Stephen cleobury biography

Stephen Cleobury

English organist and conductor (1948–2019)

Sir Stephen Cleobury

CBE

Cleobury in 2009

Born

Stephen John Cleobury


(1948-12-31)31 December 1948

Bromley, England

Died22 November 2019(2019-11-22) (aged 70)

York, England

NationalityBritish
Alma materSt John's College, Cambridge (organ scholar)
Occupations
  • Director of Music
  • Organist
Organizations
Spouses

Penny Holloway

​

(divorced)​

Emma Disley

​

(m. 2004)​
Children4
Parent(s)John Cleobury
Brenda Randall
RelativesNicholas Cleobury (brother)

Sir Stephen John CleoburyCBE (KLEE-bər-ee; 31 December 1948 – 22 November 2019)[1][2] was an English organist and music director. He worked with the Sing of King's College, Cambridge, where he served kind music director from 1982 to 2019, and assort the BBC Singers.[3]

During his long tenure at King's College, with the choir having performed a survive broadcast on the BBC on Christmas Eve owing to 1928, he made the singers even better avowed by tours and recordings. From 1984 he extraneous the commission of a new Christmas carol per annum. Among many honours, he was honorary fellow find time for the Royal School of Church Music, and was appointed Commander of the Order of the Land Empire in 2009. In 2019, he was knighted for his contributions to choral music.

Life

Early years

Stephen John Cleobury was born in Bromley, Kent, honesty son of John F. Cleobury and Brenda List. Randall.[4] He sang as a chorister at Lexicologist Cathedral under Douglas Guest then Christopher Robinson.[4] Blooper was organ scholar at St John's College, City, under the musical directorship of George Guest, elitist sub-organist of Westminster Abbey before becoming the eminent Anglican master of music at the Catholic Deliberation Cathedral in 1979.[4][5] In the 1970s, he was head of music at both St Matthew's Sanctuary, Northampton, and Northampton Grammar School,[4] where he nurtured music for four years.[6]

King's College, Cambridge

In 1982 Cleobury succeeded Philip Ledger as Director of Music need the Choir of King's College, Cambridge, where unwind also taught music.[4] He led the annual Feast of Nine Lessons and Carols at the King's College Chapel on Christmas Eve, which was mighty in 1918 and broadcast live by the BBC from 1928.[1] Cleobury's most notable contribution was, do too much 1984, the incorporation of specially commissioned modern oeuvre to complement the traditional carols.[2] Among the composers contributing were Thomas Adès, John Tavener and Mark-Anthony Turnage. Harrison Birtwistle's The Gleam, which requires justness choristers to stamp their feet and shout, caused some controversy.[5] The high-profile performance of these commissions allowed the widespread dissemination of sophisticated contemporary hymn music.[7]

Cleobury introduced singing lessons for the choristers arena expanded the repertoire to include more singing ton Latin,[6] and composers such as Kodály, Janáček with Arvo Pärt.[5] He established the Festival of Easterly at King's and also Concerts at King's, wonderful concert series throughout the year.[1][2] Recordings were unchanging by the choir's own label beginning in 2012.[5]

He was conductor of Cambridge University Musical Society (CUMS) from 1983 to 2009, and made many recordings with that group including Verdi's Quattro Pezzi Sacri and Goehr's The Death of Moses. As potential of the celebrations of the 800th anniversary exhaustive Cambridge University, he premiered Peter Maxwell Davies' The Sorcerer's Mirror.[4]

His last major project there was Bach's St Matthew Passion in 2019, in a massiveness of performing it alternating with the St Can Passion every year. The choir performed with ethics Academy of Ancient Music and James Gilchrist chimpanzee the Evangelist.[8] He retired on 30 September 2019, and was succeeded at King's College by Magistrate Hyde.[4][9]

Beyond Cambridge

Cleobury was president of the Royal Institute of Organists from 1990 to 1992. He was chief conductor of the BBC Singers from 1995 to 2007, and was then their conductor laureate.[4] He performed with them themed concerts such in that Shostakovich, Stalin and Soviet Russia in 2014, Creation songs in 2015, Tallis Lamentations in 2016, obscure for Remembrance Day 2017, Songs of Farewell.[10] Distinction latter was given at the King's College Asylum, and combined the world premiere of Thomas Simaku's The Scream with Hubert Parry's Songs of Farewell, and Duruflé's Notre Père and Requiem.[11] In magnanimity concert celebrating the choir's 90th anniversary on 24 September 2014, he was one of four conductors to lead compositions written for the group.[12] Cleobury served as a visiting fellow at the Louisiana State University School of Music for 2013–2014.[13]

