W. H. Jude
Encyclopedia
William Herbert Jude usually credited as W.H. Jude, was an English composer and organist. Born in Westleton
, Suffolk
in September 1851, his parents later moved to Norfolk. He was a precocious child, and attended Wisbech Grammar School
where records note that by age eight he was composing incidental music for school plays. He later attended Liverpool Organ School and Liverpool College of Music.
By 1881, Jude was listed in the census as living at 33 Oxford Street, Mount Pleasant, Liverpool
with his wife Catherine. At this time, he was organist for the Blue Coat Hospital
and Stretford Town Hall
near Manchester, as well as being a lecturer and teacher. As a recitalist, he was asked to "open" over 1000 new organs across the UK, Ireland and Australia. He was frequently referred to as "the most brilliant organist of the day".
Christian texts and topics appear frequently in Jude's compositions. He was an admirer of the British evangelist Rodney "Gipsy" Smith, and published a collection of Gipsy Smith's Favourite Solos in 1903. Jude appears to have supported the temperance movement
; "Fight the Drink", a song by Jude with lyrics by A Sargant, appears in a collection of his music with the note that it was "sung at the Crystal Palace Festival by 5000 people". Between 1890 to 1894, the composer embarked on a tour of Australia and New Zealand. Beginning in 1904, he served as editor for several musical periodicals, including Monthly Hymnal, Minister of Music, and Music and the Higher Life. He also compiled several hymnbooks; Mission Hymns in 1911 and Festival Hymns in 1916. He died on 8 August 1922 in London.
Other nautical ballads include "'Neath the Rolling Tide", "Every Inch a Sailor", "The Skipper" and "Plymouth Sound". Other songs include "Behold! I Stand at the Door", "Consecration", "I Gave My Life For Thee", "The Landlord's Daughter" and "The Young Brigade". He also composed organ music and piano solos such as the Festival March in C. Many of his compositions are of the Victorian parlour music
variety.
He was a keen writer of high-Victorian
hymns, and his hymn tune "Galilee" was widely printed and applied to several texts, although notably "Jesus Call Us" by Cecil Frances Alexander. In 1900, he published a collection of his own hymn tunes entitled Music and the Higher Life. Several of his hymn settings, such as "Onward, Christian Soldiers
", "Eventide
" and "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
" are better known in alternative settings.
Westleton
Westleton is a village in the English county of Suffolk. It is located north of Leiston and miles north-east of Saxmundham near the North Sea coast. The village is on the edge of the Suffolk Sandlings, an area of lowland heathland...
, Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
in September 1851, his parents later moved to Norfolk. He was a precocious child, and attended Wisbech Grammar School
Wisbech Grammar School
Wisbech Grammar School is a co-educational independent school in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire for students ages 11 to 18. Founded by the Wisbech Guild of the Holy Trinity in 1379, it is one of the oldest schools in the country. The present headmaster is N.J.G. Hammond, a member of the Headmasters' and...
where records note that by age eight he was composing incidental music for school plays. He later attended Liverpool Organ School and Liverpool College of Music.
By 1881, Jude was listed in the census as living at 33 Oxford Street, Mount Pleasant, Liverpool
Mount Pleasant, Liverpool
Mount Pleasant is a street in Liverpool City Centre. It is towards one end of Hope Street, and is the location of Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral.57 Mount Pleasant Street is referenced in the song Weather With You by Crowded House....
with his wife Catherine. At this time, he was organist for the Blue Coat Hospital
Liverpool Blue Coat School
The Liverpool Blue Coat School is a voluntary aided secondary school located in Wavertree, Liverpool and is Liverpool's only Grammar School. The school was for many years a boys' school but as of September 2002 it has reverted to its original coeducational remit.The Blue Coat School holds a...
and Stretford Town Hall
Stretford
Stretford is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, in Greater Manchester, England. Lying on flat ground between the River Mersey and the Manchester Ship Canal, it is to the southwest of Manchester city centre, south-southwest of Salford and northeast of Altrincham...
near Manchester, as well as being a lecturer and teacher. As a recitalist, he was asked to "open" over 1000 new organs across the UK, Ireland and Australia. He was frequently referred to as "the most brilliant organist of the day".
Christian texts and topics appear frequently in Jude's compositions. He was an admirer of the British evangelist Rodney "Gipsy" Smith, and published a collection of Gipsy Smith's Favourite Solos in 1903. Jude appears to have supported the temperance movement
Temperance movement
A temperance movement is a social movement urging reduced use of alcoholic beverages. Temperance movements may criticize excessive alcohol use, promote complete abstinence , or pressure the government to enact anti-alcohol legislation or complete prohibition of alcohol.-Temperance movement by...
; "Fight the Drink", a song by Jude with lyrics by A Sargant, appears in a collection of his music with the note that it was "sung at the Crystal Palace Festival by 5000 people". Between 1890 to 1894, the composer embarked on a tour of Australia and New Zealand. Beginning in 1904, he served as editor for several musical periodicals, including Monthly Hymnal, Minister of Music, and Music and the Higher Life. He also compiled several hymnbooks; Mission Hymns in 1911 and Festival Hymns in 1916. He died on 8 August 1922 in London.
Compositions
As a composer, he mainly focussed on vocal music, and wrote at least two operettas; Innocents Abroad, or Going Over to Rome in 1882 and The Mighty Deep in 1917, as well as numerous individual songs and hymn tunes. Although nearly all of his music has slipped into obscurity, at the turn of the 20th century, his ballad "The Mighty Deep" from his 1917 operetta of the same name was very popular.Other nautical ballads include "'Neath the Rolling Tide", "Every Inch a Sailor", "The Skipper" and "Plymouth Sound". Other songs include "Behold! I Stand at the Door", "Consecration", "I Gave My Life For Thee", "The Landlord's Daughter" and "The Young Brigade". He also composed organ music and piano solos such as the Festival March in C. Many of his compositions are of the Victorian parlour music
Parlour music
Parlour music is a type of popular music which, as the name suggests, is intended to be performed in the parlours of middle class homes by amateur singers and pianists...
variety.
He was a keen writer of high-Victorian
Victorianism
Victorianism is the name given to the attitudes, art, and culture of the later two-thirds of the 19th century. This usage is strong within social history and the study of literature, less so in philosophy. Many disciplines do not use the term, but instead prefer Victorian Era, or simply "Late 19th...
hymns, and his hymn tune "Galilee" was widely printed and applied to several texts, although notably "Jesus Call Us" by Cecil Frances Alexander. In 1900, he published a collection of his own hymn tunes entitled Music and the Higher Life. Several of his hymn settings, such as "Onward, Christian Soldiers
Onward, Christian Soldiers
"Onward, Christian Soldiers" is a 19th century English hymn. The words were written by Sabine Baring-Gould in 1865, and the music was composed by Arthur Sullivan in 1871. Sullivan named the tune "St. Gertrude," after the wife of his friend Ernest Clay Ker Seymer, at whose country home he composed...
", "Eventide
Abide With Me
The hymn tune most often used with this hymn is "Eventide" composed by William Henry Monk in 1861.Alternate tunes include:* "Abide with Me," Henry Lyte, 1847* "Morecambe", Frederick C...
" and "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
“Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” is a Christmas carol that first appeared in 1739 in the collection Hymns and Sacred Poems, having been written by Charles Wesley. This is not the version widely known today. A sombre man, Wesley had requested and received slow and solemn music for his lyrics, not the...
" are better known in alternative settings.