Funeral idea

[Martin Cooke]

I've been asked to play for the funeral of a senior nurse. Can anybody think of any music that might be particularly appropriate to the nursing profession?

 

As a post script to this - the other possibility would be a piece linked in some way to the city or environs of Bath - I can't think of anyone or anything! Ernest Maynard arranged the Arrival of the Queen of Sheba but I don't think that's what I need.

[Colin Pykett]

You might consider some of the 20 titles on this page:

 

http://scrubsmag.com/20-songs-for-nurses/

 

They are modern/pop type songs which would have to be arranged for organ, but might suit the occasion nevertheless.

 

CEP

[Martin Cooke]

Many thanks Colin, this is very much the territory I have found myself in. I have, however, discovered in all of this, and following the Bath link rather than the nursing one, that the astronomer, William Herschel who, amongst other things discovered Uranus, was quite a musician, and composed two organ concertos, but IMSLP has drawn a blank regarding any scores - but his son, John (also an astronomer) who lived in Bath, wasn't a musician! Sorry - a non-story! [Obviously, I believed I was on to something initially with the Herschels and Bath, but it was the wrong one who was musical and Bath-orientated!]

[Philip J Wells]

I am not sure the above information re Herschel is entirely correct. One of them was an organist at the Octagon Chapel in Bath from1767 to 1776 having arrived from Halifax Parish Church. He was then a freelance organist in Bath. According to notes on an LP Of Bath's Musical Heritage, 'he wrote at least 3 concertos for organ, and a large body of solo music including 24 sonatas'. Maybe the Herschel Museum in Bath could help but Dr David Shuker has studied the Herschels music etc and might also be able to help. He is available 'At the sign of the Pipe' (search on the internet for his site).

[Colin Pykett]

As a post script to this - the other possibility would be a piece linked in some way to the city or environs of Bath - I can't think of anyone or anything! Ernest Maynard arranged the Arrival of the Queen of Sheba but I don't think that's what I need.

 

There's also (some of) the Handelian 'Water Music' which has obvious aqueous connotations. Going completely away from your desired connections to nursing or Bath though, I find 'A Little Organ Book' written by several composers in memory of Hubert Parry very beautiful and entirely apposite for funerals, apart possibly from the one by Thalben-Ball which strikes me as a bit out of place and rather angular in that collection. But then, you will know of this.

 

CEP

[mgp]

Anthony Herschel Hill FRCO is alive and composing (and he looks uncannily like his forbear). Not sure where it came from, but I have a copy of 'Science & Music in 18thC Bath' A.J.Turner (Univ of Bath 1977) designed to go with an exhibition in the Holborne of Menstrie Museum, Bath in the autumn of 1977 This is based on Herschel's life and is richly illustrated. According to this, he is the Herschel referred to by Philip above. I'm not aware of any modern editions (and there's nothing on IMSLP) but Anthony may well have something.

[Martin Cooke]

In the process of looking up references to Thalben-Ball, having just read the Rennert book - (1p on Amazon, by the way!!) - I have stumbled into this set of posts and though I may as well just mention that some of Herschel's music has recently been published by, I think, David Patrick.

[David Patrick]

Thank you for mentioning the new editions, Sets 1 and 2, of William Herschel's Full Organ Pieces which I have recently published. They are obtainable from me at Fitzjohn Music Publications. Herschel's Sonatas/Sonatinas are in the course of preparation at the moment.

 

David Patrick