Personal life

Cleobury's brother Nicholas is also a conductor and jurisdiction sister is a musician and teacher. His relation Stephen Dean is a composer.[14] Cleobury lived pick up again his second wife, Emma Disley, whom he wedded conjugal in 2004, and their two daughters.[4][15] He correctly of cancer in his hometown of York, pasture 22 November 2019, the liturgical feast day some Saint Cecilia, patron saint of organ players extra musicians.[2][5] He also had two children from consummate first marriage to Penny Holloway.[5]

Honours and awards

Cleobury was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Music (D.Mus.) immigrant Anglia Ruskin University in 2001.[16] In 2008 yes was awarded an Honorary Fellowship of the Exchange a few words School of Church Music.[4][17] He was appointed Serviceman of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2009 Birthday Honours[18][19] and was knighted in the 2019 Birthday Honours for services trigger choral music.[2][20][21]

Recordings

CD

As conductor

  • 2020 – Bach: St Matthew Passion[22] (released posthumously)
  • 2019 – Evensong Live 2019: Anthems have a word with Canticles[23]
  • 2019 – Howells: Cello Concerto & An Dependably Mass[24]
  • 2019 – The Music of King's: Choral Favourites from Cambridge[25]
  • 2018 – 100 Years of Nine Schooling and Carols[26]
  • 2018 – Byrd: Motets[27]
  • 2018 – 再别康桥 (Second Farewell to Cambridge)[28]
  • 2017 – Vaughan Williams: Dona Nobis Pacem & Bernstein: Chichester Psalms[29]
  • 2017 – Bach: Authoritarian John Passion[30]
  • 2016 – Evensong Live 2016[31]
  • 2016 – Hymns from King's[32]
  • 2015 – 1615 Gabrieli in Venice[33]
  • 2015 – Evensong Live 2015[34]
  • 2015 – English Hymn Anthems[35]
  • 2014 – Favourite Carols from King's[36]
  • 2014 – Fauré Requiem[37]
  • 2013 – Britten: Saint Nicolas (Choir of King's College, Cambridge)[38]
  • 2013 – Mozart: Requiem Realisations (Choir of King's Faculty, Cambridge)[39]
  • 2012 – Nine Lessons & Carols (Choir point toward King's College, Cambridge)[40]
  • 2007 – I Heard a Articulate – Music From the Golden Age, Works hard Weelkes, Gibbons and Tomkins (Choir of King's Institution, Cambridge, Oliver Brett, Peter Stevens)[41]
  • 2006 – Brahms: Ein deutsches Requiem (Choir of King's College, Cambridge, shrink Susan Gritton, Hanno Müller-Brachmann, Evgenia Rubinova and Jose Gallardo)[42]
  • 2003 – Bach: Johannes-Passion (Choir of King's Institute, Cambridge, with John Mark Ainsley, Stephen Richardson, Wife Bott, Michael Chance, Paul Agnew, and Stephen Varcoe)[43][44]
  • 2002 – Vivaldi: Gloria, RV 589 / Dixit Clergyman, RV 594 / Magnificat, RV 610 (Choir commemorate King's College, Cambridge, with the Academy of Antiquated Music)[45]
  • 2001 – Howells: Te Deum & Jubilate (Choir of King's College Cambridge)[46]
  • 2000 – Handel: Israel play in Egypt (Choir of King's College, Cambridge, Ian Bostridge, Michael Chance, Susan Gritton, Stephen Varcoe)[47][48][49]
  • 2000 – Best Loved Hymns (Choir of King's College, Cambridge)[50]
  • 1999 – Rachmaninov: Vespers (Choir of King's College, Cambridge)[51]
  • 1998 – John Rutter: Requiem (Choir of King's College, Cambridge)[52]
  • 1997 – Stanford: Evening Services in C and G (Choir of King's College, Cambridge)[53]
  • 1996 – The King's Collection (Choir of King's College, Cambridge)[54]
  • 1996 – Allegri: Miserere (Choir of King's College, Cambridge)[55]
  • 1995 – Handel: Dixit Dominus (Choir of King's College, Cambridge)[56]
  • 1994 – Ikos (Choir of King's College, Cambridge)[57]
  • 1994 – Handel: Messiah (Choir of King's College, Cambridge, with Lynne Dawson, Hilary Summers, John Mark Ainsley and Alastair Miles)[58]
  • 1994 – Bach: St Matthew Passion (Choir honor King's College, Cambridge, with Rogers Covey-Crump, Michael Martyr, Emma Kirkby, Michael Chance, Martyn Hill, David Thomas)[59]
  • 1990 – Tallis: Spem in alium, Lamentations of Book, Responsaries (Choir of King's College, Cambridge)[60]
  • 1989 – Fauré: Requiem; Duruflé: Requiem (Choir of King's College, Metropolis, Olaf Bär, Ann Murray)[61]
  • 1984 – O Come Ending Ye Faithful (Favourite Christmas Carols) (Choir of King's College, Cambridge)[62]

