A Thanksgiving Processional

Sir Alfred Herbert Brewer (1865-1928) was the great Victorian organist of Gloucester cathedral (1897-1928).

A local musical monarch, he was a firm disciplinarian with choristers, lay clerks, and assistant organists. It was said to have been a "bad day" if he played a wrong note! His early musical training was as a chorister at Gloucester and then as a pupil of C. H. Lloyd. Apart from his music, he lead an active public life, being appointed City High Sheriff in 1922, and was knighted in 1926. As a composer, Brewer was fairly conservative. His output includes church music of all types, cantatas, songs, instrumental works, and orchestral music. His "Magnificat and Nunc dimittis in D major" is in the standard repertoire of Anglican church music. An organ work, "Marche Héroïque," is a grand piece, and one of the best of its type.

"A Thanksgiving Processional" was published by Augener Ltd. in 1926. It is a grandiose work, technically not easy, and very much in the style of Sir Edward Elgar. It is dedicated: "To Dr. Percy C. Hull."

Sir Percy Clarke Hull (1878 – 1968), organist and composer revived the Three Choirs Festival during his time as organist of Hereford Cathedral from 1918 to 1949. He was a friend of Edward Elgar and Ralph Vaughan Williams.

Hull was a chorister at Hereford Cathedral under Langdon Colborne and George Robertson Sinclair. He was afterwards a pupil of Sinclair's and assistant organist of Hereford from 1896-1914. He was in Germany at the outbreak of the Great War and interned as a civil prisoner of war at Ruhleben. He was appointed organist of Hereford Cathedral on Armistice Day 1918, and was knighted in 1947.

Since Hull was organist of Hereford, the choice of organ for the performance of this work was immediately obvious! :-)

The score is attached below, as well as photos of Brewer, Hull, and memorials to both men. In addition there are photos of the cathedrals at Gloucester Cathedral and at Hereford.

Happy Thanksgiving to All!