 million items from every country in the world, in virtually all known languages and in many formats,...
in London and many of his original manuscripts are part of the collection at the Library and Archives Canada
Library and Archives Canada
Library and Archives Canada is a national memory institution dedicated to providing the best possible account of Canadian life through acquiring, preserving and making Canada's documentary heritage accessible for use in the 21st century and beyond...
.
Life and career
Born in WolverhamptonWolverhampton
Wolverhampton is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands, England. For Eurostat purposes Walsall and Wolverhampton is a NUTS 3 region and is one of five boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "West Midlands" NUTS 2 region...
, Sanders studied at the Royal College of Music
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...
(RCM) with Charles Swinnerton Heap (organ), Charles H. Kitson (theory), and Charles W. Perkins (organ). After graduating from the RCM with an associates diploma in 1896, he served as the organist at Camphill Presbyterian Church in Birmingham. He left there after a few years to work in the same capacity at St Mary's Methodist Church in Truro, Cornwall. He also played the violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
in a number of orchestras while living in England.
In 1907 Sanders emigrated to Canada to assume the post of organist at Chalmers' Presbyterian in Guelph, Ontario. He left there after just one year to assume a similar role at the Dominion Methodist Church in Ottawa where he remained until 1929. While there he toured extensively throughout Canada as an organ recitalist and accompanist and served as the director of the Ottawa Oratorio Society. He was also president of the Ottawa Arts and Letters Club and worked for the Ottawa Journal
Ottawa Journal
The Ottawa Journal was a daily broadsheet newspaper published in Ottawa, Ontario from 1885 to 1980.It was founded in 1885 by A. Woodburn as the Ottawa Evening Journal. Its first editor was John Wesley Dafoe who came from the Winnipeg Free Press. In 1886, it was bought by Philip Dansken Ross.The...
as a music critic. He was hired by Harry Puddicombe
Harry Puddicombe
Harry Puddicombe was a Canadian composer, pianist, and music educator. He is best remembered for his work as a teacher, notably founding the Canadian Conservatory of Music in 1902 and serving as its director for 35 years...
to teach at the Canadian Conservatory of Music
Canadian Conservatory of Music
The Canadian Conservatory of Music was a music conservatory in Ottawa, Canada that was actively providing higher education in music during the first half of the 20th century. Founded by Harry Puddicombe in 1902, the school was located on Bay Street...
and he also ran a private teaching studio. Among his pupils were Kenneth Meek, Charles O'Neill
Charles O'Neill (musician)
Charles O'Neill was a Canadian bandmaster, composer, organist, cornetist, and music educator of Irish birth. Although he wrote many symphonic and choral works, the majority of his compositional output was devoted to band music.-Education and early career:Born in Duntocher to Irish parents, O'Neill...
, and Bill Richards
Bill Richards (musician)
Bill Richards was a Canadian violinist, composer, arranger, and editor. His compositional output includes several film scores, a Flute Quartet , and a number of fiddle tunes. He recored two of his own fiddle compositions for Spiral Records in 1957 and another of his fiddle compositions was...
.
Sanders relocated to Montreal in 1929 to become the music director of the newly built Tudor Hall in the J.A. Ogilvy Department Store, a position he held up until his death nine years later. At the hall he performed several noon-time organ recitals every week and also arranged for appearances by other notable artists. In 1932-1933 he was president of the Royal Canadian College of Organists
Royal Canadian College of Organists
The Royal Canadian College of Organists , founded in 1909,is a national association of organists and church musicians in Canada, with 32 centres from Victoria, British Columbia to Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island.The National Office is in Toronto....
(RCCO). During the 1930s he also served as the organist of Westmount Park Melville United Church. He died in Montreal in 1938 at the age of 59.
As a writer, Sanders contributed articles to numerous musical journals, including Etude, Musical Quarterly, and The American Organist. He was the associate music editor of The Methodist Hymn and Tune Book which was published in 1917; also contributing several of his own hymns to the work. He was the editor of the RCCO's bulletin which was printed in Musical Canada from 1928-1933.