Chorale Prelude on Rock of Ages

One of three chorale preludes by Dr A. E. Floyd, this one entitled ‘a meditation on Redhead’s tune: Rock of Ages’ published in 1943. Tune Redhead 76 (Petra?) is by Richard Redhead born in Harrow, UK 1820 -1901. The moving words ‘Rock of Ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in thee’, etc (1763) are by Augustus Toplady, born in Farnham in 1740.

Floyd was born in Aston, Birmingham in 1877 and after education and work in the UK came to Australia to take up the position of organist and Choir Director at St Paul’s Cathedral, Melbourne. He was there for over 30 years and wrote a number of anthems, hymns and voluntaries. As well as being a music critic for the Argus, he presented Music Lovers Hour on ABC radio for 24 years. He died in Melbourne in 1974.