James Turpin FRCO (15 December 1840 in Nottingham – 29 July 1896 in Brighton) was an English organist, composer and teacher.[1]
Career edit
He was born in Nottingham on 15 December 1840 into a musical family which ran a dealership in musical instruments at 20 Chapel Bar, Nottingham. His brother Edmund Hart Turpin was organist at Nottingham Cathedral and James succeeded him in this position in 1866.[2] James Turpin was an excellent musician, being amongst many other good things, a capable organist and a painstaking teacher.[3] He achieved his FRCO in 1875.[4] He graduated Mus Bac at the Cambridge University in 1880.[5]
He was active as an organ recitalist, organist, pianist and lecturer.[6] As an organist he was well known and gave many recitals, including at the Royal Albert Hall during the International Inventions Exhibition in 1885.[7] Besides being an organist in various churches, James Turpin was also a good pianist.[8] Furthermore, he was Professor of harmony and counterpoint at Trinity College, London, and music master at Berkhamsted School. James Turpin gave lectures before the Royal College of Organists and the Musical Association.[9]
Turpin was influential in obtaining suitable buildings for the National Training School of Music and also for the Royal College of Organists, of which he was secretary.[10] In later life he suffered for some years from paralysis, and died, on 29 July 1896.[11]
Appointments edit
- Organist at Nottingham Cathedral 1866 - 1873
- Organist at St Columb's Cathedral 1873[12] – 1878
- Organist of St Leonard's Church, St Leonards-on-Sea 1878 - 1879
- Organist of Church of St Peter, Great Berkhamsted 1879 -
- Organist of St Andrew’s Church, Watford, Hertfordshire
- Music-master at Berkhampstead School [13]
- Professor of harmony and counterpoint, Trinity College, London[14]
Compositions edit
He composed a church service, songs, a sonata, and other pieces for the pianoforte.[15]
References edit
- ^ British musical biography. James Duff Brown, Stephen Samuel Stratton, 1897
- ^ Charles William Pearce, A Biographical Sketch of Edmund Hart Turpin, 1911
- ^ Charles William Pearce, A Biographical Sketch of Edmund Hart Turpin, 1911
- ^ Nottinghamshire Guardian - Friday 16 July 1875
- ^ Graduation, books.google.nl, retrieved 7 November 2014
- ^ Career, books.google.nl, retrieved 7 November 2014
- ^ Well-known organist, ebooksread.com, retrieved 7 November 2014
- ^ Pianist, ebooksread.com, retrieved 7 November 2014
- ^ Lectures, ebooksread.com, retrieved 7 November 2014
- ^ Influence, books.google.nl, retrieved 7 November 2014
- ^ Paralysis, ebooksread.com, retrieved 7 November 2014
- ^ Hb Phillips Impresario: The Man Who Brought McCormack, Kreisler and Robeson to Derry, Wesley McCann. Ulster Historical Foundation, Dec 1, 2001
- ^ Charles William Pearce, A Biographical Sketch of Edmund Hart Turpin, 1911
- ^ Trinity College, ebooksread.com, retrieved 7 November 2014
- ^ Compositions, ebooksread.com, retrieved 7 November 2014