Augustus Edmonds Tozer
Encyclopedia
Augustus Edmonds Tozer F.R.C.O., L.R.A.M.
, A.R.C.M., Mus. Doc
(Oxon.) (13 January 1857 – ?? February 1910) was an English
composer
and organist
.
, at the time a small village on the Wirral Peninsula
, but now a suburb
of the town of Ellesmere Port
. He was sent to attend the City of London School
in 1870 and, having shown a talent for music, went on to study at the Royal Academy of Music
.
and, having applied for membership of the Royal College of Organists
was appointed as a Fellow
at the exceptionally young age of 19. He subsequently attained his Licensiateship with the Royal Academy for his ability with the organ in 1882 and was awarded his Associateship of the Royal College of Music
for his music theory and composition work in 1887. Following completion of a degree
in music at Durham University
, he undertook further studies at Oxford University until, in November 1895, he qualified for his Doctorate
.
and choirmaster was at St. Mary Magdalene, St. Leonards-on-Sea
, then an Anglican church, and, for a period, also held the position of choirmaster at the newly-built Holy Trinity, Hastings
.
Whilst studying in London
he converted to Roman Catholicism and took posts at several Catholic churches before settling on the south coast and becoming musical director for Church of the Sacred Heart
, Hove
, in 1888. He held this post until close to his death.
for his services to Roman Catholic Church Music, having at least composed six full Masses
and edited or compiled several Catholic hymnals
.
He also worked with Elgar
, whose mother was a Catholic, on several of his Catholic compositions, and included them in his collection 'The Complete Benediction Manual', although Elgar later recounted to Hubert Leicester how Tozer had changed the harmonies so that the published version was “absolutely different” from, and inferior to, Elgar’s original.
One of his most enduring hymn tunes is entitled Jazer and was set to several different words in both Protestant and Catholic hymnals.
where he was living “on his own means” to Steyning
(later the home of John Ireland
) where he died in February 1910.
LRAM
LRAM is an abbreviation for Licentiate of the Royal Academy of Music. This professional diploma was formerly open to both internal students of the Royal Academy of Music and external candidates in voice, keyboard and orchestral instruments and guitar, as well as conducting and other musical...
, A.R.C.M., Mus. Doc
Doctor of Music
The Doctor of Music degree , like other doctorates, is an academic degree of the highest level. The D.Mus. is intended for musicians and composers who wish to combine the highest attainments in their area of specialization with doctoral-level academic study in music...
(Oxon.) (13 January 1857 – ?? February 1910) was an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
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...
and organist
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...
.
Early life
Augustus Tozer was born in Little SuttonLittle Sutton
Little Sutton is a village on the Wirral Peninsula, Cheshire, England, located between Childer Thornton and Great Sutton. It is a suburb of the town of Ellesmere Port and part of the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester....
, at the time a small village on the Wirral Peninsula
Wirral Peninsula
Wirral or the Wirral is a peninsula in North West England. It is bounded by three bodies of water: to the west by the River Dee, forming a boundary with Wales, to the east by the River Mersey and to the north by the Irish Sea. Both terms "Wirral" and "the Wirral" are used locally , although the...
, but now a suburb
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
of the town of Ellesmere Port
Ellesmere Port
Ellesmere Port is a large industrial town and port in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. It is situated on the south border of the Wirral Peninsula on the banks of the Manchester Ship Canal, which in turn gives access to the River...
. He was sent to attend the City of London School
City of London School
The City of London School is a boys' independent day school on the banks of the River Thames in the City of London, England. It is the brother school of the City of London School for Girls and the co-educational City of London Freemen's School...
in 1870 and, having shown a talent for music, went on to study at the Royal Academy of Music
Royal Academy of Music
The Royal Academy of Music in London, England, is a conservatoire, Britain's oldest degree-granting music school and a constituent college of the University of London since 1999. The Academy was founded by Lord Burghersh in 1822 with the help and ideas of the French harpist and composer Nicolas...
.
