Thomas Adams (composer, 1857)

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Thomas Adams (* 1857 - † November 4, 1918 in London ) was an English composer and organist. He was a Fellow of the Royal College of Organists FRCO.

Life

Thomas Adams was a student of Frederick Bridge (1844-1924). He taught at the Bishop Stortford Grammar School and was organist at Saint-Alban-the-Martyr in Holborn in London from his first service on June 22, 1888 until his death . At first he only worked as an organist, later he also took over the leadership of the choir at the church. In February 1890, Adams and about half the adult choir members fell ill during the influenza epidemic. In February 1891 he published an appendix to the church hymnal (hymnal) in use with songs sung in the community. John Stainer and Charles William Pearce (1856–1928) contributed to the creation. On February 14, Adams initiated in the church a performance of Stabat Mater by Rossini and Te Deum by Charles Gounod with choir and orchestra at the dedication of a new Triumph cross . The stabat mater was performed several times over the next few years. At Easter 1894 he performed the Mass in E flat major op. 11 by Alexandre Guilmant . In 1893 he published an English adaptation at Schott in London as the Communion Service together with James Baden Powell. Together with the choir he developed the Lauda Sion by Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy . For the inauguration of a new organ on June 21, 1895, an Ave Maria composed by Adams was performed with an obbligato violin. Another performance of Rossini's Stabat mater followed in October of that year . On the Sunday after Christmas the cantata The Holy Child was performed by Thomas Adams. Another performance took place on January 21, 1896 as part of an organ concert. During the Lent of the year, the Stabat mater was performed three times again. The symphony cantata Lobgesang was the next work that Adams worked on with the choir. The performance took place on June 29, 1898. After conducting the major choir performances of the community for years, he was officially appointed Choirmaster in addition to his organist office in 1900, and was now responsible for the entire church music of the community after his predecessor had resigned the office due to reasons of age. Two more performances of the Stabat mater followed during Lent . On December 19, 1907 and on May 19, 1910 his cantata Mater Christi and on January 17, 1912 the cantata The Nativity , composed by him, were performed . On March 27, 1912, his cantata The Story of Calvary was performed . Another performance of Mater Christi followed on December 9, 1913 . On April 8, 1918, he married a Miss Hogan from the St. Albans Ward. He died after a long illness on November 4, 1918. On Friday, November 8, he was transferred to a festive Requiem in Saint-Alban on the Brookwood Cemetery buried.

Works (selection)

Thomas Adams composed oratorios, anthems and organ music. Most of the works were published by the music publisher Novello.

Cantatas

  • Cross of Christ , for soprano, tenor, bass, choir and organ, 1897. Cantata for Lent and Passion, published by Novello OCLC 1029731242
  • Rainbow of Peace , for tenor bass, choir and organ, 1897. Cantata for Harvest Time, published by Novello OCLC 56607582
  • The Immortal Hope , published by J. Curwen & Sons, 1898. OCLC 497056525
  • Mater Christi , text: AH Stanton, 1906 cantata for Marienfeste
  • The Nativity , 1910
  • The Story of Calvary , 1912
  • The Holy Child
  • Golden Harvest

Organ works

  • Marche solenelle, 1898
  • Vesper Melody, 1898
  • Short Fantasy on "Abridge", 1899
  • Alla Marcia in D, 1898
  • Allegro pomposo, 1906
  • Short Fantasia on “Veni Creator Spiritus”, 1907
  • Short Preludes, 1909-1910
  • Grand Choeur, 1911

Hymn Tunes

  • Come Holy Ghost, our souls inspire
  • O little town of Bethlehem

Anthems

  • Alleluia! now is Christ risen, Anthem for Easter , 1898, published by Novello, Ewer and Co. OCLC 497055237
  • All thy works praise thee, O Lord, Carol-anthem for Christmastide,
  • I am He that he liveth, Anthem for Easter , 1899, Novello and Co. published OCLC 30090695
  • If any man sin OCLC 497056441
  • Look upon the rainbow , Anthem for Harvest-Tide , 1899 by Novello & Co, published OCLC 497056743
  • Nearer, my God, to Thee, Anthem for soprano and tenor solo and choir, published in 1899 by Novello & Co. OCLC 497055265
  • The Glory of the God of Israel, published by Novello & Co, 1898 OCLC 497055403
  • The word is made incarnate, text: JM Neale, 1899, published by Novello and Co. OCLC 30846397

Sacred songs

Others

  • Communion Service in D, for four-part mixed choir with organ, 1900 by Novello & Co. as Parish Choir Book No. 479 published OCLC 900896000 I Kyrie Eleison II Credo III Sanctus IV Benedictus qui venit V Agnus Dei VI Gloria in Excelsis .
  • Magnificat and Nunc dimittis, published Novello and Company Limited, 1898 OCLC 965753486
  • The office for the holy communion (in G), for four-part mixed choir with organ, 1900 by Novello & Co. as Parish Choir Book No. 667 published OCLC 900896001 I At the procession II Introit III Kyrie Eleison IV Gradual V Gloria Tibi VI Laus Tibi VII Credo VIII Sursum Corda IX Sanctus X Benedictus XI Agnus Dei XII Pater Noster XIII Gloria in Excelsis XIV Antiphon (Adoremus)

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Christine Petch: Thomas Adams, FRCO, organist June 1888 - Nov 1918 . March 31, 2005 (English, avemariasongs.org ).
personal data
SURNAME Adams, Thomas
BRIEF DESCRIPTION English composer and organist
DATE OF BIRTH 1857
DATE OF DEATH November 4, 1918
Place of death London