Thomas Murray (organist)
Encyclopedia
Thomas Mantle Murray is an internationally renowned American organist and well-known interpreter of Romantic organ music. He is currently professor of organ and university organist at the Yale School of Music
, where he teaches alongside Martin Jean
. He is also Principal Organist and Artist in Residence at Christ Church
in New Haven, Connecticut
.
. He studied choral conducting as well, and graduated with his B.A. from that university in 1965. The next year, he won the National Competition of the American Guild of Organists. From 1966 - 1973, he was organist at Immanuel Presbyterian Church of Los Angeles, and from 1975 - 1980 he was choirmaster and organist of the Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Boston
. In 1981, he joined the music faculty at Yale University
, becoming university organist in 1990. Throughout his career, he has also been active as a concert organist. In addition to numerous performance in the U.S., Murray has also performed in England, Finland, Japan, and Australia.
Thomas Murray is best known for his performances of Romantic organ works and transcriptions of works originally written for other instruments. He is especially knowledgeable about the organ music of Elgar
, Mendelssohn
, Franck
, and Saint-Saëns
, and his recordings of organ works by Mendelssohn and Elgar are regarded as authoritative. As professor of organ at Yale, he has access to the famed Skinner
organ in Woolsey Hall
, one of the largest and most important Romantic instruments in the U.S., and has made numerous recordings on this instrument. Additionally, he has recorded numerous organs by the Hook firm, one of the most prominent organ-building companies in American during the 19th century.
He is not nearly as well-versed in performances of music before 1750, and is not a firm adherent to the school of organ playing that places a strong emphasis on historical performance practice
, though he has frequently performed works by Johann Sebastian Bach
.
Among his former students he can claim to have taught Paul Jacobs
, chair of the organ department at the Juilliard School
and one of the most widely recognized concert organists of his generation.
When not teaching or performing, Murray can usually be found pursuing his other passion: antique cars, particularly Rolls-Royces
.
"Mr. Murray played this, and the whole program, with almost a conductor's sense of tempo relationships and long-term pacing. His registrations were apt and had, without ostentation, a bold quality of definition and specificity about them."
"Murray played . . . with a keen sense of style, and technique to burn. He's more than an organist, he's an artist."
Yale School of Music
The Yale School of Music is one of the twelve professional schools at Yale University and one of the premier music conservatories in the world....
, where he teaches alongside Martin Jean
Martin Jean
Martin David Jean is an American organist considered to be in the "highest ranks of the world's concert organists". He currently teaches organ at the Yale School of Music, along with Thomas Murray, and serves as Director of the Yale Institute of Sacred Music...
. He is also Principal Organist and Artist in Residence at Christ Church
Christ Church (New Haven)
Christ Church, also known as Christ Church New Haven, is an Episcopal parish church in the Broadway district of New Haven, Connecticut. Christ Church follows an Anglo-Catholic style of worship and has a strong focus on urban ministry...
in New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...
.
Life and career
Thomas Murray studied organ with Clarence Mader at Occidental CollegeOccidental College
Occidental College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college located in the Eagle Rock neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. Founded in 1887, Occidental College, or "Oxy" as it is called by students and alumni, is one of the oldest liberal arts colleges on the West Coast...
. He studied choral conducting as well, and graduated with his B.A. from that university in 1965. The next year, he won the National Competition of the American Guild of Organists. From 1966 - 1973, he was organist at Immanuel Presbyterian Church of Los Angeles, and from 1975 - 1980 he was choirmaster and organist of the Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Boston
Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Boston
The Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Boston is the historic cathedral church of the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts. Located at 138 Tremont Street near Downtown Crossing, directly across from Boston Common and Park Street Station, the cathedral is adjacent to the diocesan offices. The current dean...
. In 1981, he joined the music faculty at Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
, becoming university organist in 1990. Throughout his career, he has also been active as a concert organist. In addition to numerous performance in the U.S., Murray has also performed in England, Finland, Japan, and Australia.
