I wrote this in the evening of the day of Queen Elizabeth’s funeral in September 2022. It records a unique event in British public life, and shows the huge importance of music, and musicians, on days of national mourning.
It must have been the idea, and insistence, of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth that the hymns, anthems and voluntaries played at the official services up to, and at, her funeral today should be almost exclusively by British composers. Her plans for the great national event that we have witnessed today were meticulous, and her own. In doing this she has also drawn up for us a wonderful compendium of music spanning over four centuries, by composers born (or working) in Great Britain, including some alive today.
I was emailed by colleagues in the USA this week, asking if I knew what music was going to be played at the funeral, so they could choose something appropriate in their own churches. I had to tell them that the full Orders of Service are only published the day before the event: however I was able to pass on details of the music from the early Thanksgiving Service at St Paul’s Cathedral.
I write now on the evening after watching the State Funeral at Westminster Abbey, and the Committal at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle, with a full listing of all the music played and sung, for fellow organists to explore. Some is familiar, some less so, and I hope it inspires you to look out some of the latter.
St Paul’s Cathedral
Service of Prayer and Reflection on the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
Friday 9 September 2022
Music before the service:
Saraband (In Modo Elegiaco) from Six Pieces Herbert Howells (1892-1983)
Rhosymedre from Three Preludes Founded on Welsh Hymn Tunes Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958)
Psalm Prelude Set 1, No 2 Herbert Howells (Psalm 37. 11 ‘But the meek-spirited shall possess the earth’)
Farewell to Stromness Peter Maxwell Davies (1934-2016)
Solemn Prelude ‘In memoriam’ from For the Fallen (Op. 80, No 3) Edward Elgar (1857-1934) arr. Harvey Grace (1874-1944)
Hymns:
All my hope on God is founded Words: Robert Bridges (1844-1930), Tune: MICHAEL Herbert Howells (1892-1983)
O thou who camest from above Words: Charles Wesley (1707-88), Tune: HEREFORD Samuel Sebastian Wesley (1810-76)
The Lord’s my shepherd Words: Scottish Psalter 1650, Tune: CRIMOND Jessie Irvine (1836-87)
Anthems:
Behold O God our defender (Psalm 84 9-10) Herbert Howells
Bring us O Lord God, at our last awakening Words: John Donne (1573-1631) Dean of St Paul’s (1621-1631), Music: William Harris (1883-1973)
Nunc Dimittis from Evening Service in G Charles Villiers Stanford (1852-1924)
The souls of the righteous are in the hand of God Words: Wisdom 3. 1-2, Music: Geraint Lewis (b.1958)
Organ Voluntary at end:
Elegy George Thalben-Ball (1896-1987)
Westminster Abbey
The State Funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
Monday 19 September 2022
Music before the service:
Fantasia of four parts
Orlando Gibbons (1583–1625) Organist of Westminster Abbey 1623–25
Romanza (Symphony no 5 in D) Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872–1958) arranged by Robert Quinney (b 1976)
Reliqui domum meum
Peter Maxwell Davies (1934–2016)
Meditation on ‘Brother James’s Air’ Harold Darke (1888–1976)
Prelude on ‘Ecce jam noctis’ Op 157 no 3 Healey Willan (1880–1968)
Psalm Prelude Set 1 no 2 Herbert Howells (1892–1983)
In the Country Op 194 no 2
Charles Villiers Stanford (1852–1924)
Fantasy on ‘O Paradise’
Malcolm Williamson (1931–2003)
Elegy Op 58 Edward Elgar (1857–1934) arranged by Matthew Jorysz (b 1992)
Andante espressivo (Sonata in G Op 28) Edward Elgar
Sospiri Op 70 Edward Elgar arranged by Peter Holder (b 1990)
As the Coffin entered the Abbey:
The Funeral Sentences, set variously by William Croft (1678-1727) (Organist of Westminster Abbey 1708-27), and Henry Purcell (1659-95) (Organist of Westminster Abbey 1679-95)
Hymns:
The day thou gavest, Lord, is ended Words: John Ellerton (1826–93), Tune ST CLEMENT Clement Scholefield (1839–1904), final verse arranged by James O’Donnell (b 1961)
The Lord’s my shepherd Words: Scottish Psalter 1650, Tune: CRIMOND Jessie Irvine (1836-87), descant by William Baird Ross (1871–1950)
Love divine, all loves excelling Words: Charles Wesley (1707–88), Tune BLAENWERN William Rowlands (1860–1937), final verse arranged by James O’Donnell
Anthems:
Psalm 42: 1-7, by Judith Weir (b.1954), composed for this Service
My soul, there is a country Words: Henry Vaughan (1621–95), from Songs of Farewell Hubert Parry (1848–1918)
