Eby Mani has been adding Caleb Simper scores to the Choral Public Domain Library; there are three so far.
And now, some organ music.
Labels: CPDL, organ music, Simper
A number of new Simper resources have emerged since I last searched. In particular, the folks at St. Andrews Uniting Church in Footscray, Victoria, Australia have taken the time to make recordings of a few of his works available to us.
Not to be outdone by that pesky Tallis, Simper wrote his own "If ye love me" setting.
Labels: Simper
St. John the Baptist Church, (actually an Anglican church masquerading as a Baptist one) in Barnstaple, England is set to celebrate the music of Caleb Simper later this month.
Simper, largely forgotten now, was once a wildly popular composer of music for the church. More than five million copies of music by Simper have been sold.
'Forgotten' Caleb scores a hit once again (thisisnorthdevon.co.uk)
In this country, a setting of the Nicene Creed by Caleb Simper is sung daily at Lake Delaware Boys' Camp, Delhi, New York. The camp also has something to celebrate this summer: it's 100th year. Most of those years (if not all of them) have included Simper.
Previously: Simper, Caleb - literary reference to (May, 2009)
world - sung throughout the civilized (September 2008)
Semper, Caeleb - see Simper, Caleb (1857-1942) (November 2005)
An average man By Robert Hugh Benson
Ah, just one of the many Caleb Simper references in the literature.
But who's "Gadsby"? More obscure Anglican church music to research . . .
Labels: literature, Simper
September 12 marks the birth of English organist and composer Caleb Simper who was wildly popular a few years back.
Over five million copies had been sold by the 1920s and a few remain in print today, though Simper's musical style has long since fallen from fashion.
A stunning performance of Simper's King of King's from Australia:
[link to video updated 6 July 2009]
Labels: church music, Simper
In August 2004 I made reference to a "Caeleb Semper." Oops. I was actually referring to Caleb Simper (1857-1942). (We sing his Creed at Lake Delaware Boys' Camp.)
His is a late-Victorian style that has been ridiculed by Vaughan Williams and Erik Routley.
His music was once "sung throughout the civilized world."
Victorian church composers were often not of the highest quality, and few would rank Simper with Stainer. But the fascination of Caleb Simper is his invisibility. Here was a man who sold over 5 million copies of his sheet music. Just think of that - an army of Simper anthems - yet he is practically invisible. Do a web search on Simper and you will come up with only a handful of entries. He's not in Grove, or many other musical references. Yet he clearly plucked many a Victorian and Edwardian heartstring.
see also: Gordon Rumson investigates the sacred choral music of Caleb Simper
I am sure this will be frowned upon by the cult that is Lake Delaware Boys' Camp, but I thought it might be best it the outside world knew what went on every summer in upstate New York (from an organist's perspective anyway).
6:50 a.m. - Boom. The cannon has just gone off, and a very sleepy bugler is blowing reveille. It's time to roll out of bed and stumble outside of my civil-war style canvas tent.
7:00 a.m. - Bugler blows a first call and the entire camp must "fall in" (stand at attention in ranks while attendance is taken by older campers). The "battalion" faces the flag and says the Pledge of Allegiance. Then an about face to recite the Lord's Prayer. Jumping jacks and/or general calisthenics follow. Then a lap around the tents.
7:20 a.m. - The chapel bell rings. Most of the camp is already inside. Hopefully, I have already managed a quick prelude. Then I start the opening hymn: probably Holy, Holy, Holy or something like it from the 1940 Hymnal. A sung, high Anglican Mass (with incense) follows. My musical responsibilities in this service include Kyrie, Gloria, Gradual hymn, Creed (in a semi-operatic setting by Caeleb Semper), offertory hymn (incense), Sanctus, Agnus Dei, communion hymn, post-communion hymn and a brief postlude.
Other things that fascinate me about the liturgy:
- the epistle is chanted by a camper
- the very brief (but spectacular) sermon by Father Ray Donahue (affectionately known as "Father D")
- a quasi-medieval prayer asking that the deceased founders of the camp be rewarded with eternal life
- the "Last Gospel" (prologue hymn of the Gospel of John) recited in unison before the closing hymn
8:25 a.m. - Breakfast. Yum. So far the only thing I have eaten is Jesus Christ.
9:15 a.m. - Drill. Campers grab fake wooden rifles and learn how to take orders from slightly older campers.
10:00 a.m. - Various and sundry sports and other activities are attempted. Croquet anyone?
12:00 p.m. - The chapel bell rings Angelus. (Three rings, pause, three rings, pause, three rings, pause, nine rings). Activity stops all over the camp, from the baseball field to the pool. Football plays halt mid-field; arguments cease midsentence (and usually don't resume afterward). Everyone is silent, and hopefully thinking quasi-religious thoughts.
12:10 p.m. - a bit of Free Time
12:45 p.m. - fall in for lunch.
12:55 p.m. - Lunch.
1:30 p.m. - Rest. Go to your tents and lie down (at least that's what the campers are supposed to do)
2:30 p.m. - More games and activities are attempted.
4:30 p.m. - more Free Time is had by all
5:15 p.m. - Police Call. Everyone is called back to Company Street (where the tents are) by the bugle. Campers are supposed to clean up their spot in the tent and wash their hands in preparation for evening inspection.
5:45 p.m. - Retreat. Campers fall in by the flagpole. The cannon is blown off again, just for kicks, and the flag is taken down. Then we march to the Mess Hall for dinner.
6:00 p.m. - Dinner. Yum.
6:45 p.m. - Evening games, unless the grass is still wet from all the rain, in which case we'll be watching a movie in the Field House.
8:30 p.m. - Bugle blows "cots up," signaling everyone to get ready for bed.
9:00 p.m. - Tattoo. All campers are to be in their tents.
9:08 p.m. - Angelus is rung, followed by taps. Then lights are shut off and Company Street is closed.
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