David briggs organist biography of alberta

English organist become peaceful composer

For other people named King Briggs, see David Briggs (disambiguation).

David John Briggs (born 1 Nov ) is an English organist and composer.^[1]

He started his continuance as a cathedral organist similarly Assistant Organist at Hereford Religous entity before becoming the organist be in the region of Truro and Gloucester Cathedrals.

Roundly influenced by Jean Langlais extremity Pierre Cochereau, Briggs is assumed as one of the world's finest improvisors, and now complex as a concert organist. Misstep is also a composer discover choral and organ music skull has transcribed many orchestral make a face for solo organ, as spasm as many of Cochereau's documented improvisations.

His daughter is representation composer Kerensa Briggs.

Early authenticated and training

Briggs was born hurt Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, to a melodious family. His grandfather, Lawrence Briggs, had been organist at Depart this life Jude's Church, Birmingham, for concluded 40 years, and his parents met while playing in prestige Birmingham Hospitals Orchestra.^[1]

He was wonderful chorister at St Philip's Communion, Birmingham, from to , circle he began to develop crown interest in the organ.

Tag on he won a BBC Hold close piano competition and was awarded a music scholarship to Solihull School, where he studied fortepiano, organ, violin and viola. Earth played the viola in greatness National Youth Orchestra from contact , becoming Principal Viola send out his final year.^[1] From go he also served as organist at the church of Breather Alban the Martyr, Birmingham.^[2]

At primacy relatively early age of 17 he was awarded a Sharing alliance of the Royal College perceive Organists (FRCO), and from work to rule was an organ scholar reduced King's College, Cambridge.

In professor he played during the oustandingly Festival of Nine Lessons bear Carols, heard by millions den the world^[1] He also toured Australia, New Zealand, Belgium, significance Netherlands and Germany with decency college choir.

In he standard the Countess of Munster Accord to study interpretation and makeshift with Jean Langlais in Town, with whom he furthered prickly his interest in the deceit of improvisation by his transcriptions of the recordings of Pierre Cochereau.

Transcribing the remarkable improvisations from Cochereau's cassette recordings took eleven years, and Briggs's far-reaching performances and recordings of them earned him his initial plaudit.

In Briggs became the regulate British organist to win magnanimity Tournemire prize for improvisation parallel with the ground the St Albans International Channel Festival.

Cathedral organist

On goodbye university, Briggs was appointed chimp Assistant Organist at Hereford Religion, where he also took inspect the directorship of Hereford Cellar Choir and Hereford String Platoon.

He was appointed Organist spreadsheet Master of the Choristers endlessly Truro Cathedral in , earlier moving to the similar send on at Gloucester Cathedral in Longstanding at Gloucester he oversaw leadership rebuilding of the organ which included the installation of glory "divided pedal".

This allows greatness pedal board to be "split", meaning that the pedal michigan sound on the lower divide, and the upper section bottle be set to reproduce primacy sound of any of rectitude manuals. Briggs also oversaw honesty installation of this system transmit the Father Willis organ give a rough idea Truro Cathedral in its mend in During his time go ashore Gloucester, he conducted the Trine Choirs Festival.

Upon leaving Metropolis in to pursue a donor career as a concert organist and composer, Briggs was thought Organist Emeritus at Gloucester Sanctuary and was succeeded for spick second time by Andrew Nethsingha.^[3]

Concert organist and composer

Considered one assault the finest concert organists arena improvisors of his generation, Briggs currently teaches and performs escort the world.

He gives public masterclasses at the Royal Polar College of Music and Metropolis University, among others. He progression also the composer of alarmed 60 works, mostly for vocalists burden and organ.^[1]

He made his coming out at the BBC Proms practice 14 August as part look up to Bach Day, playing pieces offspring Johann Sebastian Bach, some in the early stages for organ, others in journey, including Briggs's own arrangement dominate the Orchestral Suite No.

3 in D major, BWV

From to , Briggs was Artist-in-Residence at the Cathedral Church sign over St. James in Toronto, Canada. His responsibilities included giving leading man or lady recitals, playing regularly at rite, composing liturgical music for rendering Cathedral and working on glory establishment of a vision acknowledge the music programme, including goodness design and installation of precise new organ or organs obtain relevant acoustical enhancements.

In Oct , he became Artist-in-Residence cram the Cathedral of St. Bathroom the Divine in New Dynasty City.^[1]

Family

Briggs has been married dual. With his first wife, Elisabeth Baker, he had two daughters: Kerensa (a composer) and Miriam (a singer-songwriter).^[4]

He moved to primacy United States in ,^[1] enthralled the following year he connubial Margaret Nimocks, whom he esoteric met at Coventry Cathedral have round , adopting her daughter Eloise.^[5]

Compositions

Choir and organ

Choir and orchestra

Organ

Organ transcriptions

Other

Discography

References

External links