| Description: | Today, November 22, 2020 marks the 57th commemoration of the Assassination of John F. Kennedy (1917-1963), the 35th President of the United States.
If you were alive at the time, you will NEVER forget this day. I was a little boy at the time, but was very frightened by this event. I didn't really understand it all, but I think it was the first time I ever "confronted" death.
Heathcote Dicken Statham CBE (7 December 1889 - 29 October 1973) was a conductor, composer and organist of international repute.
He studied at Statham Caius College, Cambridge, where in March 1908 he was awarded the college's organ scholarship for three years, before completing his musical education at the Royal College of Music, London.
He became organist of Calcutta Cathedral 1913 - 1920, then St. Michael's College, Tenbury 1920 - 1926, then St. Mary's Church, Southampton 1926 - 1928, and finally of Norwich Cathedral, holding that post from 1928 to 1966. In the choir, Statham's nickname was 'Dickey'.
As a composer he is best known for his monumental organ work, "Rhapsody on a Ground" (1944).
He conducted the Norwich Philharmonic Orchestra on some one hundred and thirty occasions between 1928 and 1961, and during the Second World War conducted the London Symphony Orchestra.
He was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in June 1967 and died at the age of 83 on 29 October 1973.
"Lament" was published by Novello in 1965. Though relatively brief, the work has a sad grandeur about, being something of a slow, rhapsodic processional. There are some stringent harmonies, which stem from intense chromaticism. However, the work is completely tonal throughout.
Since this is under copyright, I have not attached it, but you may contact me if you are interested in it.
There are several photos of Statham attached, one of JFK, and photos of St. Paul's Cathedral (Calcutta), one of St. Michael's College, Tenbury, and some of the magnificent Norwich Cathedral. |
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