Cantabile in A Minor

Leonard Butler (1869-1943) was born in Dorking and died near St. Austell in Cornwall.

He was a pupil of Dr W. S. Hoyte (Organist of All Saint's Margaret Street, London), and of Dr. Ebenezer Prout, who was the uncle and organ teacher of the well-known John. E (beenezer) West.

He served as organist of St. Paul’s, Kilburn Square, London, and of St. Peter’s, Bayswater, London.

He was a professor of piano at the Guildhall School of Music, London.

"Cantabile in A Minor" was published by Lengnick & Co. Ltd in 1930. Although the year is approaching mid-century, to me the style seems much, much earlier.

The piece maintains a singing melody throughout, played upon the Swell Vox Humana and Flutes 8' & 4'. The accompaniment is played upon the Choir Salcional 8'.

In the central section the Swell Sub-coupler is added, and the 8' Lieblich Gedackt on the Choir to reinforce the background a bit.

The piece is straightforward without fuss, and this is the way I played it.

If you like this piece by Butler, you really should check out his "At Nightfall (Nocturne)", which is the ultimate piece of it's type. :-)

https://www.contrebombarde.com/concerthall/music/34903

I found no photos of Leonard Butler, but did find photos of the two churches were he served, and these are attached, however, both have suffered sad fates.

St. Paul's Kilburn Square was demolished in the 1930s. You'll see a photo of the church as it was, and the new "improved" scenario as it is today.

St. Peter's Bayswater is a magnificent Anglo-Catholic building that proudly states has no organ or traditional choir. Rather, you can now rock and roll with their praise band and Gospel choir...