RSCM Ireland
Royal School of Church Music in Ireland ~ Scoil Ríoga Cheol na hEaglaise in Éirinn
News Story ~ Reprise - An Irish Church Musician Looks Back
October 6, 2009
Dr Harry Grindle's new book will be launched by the Revd Canon J C Bell at St Mark's Parish Church, Dundela, Belfast on Saturday 17 October, 2009 at 10.30am when it will be on sale at the special price of £9.99.
PRESS RELEASE
A wide-ranging new memoir by the notable Irish church musician Dr Harry Grindle is to be launched in Belfast on 17 October 2009. In a career lasting over half a century, Harry Grindle has filled with distinction the roles of organist, conductor, composer, teacher and scholar. Reprise - An Irish Church Musician Looks Back, traces his path from a choirboy in Bangor Abbey, through his period as Organist and Choirmaster of Belfast Cathedral during the worst of the 'Troubles', to his many years as Director of the celebrated choral group, the Priory Singers.
In a life filled with music-making, Dr Grindle recounts his time school-teaching in Belfast and London, his years as Organist of Bangor Parish Church, and as Head of Music in Stranmillis University College. Of particular interest is his account of how he came to conduct the choir of the nuns of the St Louis Order.
Generous in his acknowledgement of the influence on him of such outstanding musicians as Sir Adrian Boult, Herbert Howells and Flor Peeters, Harry Grindle has done more than any other to guide and encourage young singers and players in Northern Ireland, achievements which have brought him honours from HM the Queen and the Archbishop of Canterbury.
In his foreword to the book, former Church of Ireland Primate, Lord Eames says, 'He has become a household name for perfection in preparation and production of choral work which has brought great beauty to congregations and audiences. This book allows us to share much of a very special life.'
Billy Adair, writing in the USOC Newsletter, comments, 'I thought that I knew Harry well but I had no idea of the number of things in which he was involved and the massive amount of work he got through until I read Reprise.'
This illustrated memoir focuses not only on the career of one man but gives an insight into church music at a time of rapid change.
After the launch, the book will be available at the Good Book Shop, 61-67 Donegall Street, Belfast BT1 2QH (Phone: 90244825) and through the Resource Centre Bookshop, Holy Trinity Church, Church Avenue, Rathmines, Dublin 6 (Phone/Fax : 4972821). Price: £11.99.
For further information please phone 028 (048 from ROI) 90763647.
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
Dr Harry Grindle was born in Bangor, Co. Down where he was chorister at the ancient abbey church. He was appointed to his first church organist post while still at school. He read French Language and Literature at The Queen's University of Belfast and the University of Strasbourg and continued his musical studies while teaching in London. Dr Grindle returned to Northern Ireland in 1962, serving as organist at Bangor Parish Church until his appointment as Organist and Master of the Choristers at Belfast Cathedral two years later. Despite the 'Troubles', high musical standards were maintained in the cathedral. The cathedral choir contributed regularly to the BBC Radio 3 Choral Evensong series of broadcasts and its first commercial recording was released in 1973. It was invited to sing at St Paul's Cathedral and Westminster Abbey in the same year and at Westminster Cathedral in 1975. Dr Grindle was subsequently appointed to a lectureship at Stranmillis College of Education, becoming in due course Head of the Music Department. He has always been active in the promotion of church music and he has a long association in various capacities with the work of the Armagh Church Choir Union and the well-known choir The Priory Singers.
He is the author of a book on Irish Cathedral Music which is widely regarded as the definitive publication on the subject. He is the editor of a hymn-book for children and has a large number of liturgical compositions to his credit. His hymn-tune, Stranmillis, a prize-winner in the St Paul's Cathedral Millennium Hymn Competition, was selected for inclusion in the latest edition of the St Paul's Cathedral Hymnal. In 1977 Dr Grindle became the first Irish musician to be elected to an Associateship of the Royal School of Church Music in recognition of his 'distinguished services to the music of the Church' and in June 2005 the degree of Doctor of Music was conferred on him by the Archbishop of Canterbury. His busy and varied career has been the subject of a film documentary shown on Ulster Television.