What is Edward Bairstow?
'''Sir Edward Bairstow''' (born [[Huddersfield]], 22 August 1874; died [[York]] 1 May 1946) was an [[English people|English]] [[composer]] and [[pipe organ|organist]]. He was an important influence in [[20th century]] [[Anglican]] [[church music]]. Bairstow learned the organ at [[Balliol College]], Oxford, and while [[articled]] under [[Frederick Bridge]] of [[Westminster Abbey]] he was taught by [[Walter Alcock]]. He studied organ and theory at the [[University of Durham]]. His first jobs were at the parish churches of [[Wigan]] and then [[Leeds]]. In 1913 he became organist of [[York Minster]] (the cathedral in [[York]]). He kept this job until his death. He was [[knight]]ed in 1932. ==Compositions== Most of Bairstow's compositions are for church services. He wrote 29 [[anthem]]s. It includes the famous ''Blessed city, heavenly Salem'' It has a very dramatic organ [[accompaniment (music)|accompaniment]]. It is about the heavenly city where the [[soul]]s of people who have died will go. Two other popular anthems ''I sat down under his shadow'' and ''Let all mortal flesh keep silence'', both of which are for unaccompanied choir. He also composed [[service (music)|service settings]], [[psalm]] [[chant]]s, [[hymn]] tunes, and a [[cantata]], ''The Prodigal Son'', for choir and chamber orchestra. ==References== *Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, ed. Stanley Sadie, 1980; {{ISBN|1-56159-174-2}} {{bio-stub}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Bairstow, Edward}} [[Category:1874 births]] [[Category:1946 deaths]] [[Category:English composers]] [[Category:English organists]] [[Category:Musicians from Yorkshire]] [[Category:People from Huddersfield]] [[Category:Alumni of the University of Durham]]