John Rutter
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- John Rutter is also the name of a photographer.
John Rutter (born September 24, 1945) is an English composer, choral conductor, editor, arranger and record producer.
Born in London, he was educated at Highgate School, where a fellow pupil was John Tavener. He then studied music at Clare College, Cambridge, where he was a member of the choir and then director of music from 1975 to 1979. In 1981 he founded his own choir, the Cambridge Singers, which he conducts and with which he has made many recordings of sacred choral repertoire (including his own works), particularly under his own label Collegium Records. He still lives near Cambridge, but frequently conducts other choirs and orchestras around the world.
In 1980 he was made an honorary Fellow of Westminster Choir College, Princeton, and in 1988 a Fellow of the Guild of Church Musicians. In 1996 the Archbishop of Canterbury conferred a Lambeth Doctorate of Music upon him in recognition of his contribution to church music.
He also works as an arranger and editor, most notably (in his youth) of the extraordinarily successful Carols for Choirs anthology series in collaboration with Sir David Willcocks.
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[edit] Compositions
Rutter's compositions are chiefly choral, and include Christmas carols, anthems and extended works such as a Gloria and a Requiem (see Requiem (Rutter)). In 2002 his setting of Psalm 150, commissioned for the Queen's Golden Jubilee, was performed at the Thanksgiving service in St Paul's Cathedral, London. He has also written an opera for young people called Bang!
He is published principally by Oxford University Press, and by his own company Collegium.
[edit] Influences
Rutter's music is eclectic, showing the influences of the French and English choral traditions of the early 20th century, as well as of light music and American classic songwriting.
Despite composing and conducting much religious music, Rutter told the US television program 60 Minutes in 2003 that he was not particularly a religious man, but he is inspired by the spiritualness of sacred verses and prayers.[1] The 60 Minutes program, which aired a week before Christmas 2003, focused on Rutter's popularity with choral groups in the United States, Britain and other parts of the world, and on his composition, Mass of the Children, composed after the untimely death of his son Christopher while a student.
[edit] Reputation
Rutter's music is very popular, particularly in the USA (NBC's Today Show called him "the world's greatest living composer and conductor of choral music"); though in the UK it receives a more mixed reception. Many from the Anglican choral tradition do not regard him as a sufficiently 'serious' composer.
In terms of performances he is probably the most successful choral composer of his generation. For example, his Shepherd's Pipe Carol, written while he was still at school, is reputed to have sold well over one million copies in sheet music alone.
[edit] List of compositions
[edit] Carols
- "Angels' Carol"
- "Candlelight Carol"
- "Christmas Lullaby"
- "Donkey Carol"
- "Jesus Child"
- "Nativity Carol"
- "Shepherd's Pipe Carol"
- "Star Carol"
- "What Sweeter Music"
- "Wild Wood Carol"
[edit] Other
- All Creatures of our God and King:
- All things bright and beautiful
- As the bridegroom to his chosen
- Be Thou my vision
- Behold, the Tabernacle of God
- Blow, Blow, Thou Winter Wind
- Children's chorus, opt.
- A Choral Amen
- A Choral Fanfare
- Christ the Lord is risen again
- A Clare Benediction
- Distant Land
- Feel the Spirit
- For the beauty of the Earth
- Gloria
- Go forth into the world in peace
- God be in my head
- Gregorian Chant
- How Firm A Foundation
- Hymn to the Creator of Light
- I believe in springtime
- I will lift up mine eyes
- I will sing with the spirit
- I will worship the Lord
- Let us go in peace
- Look at the World
- The Lord bless you and keep you
- The Lord is my light and my salvation
- The Lord is my Shepherd: SATB & organ
- Loving shepherd of thy sheep
- Magnificat
- Mass of the Children
- Now thank we all our God
- O be joyful in the Lord
- O clap your hands
- Open Thou Mine Eyes
- The Peace of God
- Pie Jesu
- Praise the Lord, O my soul
- Praise ye the Lord
- A Prayer of Saint Patrick
- Te Deum
- The Peace of God
- Thy Perfect love
- Requiem
- When Icicles Hang
- When the saints go marching in
- Wings of the Morning
[edit] External links
it:John Rutter nl:John Rutter ja:ジョン・ラター sl:John Rutter sv:John Rutter zh:約翰·盧特
