Role

:

Composer Conductor

Birth

:

1865

Death

:

1938

Period

:

Romantic

 

 

Contemporary

 

 

Modern

Genre

:

Choral

 

Richard Runciman Terry was a British composer, musicologist, and conductor who was born on January 15, 1865, in Ellington, Northumberland, England. He was the son of a clergyman and was raised in a musical family. His father, Reverend Richard Terry, was an amateur musician who played the organ and sang in the church choir. Terry's mother, Mary Runciman, was a talented pianist who gave her son his first music lessons. Terry showed an early interest in music and began composing at a young age. He attended Durham School, where he was a member of the choir and studied music with the school's music master, Dr. Charles Harford Lloyd. After leaving school, Terry studied music at the Royal College of Music in London, where he was a pupil of Charles Villiers Stanford and Hubert Parry. In 1896, Terry was appointed as the organist and choirmaster at Westminster Cathedral, a position he held for over 40 years. During his tenure at the cathedral, Terry established a reputation as one of the leading choral conductors of his time. He was known for his meticulous attention to detail and his ability to bring out the best in his singers. Terry was also a prolific composer, and his works include a number of choral pieces, hymns, and organ music. His most famous work is the Christmas carol "Myn Lyking," which he arranged from a 15th-century English carol. The carol has become a staple of the Christmas choral repertoire and is still performed today. In addition to his work as a composer and conductor, Terry was also a respected musicologist. He was particularly interested in the music of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance and was one of the first scholars to study the music of the Eton Choirbook, a collection of English sacred music from the early 16th century. Terry's contributions to the study of early music were significant, and he was awarded a Doctor of Music degree by the University of Oxford in recognition of his work. He also published a number of books and articles on music, including a study of the music of the Eton Choirbook and a biography of the composer William Byrd. Terry's legacy as a composer, conductor, and musicologist continues to be felt today. His choral works are still performed by choirs around the world, and his contributions to the study of early music have helped to shape our understanding of this important period in musical history.

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