Interlude on the Coventry Carol

Lloyd Webber (1914-82) was born in London. The son of William Charles Henry Webber, a self-employed plumber, he was fortunate, from a musical point of view, that his father was a keen organ 'buff'. By the age of 14, William Lloyd Webber had already become a well-known organ recitalist, giving frequent performances at many important churches and cathedrals throughout Great Britain. He won an organ scholarship to Mercers' School, later winning a further scholarship to study at the Royal College of Music where he studied with Ralph Vaughan Williams and gained his FRCO diploma at nineteen. Because there was already another student at the college with the name William Webber, William continued to use his second middle name 'Lloyd' from then on as part of his name. Parallel to his activities as an organist, he began to compose, and several interesting works date from this early period including Fantasy Trio of 1936. Although the Second World War interrupted his composition (he was organist and choirmaster at All Saints, Margaret Street, London throughout the war) its ending marked the beginning of Lloyd Webber's most prolific years as a composer. In 1938, he was appointed organist and choirmaster of All Saints, later moving to Westminster Central Hall, London, one of the most significant Methodist churches in the United Kingdom. His first compositions developed in the 1930s. This piece is the 5th of "Six Interludes on Christmas Carols". I think it came out very well on this organ. It's "not English", but still worked very well. The entire piece (except for the theme) is played on the enclosed Bovenwerk and uses only the 8' stops. The opening theme (NOT part of the score) is played an octave lower on the Gemshoorn 4' of the Hoofdwerk.

I've posted these two pieces based on the "Coventry Carol" since December 28th is Holy Innocents' Day. (For more info, see the Sumsion "Coventry Carol".)