James Cooksey Culwick (28 April 1845 – 5 October 1907) was an English musician who is most well known for being organist of the

Chapel Royal A chapel royal is an establishment in the British and Canadian royal households serving the spiritual needs of the sovereign and the royal family. Historically, the chapel royal was a body of priests and singers that travelled with the monarc ...

and founding the Orpheus Choir, both in

Dublin Dublin is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, and is bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, pa ...

, Ireland. The

Culwick Choral Society Culwick Choral Society is an amateur choir in Dublin, founded in 1898 by the English born, musician and choirmaster Dr. James Cooksey Culwick. Following Dr. Culwicks death in 1907 his daughter Florence Culwick reestablished the choir, becoming ...

is both named in honour of Culwick and traces its lineage to the Orpheus Choir.

Biography

Early life

Culwick was born in

West Bromwich West Bromwich ( ), commonly known as West Brom, is a market town in the borough of Sandwell, in the county of the West Midlands (county), West Midlands, England. Historic counties of England, Historically part of Staffordshire, it is northwes ...

, Staffordshire, England. At the age of fourteen he became a chorister in

Lichfield Cathedral Lichfield Cathedral, formally the Cathedral Church of Saint Mary and Saint Chad in Lichfield, is a Church of England cathedral in the city of Lichfield, England. It is the seat of the bishop of Lichfield and the principal church of the diocese ...

where his father, also a musician, was a lay clerk. He took lessons from the then cathedral organist, Thomas Bedsmore, and was later appointed assistant organist. He subsequently took the role of church organist at the Church of St Chad, Lichfield.

Ireland

Culwick moved to Ireland in 1866, filling the position of organist at

Parsonstown Birr (; , meaning "plain of water") is a town in County Offaly, Ireland. Between 1620 and 1899 it was called Parsonstown, after the Parsons family who were local landowners and hereditary Earl of Rosse, Earls of Rosse. The town is in a Civil p ...

, King's County, before moving to Bray Parish Church in 1870 and then

St. Ann's Church, Dawson Street St. Ann's Church on Dawson Street in Dublin, Ireland is a Church of Ireland church, constructed originally around 1720 following the establishment of the local Anglican parish in 1707. In the early 21st century the church presents itself as ...

in 1871. In 1881, he was appointed as organist to the

at Dublin Castle. A 1907 ''

Irish Times ''The Irish Times'' is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper and online digital publication. It was launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Ruadhán Mac Cormaic. It is published every day except Sundays. ''The Irish Times'' is Ireland's leading n ...

'' obituary states that he enjoyed a "high reputation" as a teacher already at an early stage in his career. Culwick founded a private society, known as "Harmonie", which attracted amateur singers and musicians, and subsequently founded the Orpheus Choir. He was involved in the establishment of the

Feis Ceoil Feis Ceoil ( ; "Festival of Music") is an Irish music organisation which holds an annual competitive festival of classical music. It was first organised in Dublin in 1897 by Dr. Annie Patterson and Edward Martyn for the purpose of stimulating mus ...

, and from 1913 the Culwick Cup was awarded in his honour in the choral competitions. With Sir Robert Prescott Stewart, he helped establish a branch of the Incorporated Society of Musicians in Dublin.

Marriage and children

Culwick was married twice, first to Alice Mary Harrison of Lichfield (died 1875), then to Mary Richardson, "a daughter of the late Dr Benjamin Richardson of Dublin". His children were: * Arthur Culwick (born 1873), clergyman and sometime incumbent of Crinken Church, Bray *

Florence Culwick Florence Culwick (4 November 1877 – 30 August 1929) was an Irish musical conductor who became the director of the Culwick Choral Society. Biography Florence Culwick was born at 21 Upper Lesson Street, Dublin. She was the daughter of James Co ...

(1877–1929), conductor and choir director

Death

Culwick died at his home, 57 Upper Mount Street, Dublin, having been ill for four weeks.

Selected works

Compositions

* ''Ballade'', for piano (London: Augener & Co., c.1870) * Sonata No. 1, Op. 3, for organ (London, c.1882) * Sonatina, Op. 4, for piano (2nd edition, Dublin: Pohlmann, c.1870) * ''Three Songs'', Op. 5 (Dublin: Pohlmann, not dated) * ''Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis in A'', Op. 6 (Dublin: Pohlmann, not dated) * Suite, for piano (2nd edition, London: Augener & Co., 1875) * ''Quartett für Pianoforte'', Op. 7 (piano quartet in E-flat) (Leipzig: Breitkopf & Härtel, 1880) * ''Te Deum laudamus, Jubilate Deo'', Op. 8 (2nd edition, Dublin: Cramer, Wood & Co., c.1892) * ''Ballade No. 2'', Op. 9, for piano (London: Weekes & Co., 1887) * ''The Legend of Stauffenberg''. A Dramatic Cantata (libretto by Dr.

John Todhunter John Todhunter (30 December 1839 – 25 October 1916) was an Irish poet and playwright who wrote seven volumes of poetry, and several plays. Life Todhunter was born in Dublin, the eldest son of Thomas Harvey Todhunter, a Quaker merchant ...