O taste and see Psalm 34:8, Ralph Vaughan Williams, composed for the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II 1953
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? (Romans 8), Sir James MacMillan (b 1959), composed for this Service (and now published – see in comments below)
National Anthem arranged by Gordon Jacob (1895–1984)
As the procession left the church:
Fantasia in C minor BWV 562 Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750)
Allegro maestoso (Sonata in G Op 28) Edward Elgar
St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle
Committal of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
Monday 19 September 2022
Music before the service:
Schmücke dich, O liebe Seele (B W V 654) Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750)
O Traurigkeit, O Herzeleid Dame Ethel Smyth (1858–1944)
Master Tallis’s Testament Herbert Howells (1892–1983)
Psalm Prelude Set 1, No. 1 Herbert Howells (1892–1983)
Psalm Prelude Set 1, No. 2 Herbert Howells (1892–1983)
Melody (Three Pieces)
Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (1875–1912)
Andante Sostenuto (Symphonie Gothique, Op. 70) Charles-Marie Widor (1844–1937)
The Tree of Peace
Judith Weir (b. 1954)
Nimrod (Variations On An Original Theme, Op. 36) Sir Edward Elgar (1857–1934) arranged by Sir William H. Harris
Prelude
Sir William H. Harris (1883–1973)
Sheep May Safely Graze (BWV 208) Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750) arranged by Stainton de B. Taylor
Rhosymedre Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872–1958)
Anthems:
Psalm 121 (I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills) Sir Henry Walford Davies (1869–1941), sometime Organist, St George’s Chapel
The Russian Contakion of the Departed Words: Translated William J. Birkbeck (1869–1916) Music: Kiev Melody edited by Sir Walter Parratt, (1841–1924), sometime Organist, St George’s Chapel
Motet Bring us, O Lord God, at our last awakening Words: John Donne (1572–1631) Music: Sir William Henry Harris, (1883–1973), sometime Organist, St George’s Chapel
Hymns:
All my hope on God is founded Words: Robert Bridges (1844-1930), Tune: MICHAEL Herbert Howells (1892-1983)
Christ is made the sure foundation Words: Latin 7th century Translated John M. Neale (1818-66), Tune: WESTMINSTER ABBEY Adapted from the Alleluyas in Purcell’s ‘O God, Thou art my God’ for BELVILLE in The Psalmist 1843
Final voluntary:
Prelude and Fugue in C minor BWV 546 Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750)
Thank you for this compilation. I spent time yesterday using the power of the Internet to enrich my knowledge of British organist and organ music. Now to get practicing! And I agree with you Bach does transcend!
I noticed how much Howells there is in the list – must look out my own copies of those Psalm Preludes!
The MacMillan piece from the funeral service is already in print from Boosey [albeit only as a digital download], the Weir piece is still awaiting publication from Chester. Any news of the latter will be most welcome.
Thanks Stuart! – here’s the link
https://www.boosey.com/cr/music/James-MacMillan-Who-shall-separate-us/56990
Thank you so much for this list. I am merely a grade 3 pianist masquerading as a parish organist during our search for a new organist and I was wondering if anyone could recommend some non pedal pieces of music please?
Carol – I can recommend Oxford Service Music for Organ – Book 1 Manuals-Only – for a Grade 3 pianist looking for ‘real’ organ music. It is compiled and edited by Anne Marsden Thomas who teaches organists at all levels. Each piece has suggestions for registration too, if that is something you are unsure about.
Published by OUP.
I’ve only just seen this, Carol. Now that you’ve started playing the organ I hope you will continue. Morwenna’s recommendations are excellent, there is much music available which is both simple and good. Good does not necessarily mean difficult. Have you seen Anne Marsden Thomas’ Hymn Tunes For The Reluctant Organist? They are skilfully reworked in simple form yet in such a way that fee of your congregation will know. Has your church made an appointment yet or are you still holding the fort? I’m only a village organist myself but I love encouraging beginners to take up the instrument, because there are far too many unoccupied organ stools, even in some town churches.
Go to my Manuals only links at the bottom of this page, Carol, loads of useful stuff there. And bravo for your work as stand in organist!