Thomas Helmore
Encyclopedia
Thomas Helmore was a choirmaster, writer about singing and author and editor of hymns and carols.
Helmore's father was a congregationalist minister (also called Thomas). During the boy's childhood the family moved from Kidderminster to Stratford-upon-Avon
, where Helmore later trained his father's choir and taught in a school which his father had founded. In 1837, he began his studies at Magdalen College, Oxford
, graduating in 1840. He was ordained in the Church of England in the same year, and took up a curacy at St Michael's, Lichfield
, where he was also a priest-vicar in the Cathedral
.
Two years later he was appointed as precentor
and vice-principal at St. Mark's College, Chelsea where the principal was Derwent Coleridge
(son of the poet Coleridge). He soon came to be on friendly terms with his new colleague, and in 1844 he married Kate Pridham, who was Derwent Coleridge's sister-in-law.
His main duty at St. Mark's was to train the students to sing a daily unaccompanied choral service in the college chapel. In the basic musical training he was assisted by John Pyke Hullah
. The choir's repertoire grew to include such as the anthems of Gibbons
and Byrd
and the motets of Palestrina
, Vittoria
and Marenzio
. Helmore's growing reputation as a choirmaster led to his appointment in 1846 as master of the choristers
in the Chapel Royal, St. James's, where one of his early pupils was Arthur Sullivan
. He continued as precentor at St. Mark's, however, until 1877.
At this time in Anglican and Catholic musical circles there was a growing interest in plainsong. The sixteenth century Booke of Common Praier Noted of John Merbecke was republished in 1844. In the same year Helmore's friend William Dyce
brought out his Book of Common Prayer with Plain Song. Helmore himself resolved to research and contribute. His aim was to create a setting which was authentic, but also well fitted to the text in tempo and accentuation. In 1849 he completed The Psalter Noted, the first of a series of similar works. His Primer of Plainsong (1877) became to be regarded as the standard work on the subject.
In 1853 the British ambassador to Sweden, G. J. R. Gordon, returned to England with a copy of the sixteenth century song book Piae Cantiones
, which he presented to John Mason Neale
, known for his interest in early music. He in turn passed it on to Helmore who he knew to be expert in the interpretation of the mensural notation
in which the tunes were given. Neale translated the texts into English, or in a few cases wrote completely new texts. He and Helmore published 12 of these tunes in that same year as Carols for Christmastide, and the following year 12 more as Carols for Eastertide. The Christmas set included Christ was born on Christmas Day from Resonet in laudibus
, Good Christian men, rejoice from In dulci jubilo
and Good King Wenceslas
as completely new words for the spring carol Tempus adest floridum. Helmore immediately went on to publish a more substantial collection, The Hymnal Noted, where the texts were mostly Neale's translations from the Latin.
Helmore was appointed as executor of the will of Chauncy Hare Townshend
, and on the latter's death in 1868 together with co-executrix Angela Burdett-Coutts, 1st Baroness Burdett-Coutts
he undertook the responsibility of founding an elementary school in London, which was finally opened in Rochester Street, Westminster in 1876.
His interest in plainsong led him to make several visits, in and after 1875, to the Abbey of Saint Gall in Switzerland, to examine an ancient manuscript supposed to be an accurate copy of a book on Gregorian chant
written by Saint Gregory himsalf.
He died at his home in Pimlico on 6 July 1890 and was buried in Brompton Cemetery
.
Helmore's father was a congregationalist minister (also called Thomas). During the boy's childhood the family moved from Kidderminster to Stratford-upon-Avon
Stratford-upon-Avon
Stratford-upon-Avon is a market town and civil parish in south Warwickshire, England. It lies on the River Avon, south east of Birmingham and south west of Warwick. It is the largest and most populous town of the District of Stratford-on-Avon, which uses the term "on" to indicate that it covers...
, where Helmore later trained his father's choir and taught in a school which his father had founded. In 1837, he began his studies at Magdalen College, Oxford
Magdalen College, Oxford
Magdalen College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2006 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £153 million. Magdalen is currently top of the Norrington Table after over half of its 2010 finalists received first-class degrees, a record...
, graduating in 1840. He was ordained in the Church of England in the same year, and took up a curacy at St Michael's, Lichfield
St Michael on Greenhill, Lichfield
St Michael on Greenhill is a parish church in Lichfield, Staffordshire in the United Kingdom, located on the high ground of Greenhill in the east of the city. A church has been on the present site since at least 1190 but the current building dates mainly from the restoration of 1842-43...