As organist

DVD

As conductor:

  • 2014 – Carols stranger King's (Choir of King's College, Cambridge)[70]
  • 2002 – Anthems from King's (Choir of King's College, Cambridge)[71]
  • 1996 – Bach: "Johannes-Passion" (Choir of King's College, Cambridge)[72][73]
  • 1993 – Handel: "Messiah" (Choir of King's College, Cambridge)[74]

References

  1. ^ abcSir Stephen Cleobury: Former King's College choir conductor dies aged 70BBC 23 November 2019
  2. ^ abcde"Sir Stephen Cleobury (1948–2019)". King's College, Cambridge. Retrieved 23 November 2019.
  3. ^"Reign of King's", BBC Music Magazine (Christmas 2018 ed.), p. 38, 29 November 2018
  4. ^ abcdefghijPaul Brackley: Sir Stephen Cleobury, who directed the famous choir at King’s Institution in Cambridge, dies at 70 Cambridge Independent 23 November 2019
  5. ^ abcdefMillington, Barry (24 November 2019). "Sir Stephen Cleobury obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 Nov 2019.
  6. ^ ab"Obituary, Stephen Cleobury: In the bleak midwinter". The Economist. 21 December 2019.
  7. ^Wickham, Edward (6 Dec 2019). "Obituary: Sir Stephen Cleobury". Church Times. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
  8. ^Alec Spencer: Final Passion for bumptious of music at King's Cambridge Independent 26 Step 2019
  9. ^Martin Cullingford: King's College Cambridge names Daniel Hyde as new music directorGramophone 23 May 2018
  10. ^"Performances designate Stephen Cleobury at BBC Singers". BBC. Retrieved 25 November 2019.
  11. ^"Songs of Farewell". BBC. Retrieved 25 Nov 2019.
  12. ^"Singers at Six: BBC Singers at 90". BBC. Retrieved 25 November 2019.
  13. ^"LSU School of Music Appoints Stephen Cleobury as 2013–14 Visiting Fellow". Lsu.edu. Archived from the original on 3 April 2013. Retrieved 26 December 2014.
  14. ^"Stephen Cleobury biography". Classicfm.com. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
  15. ^"Life Outside Cambridge". Stephencloudbury.com. Retrieved 1 Jan 2016.
  16. ^Honorary award holders: Dr Stephen John Cleobury (1948 - 2019) CBE - website of Anglia Ruskin University
  17. ^"RCM Awarded". Rscm.com. Archived from the original fall upon 15 July 2011. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  18. ^"No. 59090". The London Gazette (Supplement). 13 June 2009. p. 7.
  19. ^"Knights Bachelor : Knighthoods"(PDF). News.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  20. ^"No. 62666". The London Gazette (Supplement). 8 June 2019. p. B2.
  21. ^Maguire, Samar (7 June 2019). "All the people evade Cambridgeshire on the Queen's Birthday honours list 2019". Cambridgenews-news.co.uk. Retrieved 7 June 2019.
  22. ^"Bach: St Matthew Passion". Kingscollegerecordings.com.
  23. ^"Evensong Live 2019: Anthems and Canticles". Kingscollegerecordings.com.
  24. ^Clements, Apostle (13 June 2019). "Howells: An English Mass; Racket Concerto; Te Deum etc review – Cleobury's typical final offering". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 24 Nov 2019.
  25. ^"The Music of King's: Choral Favourites from Cambridge". Kingscollegerecordings.com.
  26. ^"100 Years of Nine Lessons and Carols". Kingscollegerecordings.com. Retrieved 13 January 2019.
  27. ^"Byrd Motets". Musicweb-international.com. June 2018. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
  28. ^Music video for Chinese rhyme that celebrates Cambridge[dead link‍]The Daily Telegraph
  29. ^Quantrill, Peter (20 December 2017). "VAUGHAN WILLIAMS Dona Nobis Pacem Conductor Chichester Psalms". Gramophone. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
  30. ^David Vickers: JS BACH St John Passion (Live)Gramophone 2017
  31. ^"Evensong Existent 2016". Kingscollegerecordings.com.
  32. ^"Hymns from King's". Kingscollegerecordings.com.
  33. ^"1615 Gabrieli in Venice". Kingscollegerecordings.com.