Academic Life
His particular skill was with the pipe organPipe organ
The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurized air through pipes selected via a keyboard. Because each organ pipe produces a single pitch, the pipes are provided in sets called ranks, each of which has a common timbre and volume throughout the keyboard compass...
and, having applied for membership 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...
was appointed as a Fellow
Fellow
A fellow in the broadest sense is someone who is an equal or a comrade. The term fellow is also used to describe a person, particularly by those in the upper social classes. It is most often used in an academic context: a fellow is often part of an elite group of learned people who are awarded...
at the exceptionally young age of 19. He subsequently attained his Licensiateship with the Royal Academy for his ability with the organ in 1882 and was awarded his Associateship of 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...
for his music theory and composition work in 1887. Following completion of a degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in music at Durham University
Durham University
The University of Durham, commonly known as Durham University, is a university in Durham, England. It was founded by Act of Parliament in 1832 and granted a Royal Charter in 1837...
, he undertook further studies at Oxford University until, in November 1895, he qualified for his Doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
.
Appointments
His first formal appointment was as organistOrganist
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...
and choirmaster was at St. Mary Magdalene, St. Leonards-on-Sea
St Mary Magdalene's Church, St Leonards-on-Sea
St Mary Magdalene's Church is a Greek Orthodox place of worship in St Leonards-on-Sea, a town and seaside resort which is part of the Borough of Hastings in East Sussex, England...
, then an Anglican church, and, for a period, also held the position of choirmaster at the newly-built Holy Trinity, Hastings
Holy Trinity Church, Hastings
Holy Trinity Church is an Anglican church in the centre of Hastings, a town and borough in the English county of East Sussex. It was built during the 1850s—a period when Hastings was growing rapidly as a seaside resort—by prolific and eccentric architect Samuel Sanders Teulon, who was "chief among...
.
Whilst studying in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
he converted to Roman Catholicism and took posts at several Catholic churches before settling on the south coast and becoming musical director for Church of the Sacred Heart
Church of the Sacred Heart, Hove
The Church of the Sacred Heart is a Roman Catholic church in Hove, part of the English city of Brighton and Hove. It is the oldest of Hove's three Roman Catholic churches, and one of eleven in the city area...
, Hove
Hove
Hove is a town on the south coast of England, immediately to the west of its larger neighbour Brighton, with which it forms the unitary authority Brighton and Hove. It forms a single conurbation together with Brighton and some smaller towns and villages running along the coast...
, in 1888. He held this post until close to his death.
Work and recognition
In 1890 he was admitted to the Sylvestrine Order by Pope Leo XIIIPope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII , born Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci to an Italian comital family, was the 256th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, reigning from 1878 to 1903...
for his services to Roman Catholic Church Music, having at least composed six full Masses
Mass
Mass can be defined as a quantitive measure of the resistance an object has to change in its velocity.In physics, mass commonly refers to any of the following three properties of matter, which have been shown experimentally to be equivalent:...
and edited or compiled several Catholic hymnals
Hymnal
Hymnal or hymnary or hymnbook is a collection of hymns, i.e. religious songs, usually in the form of a book. The earliest hand-written hymnals are known since Middle Ages in the context of European Christianity...
.
He also worked with 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...
, whose mother was a Catholic, on several of his Catholic compositions, and included them in his collection 'The Complete Benediction Manual', although Elgar later recounted to Hubert Leicester how Tozer had changed the harmonies so that the published version was “absolutely different” from, and inferior to, Elgar’s original.
One of his most enduring hymn tunes is entitled Jazer and was set to several different words in both Protestant and Catholic hymnals.
Later Years
In 1901, Tozer's health deteriorated and he retired from HoveHove
Hove is a town on the south coast of England, immediately to the west of its larger neighbour Brighton, with which it forms the unitary authority Brighton and Hove. It forms a single conurbation together with Brighton and some smaller towns and villages running along the coast...
where he was living “on his own means” to Steyning
Steyning
Steyning is a small town and civil parish in the Horsham District of West Sussex, England. It is located at the north end of the River Adur gap in the South Downs, four miles north of Shoreham-by-Sea...
(later the home of John Ireland
John Ireland (composer)
John Nicholson Ireland was an English composer.- Life :John Ireland was born in Bowdon, near Altrincham, Manchester, into a family of Scottish descent and some cultural distinction. His father, Alexander Ireland, a publisher and newspaper proprietor, was aged 70 at John's birth...
) where he died in February 1910.