, where he was also a priest-vicar in the Cathedral
Lichfield Cathedral
Lichfield Cathedral is situated in Lichfield, Staffordshire, England. It is the only medieval English cathedral with three spires. The Diocese of Lichfield covers all of Staffordshire, much of Shropshire and part of the Black Country and West Midlands...
.
Two years later he was appointed as precentor
Precentor
A precentor is a person who helps facilitate worship. The details vary depending on the religion, denomination, and era in question. The Latin derivation is "præcentor", from cantor, meaning "the one who sings before" ....
and vice-principal at St. Mark's College, Chelsea where the principal was Derwent Coleridge
Derwent Coleridge
Derwent Coleridge , third child of Samuel Taylor Coleridge, was a distinguished English scholar and author.-Early life:Derwent Coleridge was born at Keswick, Cumberland, 14 Sept. 1800 . He was sent with his brother Hartley to be educated at a small school near Ambleside...
(son of the poet Coleridge). He soon came to be on friendly terms with his new colleague, and in 1844 he married Kate Pridham, who was Derwent Coleridge's sister-in-law.
His main duty at St. Mark's was to train the students to sing a daily unaccompanied choral service in the college chapel. In the basic musical training he was assisted by John Pyke Hullah
John Pyke Hullah
John Pyke Hullah , English composer and teacher of music, was born at Worcester.He was a pupil of William Horsley from 1829, and entered the Royal Academy of Music in 1833...
. The choir's repertoire grew to include such as the anthems of Gibbons
Orlando Gibbons
Orlando Gibbons was an English composer, virginalist and organist of the late Tudor and early Jacobean periods...
and Byrd
William Byrd
William Byrd was an English composer of the Renaissance. He wrote in many of the forms current in England at the time, including various types of sacred and secular polyphony, keyboard and consort music.-Provenance:Knowledge of Byrd's biography expanded in the late 20th century, thanks largely...
and the motets of Palestrina
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina was an Italian Renaissance composer of sacred music and the best-known 16th-century representative of the Roman School of musical composition...
, Vittoria
Tomás Luis de Victoria
Tomás Luis de Victoria, sometimes Italianised as da Vittoria , was the most famous composer of the 16th century in Spain, and one of the most important composers of the Counter-Reformation, along with Giovanni da Palestrina and Orlando di Lasso. Victoria was not only a composer, but also an...
and Marenzio
Luca Marenzio
Luca Marenzio was an Italian composer and singer of the late Renaissance. He was one of the most renowned composers of madrigals, and wrote some of the most famous examples of the form in its late stage of development, prior to its early Baroque transformation by Monteverdi...
. Helmore's growing reputation as a choirmaster led to his appointment in 1846 as master of the choristers
Master of the Children
Master of the Children is a title awarded to an adult musician who is put in charge of the musical training, and in some cases the general education of choir boy , as was common in major church choirs, often attached to a cathedral,...
in the Chapel Royal, St. James's, where one of his early pupils was Arthur Sullivan
Arthur Sullivan
Sir Arthur Seymour Sullivan MVO was an English composer of Irish and Italian ancestry. He is best known for his series of 14 operatic collaborations with the dramatist W. S. Gilbert, including such enduring works as H.M.S. Pinafore, The Pirates of Penzance and The Mikado...
. He continued as precentor at St. Mark's, however, until 1877.
At this time in Anglican and Catholic musical circles there was a growing interest in plainsong. The sixteenth century Booke of Common Praier Noted of John Merbecke was republished in 1844. In the same year Helmore's friend William Dyce
William Dyce
William Dyce was a distinguished Scottish artist, who played a significant part in the formation of public art education in the UK, as perhaps the true parent of the South Kensington Schools system.Dyce began his career at the Royal Academy schools, and then traveled to Rome for the first time in...
brought out his Book of Common Prayer with Plain Song. Helmore himself resolved to research and contribute. His aim was to create a setting which was authentic, but also well fitted to the text in tempo and accentuation. In 1849 he completed The Psalter Noted, the first of a series of similar works. His Primer of Plainsong (1877) became to be regarded as the standard work on the subject.
In 1853 the British ambassador to Sweden, G. J. R. Gordon, returned to England with a copy of the sixteenth century song book Piae Cantiones
Piae Cantiones
Piae Cantiones ecclesiasticae et scholasticae veterum episcoporum is a collection of late medieval Latin songs first published in 1582. It was compiled by Jacobus Finno or Jaakko Suomalainen , a clergyman who was headmaster of the cathedral school at Turku...
, which he presented to John Mason Neale
John Mason Neale
John Mason Neale was an Anglican priest, scholar and hymn-writer.-Life:Neale was born in London, his parents being the Revd Cornelius Neale and Susanna Neale, daughter of John Mason Good...