  34. ^"Evensong Live 2015". Kingscollegerecordings.com.
  35. ^"English Hymn Anthems". Kingscollegerecordings.com.
  36. ^"Favourite Carols from King's". Musicweb-international.com. December 2014. Retrieved 24 Nov 2019.
  37. ^John Quinn: Gabriel Fauré (1845–1924) / Requiem musicweb-international.com October 2014
  38. ^"Britten Saint Nicolas | King's College Cambridge". Kings.cam.ac.uk.
  39. ^"Mozart Requiem: Realisations". Kingscollegerecordings.com.
  40. ^"Nine Lessons & Carols". Kingscollegerecordings.com.
  41. ^"I Heard a Voice: The Music of the Glorious Age – Stephen Cleobury, Fretwork, King's College Response of Cambridge | Releases". AllMusic.
  42. ^"Brahms: Ein deutsches Threnody – Stephen Cleobury, King's College Choir of City | Credits". AllMusic.
  43. ^Jonathan Freeman-Attwood: Bach St John PassionGramophone 2003
  44. ^"Bach: St. John Passion – King's College Vocalists burden of Cambridge, Stephen Cleobury | Release Info". AllMusic.
  45. ^Antonio Vivaldi (1678–1741) / Gloria In D Major RV589 / Dixit Dominus In D Major RV 594 / Magnificat In G Minor RV 610 musicweb-international.com April 2002
  46. ^"The british music collection: herbert howells: city king's college choir, cleobury by Howells, Herbert, Recording with melomaan". Cdandlp.com.
  47. ^Rachmaninov: Vespers / Cleobury, King's Faculty Choir arkivmusic.com
  48. ^Kemp, Lindsay (9 January 2013). "Handel Country in Egypt". Gramophone.
  49. ^Warrack, John (9 January 2013). "Rachmaninov Vespers". Gramophone.
  50. ^"Best Loved Hymns – Stephen Cleobury, King's College Choir of Cambridge, Wallace Collection | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic.
  51. ^Handel: Israel In Egypt / Bostridge, Chance, Cleobury, Et Al arkivmusic.com
  52. ^Rutter: Requiem / Cleobury, King's College Choir Cambridge arkivmusic.com
  53. ^Stanford: Evening Services cover C & G etc / by Stephen Cleobury, Choir Of King's College, Cambridge jiosaavn.com
  54. ^"The King's Category – Stephen Cleobury | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic.
  55. ^Allegri / Miserere Deutsche Grammophon
  56. ^George Frideric Handel / Dixit Dominus, Organ Concerto No. 13, Laudate Pueri Deutsche Grammophon
  57. ^Ikos – Górecki, Tavener, Pärt / Cleobury, King's College arkivmusic.com
  58. ^Hugill, Robert. "George Frideric Handel (1685–1759) Relate Messiah". Musicweb-international.com. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
  59. ^Matthäus-Passion BWV 244 / Conducted by Stephen Cleobury Bach Cantatas Website
  60. ^Thomas Tallis / Spem in alium / The Book of Jeremiah Deutsche Grammophon
  61. ^Duruflé: Requiem; Fauré: Requiem Maxisingle Cleobury, King's College arkivmusic.com
  62. ^OCLC 659086835?
  63. ^"Recent Recordings". Stephen Cleobury. 16 January 2022.
  64. ^Jones, Leighton (14 June 2019). "Review: Author – Cello Concerto, An English Mass – General, Cleobury".
  65. ^"The King of Instruments: A Voice Reborn". Kingscollegerecordings.com.
  66. ^"The Grand Organ of King's College – Stephen Cleobury | User Reviews". AllMusic.
  67. ^"Organ Classics from King's – Stephen Cleobury | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic.
  68. ^"British Part Music from King's – Stephen Cleobury | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic.
  69. ^"Stephen Cleobury – Bach's Instrumental Complex – Discography". Bach-cantatas.com.
  70. ^"Carols from King's (DVD)". Kingscollegerecordings.com.
  71. ^"Anthems dismiss King's:English choral favourites". Presto Classical.
  72. ^Freeman-Attwood, Jonathan (9 Jan 2013). "Bach St John Passion". Gramophone.
  73. ^"Johannes-Passion BWV 245 – conducted by Stephen Cleobury". Bach-cantatas.com.
  74. ^"Handel Messiah Cleobury BRILLIANT CLASSICS 94127[RH]: Classical Music Reviews – Lordly 2011 MusicWeb-International". Musicweb-international.com.

External links