John Rutter: Requiem

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Rutter’s music is popular around the world, particularly with choral societies. On both sides of the Atlantic, performances of his music can be heard week in, week out. Star Carol for SATB and piano or orchestra or brass with optional children's voices or for unison and piano Canticle of the Heavenly City (commissioned for the dedication of John Piper's Nativity window in the church of St Mary the Virgin, Iffley) In a 2009 interview, Rutter discussed his understanding of "genius" and its unique ability to transform lives – whether that genius is communicated in the form of music or other media. He likened the purity of music to that of mathematics and connected the two with a reference to the discovery made by the early Greeks that frequencies of harmonic pitches are related by whole-number ratios. [2] Reception edit

From 1985 to 1992, Rutter suffered severely from myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME, or chronic fatigue syndrome), which restricted his output; after 1985, he stopped writing music on commission, as he was unable to guarantee meeting deadlines. [5] Born on 24 September 1945 [1] in London, the son of an industrial chemist and his wife, Rutter grew up living over the Globe pub on London's Marylebone Road. [2] He was educated at Highgate School where fellow pupils included John Tavener, Howard Shelley, Brian Chapple and Nicholas Snowman, [3] and as a chorister there took part in the first (1963) recording of Britten's War Requiem under the composer's baton. [4] He thence read music at Clare College, Cambridge, where he was a member of the choir. Whilst an undergraduate, he had his first compositions published, including the Shepherd's Pipe Carol. [4] He served as director of music at Clare College from 1975 to 1979 and led the choir to international prominence.Although only 35 minutes in length, the choir of 30+ only began to learn it three and a half hours earlier with a small number of newbies for the day. The result was beautiful. In 2023 Rutter became a Fellow of The Ivors Academy. Signified by the presentation of an Ivor Novello Award, Fellowship is also a position within the Academy's members and is the highest honour bestowed by the association of music creators. [22] List of compositions and arrangements edit Extended compositions edit a b Macfarlane, Alan. "Interview with John Rutter". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016 . Retrieved 18 December 2013. a b "About this Recording". Rutter: Requiem/Anthems. Naxos. 2003. Archived from the original on 31 March 2022 . Retrieved 1 November 2016. The John Rutter Piano Album : arrangements of eight of his most popular choral pieces for solo piano.

Westermeyer, Paul (1994). "John Rutter: Popular Romantic". Christian Century 111, no. 35 (7 December): 1158. News". Delta Omicron. 29 March 2008. Archived from the original on 25 July 2011 . Retrieved 22 July 2011. Rutter structured the work in seven movements, similar to the setting of Gabriel Fauré. One of the movements is The Lord is my Shepherd, which he had written as an anthem in 1976. [3] Table of movements edit Taylor, Mark (14 November 2023). "Winners of The Ivors Classical Awards 2023 announced". The Ivors Academy . Retrieved 15 November 2023.The Twelve Days of Christmas" from Carols for Choirs 2 for soprano, alto, tenor and bass voices ("SATB") and piano or orchestra Rutter completed his Requiem in 1985. It bears the dedication "in memoriam L. F. R.", [1] John Rutter's father, who had died the previous year. [2] The sixth movement is Psalm 23, another psalm commonly used at Anglican funerals. It mentions the valley of the shadow of death, but is an expression of trust in God and hope for dwelling in his house forever. [10] 7 edit He was inducted as a National Patron of Delta Omicron, an international professional music fraternity in 1985. [6] [7] Rutter is also a Vice-President of the Joyful Company of Singers, President of The Bach Choir, and President of the Association of British Choral Directors (ABCD). [8] Compositions edit

The first two choral items sung at the Platinum Jubilee National Service of Thanksgiving in June 2022 were arrangements by Rutter, [10] as were no fewer than six items performed at the Coronation of Charles III and Camilla. [11] Influences editComposer of the Week: John Rutter". BBC Radio 3. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021 . Retrieved 28 September 2014 – via YouTube. In 2008 he also became an honorary Bencher of the Middle Temple while playing a significant role in the 2008 Temple Festival. In 1980 Rutter was made an honorary fellow of Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey, and in 1988 he became a fellow of the Guild of Church Musicians. In 1996 the Archbishop of Canterbury conferred a Lambeth Doctorate of Music upon him in recognition of his contribution to church music.

Burrows, Helen Jane (1999). Choral Music and the Church of England 1970–1995: A Study of Selected Works and Composer–Church Relations. PhD thesis. Norwich: University of East Anglia. He conducted the first performance on 13 October 1985 at Lovers' Lane United Methodist Church, Dallas, Texas, where the director of Music Allen Pote prepared the Sanctuary Choir and orchestra. The soprano soloist was Karen Shafer. Movements 1, 2, 4, and 7 had been performed on 14 March 1985 at Fremont Presbyterian Church, Sacramento, California, by the Sanctuary Choir and ensemble, prepared by Mel Olson and also conducted by the composer. [3] Christmas Bells" (arrangement of the Norwegian folk song "Pal Pa Haugen", with new Christmas lyrics by Rutter) BBC Radio 3, Choral Evensong, St Bartholomew-the-Great, London, 22 March 2023. Retrieved 24 March 2023.Rutter's music is eclectic, showing the influences of the French and English choral traditions of the early 20th century as well as of light music and American classic songwriting. Almost every choral anthem and hymn that he writes [ citation needed] has a subsequent orchestral accompaniment in addition to the standard piano/organ accompaniment, using various different instrumentations such as strings only, strings and woodwinds or full orchestra with brass and percussion. Many of his works have also been arranged for concert band with optional chorus. [12] a b Leung, Rebecca (11 February 2009). "Spreading Good Cheer". CBS News . Retrieved 7 February 2019.