when he was a young man he played the organ in several churches in london and started to compose. he wrote some music for melodramas in theatres. when he was 22 he became organist of hereford cathedral. this changed his life, because his career now focussed on church music. the choir at hereford was not very good. the organ was broken, and his lodgings were not nice. however, he was able to perform in the three choirs festival and he composed some church music, including the popular anthem "blessed be the god and father", written for an easter day service when the choir only had boys and one male singer. he married the sister of the dean of the cathedral. her family did not approve and did not go to the wedding.