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Stephen Cleobury

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Sir Stephen Cleobury was an English organist and conductor. He was born in Bromley, Kent, in 1948, sang as a chorister at Worcester Cathedral and was an organ scholar at Cambridge. He then became sub-organist of Westminster Abbey and in 1979 the first Anglican director of music of the Catholic Westminster Cathedral. In 1982 he succeeded Philip Ledger as director of music of the Choir of King's College, Cambridge. He remained in that post until 2019. He died of cancer in November of that year.

Music and breakthrough

The choir of King's College is world-famous for its Christmas music: since 1928 the BBC has broadcast the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols live on Christmas Eve. Cleobury made the choir better known still through tours and recordings. His most important innovation was that from 1984 onwards he had a new carol written every year, by, among others, Thomas Adès, John Tavener and Mark-Anthony Turnage. The carol The Gleam by Harrison Birtwistle, in which the choristers have to stamp and shout, caused some controversy. He also broadened the repertoire with more Latin music and composers such as Kodály, Janáček and Arvo Pärt.

Influence

Besides King's, he conducted the Cambridge University Musical Society from 1983 to 2009 and the BBC Singers from 1995 to 2007. His albums include Miserere, Dixit Dominus, Requiems and Quattro pezzi sacri. From 1990 to 1992 he was president of the Royal College of Organists. His influence lies above all in the choral sound that many people associate with English Christmas music, and in the way he brought contemporary choral music to a large audience.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to a recording of the choir of King's College under Cleobury, for example Spem in Alium by Thomas Tallis. Notice how the voices float in layers through the space of the chapel.

Discography

Studio albums

Categories: Artists