John Lee (composer of church music)
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John Lee (29 April 1908, Southport – 8 April 1990, Los Angeles) was a British-born Catholic musician who spent most of his career in north America. He is best remembered for his pioneering English-language musical settings of the Catholic Church's liturgies that came into use following the Second Vatican Council (1962–65).[1]
Life[edit]
John was the third child of John Lee (a house painter by trade) and his wife Mary Anne (nee Hartnett) living at 17 Clifton Road Southport, Lancashire.[2]
Nothing has come to light of John Lee's early life and musical education, except that he studied at Oxford University and was the organist of St Joseph's Church, Birkdale, UK.[3]
John Lee married Mary Lyons (born 29/09/1916) on 20 August 1942 in Crosby.[4] On 23 May 1943 a son Peter John was born.[4] On 23 July 1946 a son David Michael was born.[4]
The Lee family emigrated to Canada where John held a teaching position at St. Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada.[3] Here a daughter Judith Mary was born on 11 May 1947.[4]
From Canada the family moved to the United States arriving from Nova Scotia at Port Huron, Michigan on 16 September 1949.[4] They settled in Los Angeles, where on 7 May 1950 a son Christopher Luke was born.[4]
John Lee and his family took US citizenship in 1955 while living in Los Angeles at 22 Chester Place. a prosperous area of the city.[4] In Los Angeles John Lee held the position of organist at the city's church of St Vincent de Paul.[3]
John Lee is buried in the cemetery of St Andrew's Abbey, Valyermo.[5]
Works[edit]
For choir[edit]
Arrangements[edit]
- 1966. Eight Offertory Motets by G.P. da Palestrina, G. Carissimi, C. Tye et al.[6]
- 1967. Two Motets in Honor of the Blessed Virgin by Francesco Soriano and Antonio Lotti.[6]
Hymn tunes[edit]
- 1964. O saving Victim op'ning wide.[7]
- 1970. Dying you destroyed our death..[7]
- 1970. Glory to God in the highest.[7]
- 1970. Lord, by your cross and resurrection.[7]
- 1970. When we eat this bread, when we drink this cup.[7]
Original works[edit]
- 1955. Adoro te devote. For S.A. or S.A.T.B.[6]
- 1960. Mass in Honor of Our Lady - Help of Christians. For S.A.T.B.[6]
- 1964. Choral mass in English.[6]
- 1964. Second Mass in English, for congregations and alternating choir ad lib.[6]
- 1965. Mass for the Dead and the Burial Service. For unison, two or three equal voices with optional organ.[6]
- 1966. Mass in Honor of Saint Joseph. For S.A.T.B. voices and congregation ad lib.[6]
- 1966. Yours are the Heavens. Offertory for the third mass of Christmas for S.A.T.B. and organ.[6]
- 1970. Choral mass. S.A.T.B. and organ with congregation ad libitum. (1970 text).[6]
- 1970. Nine motets. S.A.T.B. and organ.[6]
- 1972. Festival mass. (1972 text).[6]
- 1973. Jubilee mass. S.A.T.B. and organ.[6]
- 1974. Fourteen plainsong hymns in Latin and English. Unison voices and organ.[6]
- 1975. Jubilate Deo. Plainsong hymns.[6]
- 1980. Two plainsong Gloria settings with handbells.[6]
For organ[edit]
- 1924. Suite for low mass.[6]
- 1939. Preludes for Liturgical Service.[6]
- 1951. Improvisations.[6]
- 1951. Meditations.[6]
- 1952. Invocation.[6]
- 1955. Postludes.[6]
- 1960. Dialogue.[6]
References[edit]
- ^ Nick Strimple Choral Music in the Twentieth Century (Pompton Plains, NJ : Amadeus Press, 2002) 263. ISBN 1574670743
- ^ 1911 England Census: Registration District Number 457; Sub-registration district, North Meols; Piece 22905.
- ^ a b c John Henderson (2005) “A Directory of Composers for the Organ” (ISBN 0952805022): consulted 24 August 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f g California, U.S., Federal Naturalization Records, 1843-1999. District Court, Los Angeles, California. Petitions, No.185925.1955 (Box 0500).
- ^ U.S. Find a Grave Index, 1600s-Current. Online resource, accessed 22 August 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w Detail from WorldCat, online resource, accessed 22 August 2022,
- ^ a b c d e Hymanry.org. Online resource, accessed 22 August 2022.
External links[edit]
- Works of John Lee in the sheet-music catalogue of the Gregorian Institute of America.[1]
- John Lee 'Ecce panis angelorum' from Ten Organ Preludes for Liturgical Services. No 9. (1939), performed by Andrew Pink.[2]
- ^ The Gregorian Institute of America (G.I.A.). Online catalogue, accessed 22 August 2022.
- ^ Andrew Pink Exordia ad missam' : my lockdown recordings. Online resource, accessed 22 August 2022.