Thomas Murray is best known for his performances of Romantic organ works and transcriptions of works originally written for other instruments. He is especially knowledgeable about the organ music of Elgar
Edward Elgar
Sir Edward William Elgar, 1st Baronet OM, GCVO was an English composer, many of whose works have entered the British and international classical concert repertoire. Among his best-known compositions are orchestral works including the Enigma Variations, the Pomp and Circumstance Marches, concertos...
, Mendelssohn
Felix Mendelssohn
Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Barthóldy , use the form 'Mendelssohn' and not 'Mendelssohn Bartholdy'. The Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians gives ' Felix Mendelssohn' as the entry, with 'Mendelssohn' used in the body text...
, Franck
César Franck
César-Auguste-Jean-Guillaume-Hubert Franck was a composer, pianist, organist, and music teacher who worked in Paris during his adult life....
, and Saint-Saëns
Camille Saint-Saëns
Charles-Camille Saint-Saëns was a French Late-Romantic composer, organist, conductor, and pianist. He is known especially for The Carnival of the Animals, Danse macabre, Samson and Delilah, Piano Concerto No. 2, Cello Concerto No. 1, Havanaise, Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso, and his Symphony...
, and his recordings of organ works by Mendelssohn and Elgar are regarded as authoritative. As professor of organ at Yale, he has access to the famed Skinner
Ernest M. Skinner
Ernest M. Skinner was one of the most successful American organ builders of the early 20th century.-Early years:...
organ in Woolsey Hall
Woolsey Hall
Woolsey Hall is the primary auditorium at Yale University. Woolsey Hall, which seats 2,695 people, was built as part of the Yale bicentennial celebration in 1901. The architects were Carrère and Hastings, designers of the New York Public Library....
, one of the largest and most important Romantic instruments in the U.S., and has made numerous recordings on this instrument. Additionally, he has recorded numerous organs by the Hook firm, one of the most prominent organ-building companies in American during the 19th century.
He is not nearly as well-versed in performances of music before 1750, and is not a firm adherent to the school of organ playing that places a strong emphasis on historical performance practice
Historically informed performance
Historically informed performance is an approach in the performance of music and theater. Within this approach, the performance adheres to state-of-the-art knowledge of the aesthetic criteria of the period in which the music or theatre work was conceived...
, though he has frequently performed works by Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity...
.
Among his former students he can claim to have taught Paul Jacobs
Paul Jacobs (organist)
Paul Jacobs is an American organist.Paul Jacobs began piano lessons at age five and organ lessons at age 12 in his hometown of Washington, Pennsylvania. At age 15 he was appointed head organist of Immaculate Conception Church, a parish of over 3,000 families in Washington, PA...
, chair of the organ department at the Juilliard School
Juilliard School
The Juilliard School, located at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City, United States, is a performing arts conservatory which was established in 1905...
and one of the most widely recognized concert organists of his generation.
When not teaching or performing, Murray can usually be found pursuing his other passion: antique cars, particularly Rolls-Royces
Rolls-Royce (car)
This a list of Rolls-Royce motor cars and includes vehicles produced by:*Rolls-Royce Limited *Rolls-Royce Motors , which was owned by Vickers between 1980 and 1998, and after that by Volkswagen...
.
Discography
- Mendelssohn Organ Sonatas, Thomas Murray, organist.
- Thomas Murray plays Elgar.
- Thomas Murray plays Lemare.
- The Transcriber's Art: Thomas Murray at Woolsey Hall.
- The French Collection. Thomas Murray, organist.
- Thomas Murray at the Cincinnati Museum Center.
- An American Masterpiece. Thomas Murray, organist.
- Music of Schumann and Mendelssohn. Thomas Murray, organist.
Reviews
"The performances of all of these were those of an organist whose skill extended beyond the playing of the notes to authoritative control of a very large instrument in a vast echoing space.""Mr. Murray played this, and the whole program, with almost a conductor's sense of tempo relationships and long-term pacing. His registrations were apt and had, without ostentation, a bold quality of definition and specificity about them."
"Murray played . . . with a keen sense of style, and technique to burn. He's more than an organist, he's an artist."