, known for his interest in early music. He in turn passed it on to Helmore who he knew to be expert in the interpretation of the mensural notation
Mensural notation
Mensural notation is the musical notation system which was used in European music from the later part of the 13th century until about 1600."Mensural" refers to the ability of this system to notate complex rhythms with great exactness and flexibility...
in which the tunes were given. Neale translated the texts into English, or in a few cases wrote completely new texts. He and Helmore published 12 of these tunes in that same year as Carols for Christmastide, and the following year 12 more as Carols for Eastertide. The Christmas set included Christ was born on Christmas Day from Resonet in laudibus
Resonet in laudibus
Resonet in laudibus, translated into English as "Let the voice of praise resound" is a 14th century carol which was widely known in medieval Europe, and is still performed today...
, Good Christian men, rejoice from In dulci jubilo
In Dulci Jubilo
In dulci jubilo is a traditional Christmas carol. In its original setting, the carol is a macaronic text of German and Latin dating from the Middle Ages. Subsequent translations into English, such as J.M...
and Good King Wenceslas
Good King Wenceslas
"Good King Wenceslas" is a popular Christmas carol about a king who goes out to give alms to a poor peasant on the Feast of Stephen . During the journey, his page is about to give up the struggle against the cold weather, but is enabled to continue by following the king's footprints, step for step,...
as completely new words for the spring carol Tempus adest floridum. Helmore immediately went on to publish a more substantial collection, The Hymnal Noted, where the texts were mostly Neale's translations from the Latin.
Helmore was appointed as executor of the will of Chauncy Hare Townshend
Chauncy Hare Townshend
Chauncy Hare Townshend, born Chauncy Hare Townsend was a 19th century English poet, clergyman, mesmerist, collector, dilettante and hypochondriac...
, and on the latter's death in 1868 together with co-executrix Angela Burdett-Coutts, 1st Baroness Burdett-Coutts
Angela Burdett-Coutts, 1st Baroness Burdett-Coutts
Angela Georgina Burdett-Coutts, 1st Baroness Burdett-Coutts , born Angela Georgina Burdett, was a nineteenth-century philanthropist, the daughter of Sir Francis Burdett, 5th Baronet and the former Sophia Coutts, daughter of banker Thomas Coutts...
he undertook the responsibility of founding an elementary school in London, which was finally opened in Rochester Street, Westminster in 1876.
His interest in plainsong led him to make several visits, in and after 1875, to the Abbey of Saint Gall in Switzerland, to examine an ancient manuscript supposed to be an accurate copy of a book on Gregorian chant
Gregorian chant
Gregorian chant is the central tradition of Western plainchant, a form of monophonic liturgical music within Western Christianity that accompanied the celebration of Mass and other ritual services...
written by Saint Gregory himsalf.
He died at his home in Pimlico on 6 July 1890 and was buried in Brompton Cemetery
Brompton Cemetery
Brompton Cemetery is located near Earl's Court in South West London, England . It is managed by The Royal Parks and is one of the Magnificent Seven...
.
Some published works
- A Manual of Plain Song; containing- A Brief Directory of the Plain Song used in the Morning and Evening Prayer, Litany, and Holy Communion; together with The Canticles and Psalter Noted, 1850
- Accompanying Harmonies to the Hymnal Noted (1852)
- Accompanying Harmonies To The Brief Directory Of The Plain Song: Used In The Morning And Evening Prayer, Litany, And Holy Communion, 1853
- Carols for Christmas-Tide, 1853 (with John Mason NealeJohn Mason NealeJohn Mason Neale was an Anglican priest, scholar and hymn-writer.-Life:Neale was born in London, his parents being the Revd Cornelius Neale and Susanna Neale, daughter of John Mason Good...
) - Carols for Easter-Tide, 1854 (with John Mason NealeJohn Mason NealeJohn Mason Neale was an Anglican priest, scholar and hymn-writer.-Life:Neale was born in London, his parents being the Revd Cornelius Neale and Susanna Neale, daughter of John Mason Good...
) - The Hymnal Noted, 1854
- The Ancient Plain-Song of the Church: Adapted to the American Book of Common Prayer, 1855
- The Psalter Noted: Carefully Compared and Made to Agree with the Psalter of the Standard Prayer (with Edward M. Pecke) (1856)
- Christ Was Born on Christmas DayResonet in laudibusResonet in laudibus, translated into English as "Let the voice of praise resound" is a 14th century carol which was widely known in medieval Europe, and is still performed today...
: A Carol (with J M Neale), illustrated edition 1864 - Primer of Plainsong, 1877
- Translation of Fétis’ Treatise on Choir and Chorus Singing, 1885