Dennis Townhill
Encyclopedia
Dennis William Townhill OBE
(29 May 1925 – 18 July 2008) was an English
organist
and composer
.
Born in Lincoln
, he was educated at Lincoln School and studied under Dr Gordon Archbold Slater
at Lincoln Cathedral
.
Townhill composed a set of responses
for use at Anglican
evensong.
In 1970, Townhill became the driving force of a plan not only to safeguard the future of the Choir School of St Mary’s Cathedral, Edinburgh but to transform it into a new and vibrant entity. In 1972, the school was expanded into a specialist music school on the lines of the Yehudi Menuhin School
, with Lord Menuhin becoming patron and referring to it as "my younger sister-school in Scotland".
He was organist and choir master at:
He retired in 1991.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(29 May 1925 – 18 July 2008) was an English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
organist
Pipe 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 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...
.
Born in Lincoln
Lincoln, Lincolnshire
Lincoln is a cathedral city and county town of Lincolnshire, England.The non-metropolitan district of Lincoln has a population of 85,595; the 2001 census gave the entire area of Lincoln a population of 120,779....
, he was educated at Lincoln School and studied under Dr Gordon Archbold Slater
Gordon Archbold Slater
Gordon Archbold Slater was an English cathedral organist, who served in Leicester Cathedral and Lincoln Cathedral.He was a composer of organ, piano and choral music...
at Lincoln Cathedral
Lincoln Cathedral
Lincoln Cathedral is a historic Anglican cathedral in Lincoln in England and seat of the Bishop of Lincoln in the Church of England. It was reputedly the tallest building in the world for 249 years . The central spire collapsed in 1549 and was not rebuilt...
.
Townhill composed a set of responses
Response (liturgy)
A response is the second half of one of a set of preces, the said or sung answer by the congregation or choir to a versicle said or sung by an officiant or cantor...
for use at Anglican
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
evensong.
In 1970, Townhill became the driving force of a plan not only to safeguard the future of the Choir School of St Mary’s Cathedral, Edinburgh but to transform it into a new and vibrant entity. In 1972, the school was expanded into a specialist music school on the lines of the Yehudi Menuhin School
Yehudi Menuhin School
The Yehudi Menuhin School is a specialist music school in Surrey, England. It was founded in 1963 by the violinist Yehudi Menuhin.The School also gives pupils the best musical education any specialist schools can with a number of internationally main teachers, Simon Fischer , Natalya Boyarskaya ,...
, with Lord Menuhin becoming patron and referring to it as "my younger sister-school in Scotland".
He was organist and choir master at:
- St Paul's Church, Burton on Trent. 1942 - 1943
- St Mary le Wigford, Lincoln 1943 - 1947
- St Mary Magdalene, Bailgate, Lincoln, Lincoln 1947 - 1949
- St James Church, LouthSt. James Church, LouthSt. James' Church, Louth is a parish church in the Church of England in Louth, Lincolnshire, England. It is notable for its tall spire.-History:...
1949 - 1956 - Grimsby Parish ChurchGrimsby Parish ChurchGrimsby Minster is a minster and parish church located in Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire, England. Dedicated to St. James, the church belongs to the Church of England and is within the Diocese of Lincoln.-Background:...
1956 - 1961 - St Mary's CathedralSt Mary's Cathedral, Edinburgh (Episcopal)St Mary's Cathedral or the Cathedral Church of Saint Mary the Virgin is a cathedral of the Scottish Episcopal Church in Edinburgh, Scotland. It was built in the late 19th century in the West End of Edinburgh's New Town. The cathedral is the see of the Bishop of Edinburgh, one of seven bishops...
, EdinburghEdinburghEdinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
1961 - 1991
He retired in 1991.