) (c.1890) * ''Two Choruses, with Orchestra'' (1. ''The Mermaids' Cave''; 2. ''Fairy Song'') (words by J. Todhunter) (published in piano reduction, Dublin, c.1890) * ''Songs by E. J. Armstrong and G. F. Armstrong'', Op. 10 (London: Weekes & Co., 1891) * ''Elegy, composed in ��memory of Sir Robert Stewart �� the words taken from Milton's 'Lycidas (Hull: Archibald, c.1894) * ''Bless the Lord, O my Soul''. Anthem, Op. 14 (London: Office of "The Organist", 1896) * ''O Lord, the Great and Dreadful God''. Full anthem for four voices, etc. (London: Office of "The Organist", 1896) * ''Nine Irish Melodies, true to their scales'', for harp or piano (Dublin: Feis Ceoil, 1897) * Sonata No. 2, Op. 19, for organ (London: C. Vincent, 1898) * ''Resting-Time'', four-part song, Op. 21 (words by J. F. Waller) (London: C. Vincent, 1899) * ''The Heavens Declare the Glory of God''. Motet for soprano, mezzo-soprano and contralto, Op. 22 (London: C. Vincent, 1900) * ''Prayer and Praise''. Andante in E-flat (London: The Organ Loft, Book 27, no. 83, 1901) * ''Greek War Song'', for soli, semi-chorus and full chorus (London: Vincent Music Co., 1902) * ''Spring Song''. Trio for soprano, mezzo soprano and contralto, Op. 27 (words by A. Tomson) (London: Vincent Music Co., 1902) * ''Sunset''. Four-part song, Op. 28 (words by "F. M. C.") (London: Vincent Music Co., 1902) * ''Spring''. Choral rondo (London: Vincent Music Co., 1905)

Writings

* ''The Study of Music and its Place in General Education'' (Dublin, 1882) * ''The Rudiments of Music. An Introductory Text-book with Musical Examples and Numerous Exercises'' (Dublin: E. Ponsonby, 1887) * ''Handel's Messiah: Discovery of the Original Word-Book Used at the First Performance in Dublin, April 13, 1742'' (Dublin: University Press, 1891). According to Culwick's obituary, this put to an end the controversy over whether the original performance of the ''

Messiah In Abrahamic religions, a messiah or messias (; , ; , ; ) is a saviour or liberator of a group of people. The concepts of '' mashiach'', messianism, and of a Messianic Age originated in Judaism, and in the Hebrew Bible, in which a ''mashiach ...

'' had taken place in Dublin. * ''The Distinctive Characteristics of Ancient Irish Melody: the Scales'' (Dublin: E. Ponsonby, 1897) * ''Sir Robert Stewart. With Reminiscences of his Life and Works. Paper read at Ripon on July 21st at a meeting of the Yorkshire Section'' (Derby: Chadfield and Son, 1900) * ''The Works of Sir Robert Stewart, Mus.D. Catalogue of his Musical Compositions ��Together with a List of his Principal Literary Works'' (Dublin: University Press, 1902) * "Fifty Years in the Life of a Great Irish Musician". Conference paper on Sir Robert Stewart presented at the Incorporated Society of Musicians in Dublin Conference (Derby: Chadfield & Son, 1903)

Honours, awards and distinctions

Culwick was conferred the degree of Doctor in Music ''honoris causa'' by the

University of Dublin The University of Dublin (), corporately named as The Chancellor, Doctors and Masters of the University of Dublin, is a research university located in Dublin, Republic of Ireland. It is the degree-awarding body for Trinity College Dublin, whi ...

on 29 June 1893. In 1909, a memorial tablet was placed in the south choir aisle of

St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin Saint Patrick's Cathedral () in Dublin, Ireland is the national cathedral of the Church of Ireland. Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, Christ Church Cathedral, also a Church of Ireland cathedral in Dublin, is designated as the local cathedral of ...

in his memory for his work as organist and choir master of the Chapel Royal. The memorial consists of a bronze portrait medallion with marble frame, designed by

Oliver Sheppard Oliver Sheppard (10 April 1865 – 14 September 1941) was an Irish sculptor, most famous for his 1911 bronze statue of the mythical Cuchullain dying in battle. His work was also part of the art competitions at the 1924 Summer Olympics and the ...

and Sir Thomas Drew respectively. It states:

James Cooksey Culwick. Mus.Doc. Trinity College, Dublin. Born 28th April 1845. Died 5th October, 1907. A learned musician. A true artist. A good man. This tablet is erected in affectionate remembrance by members and supporters of the Orpheus Choral Society, of which he was the founder and conductor, 1896–1907.

References

External links

Culwick Choral Society
{{DEFAULTSORT:Culwick, James Cooksey 1845 births 1907 deaths 19th-century English male musicians 19th-century British conductors (music) 19th-century English musicians 19th-century Irish classical composers 19th-century Irish organists English classical composers of church music Composers for pipe organ English choral conductors Irish choral conductors Irish male classical composers Irish male organists Male conductors (music) Musicians from Dublin (city) People from West Bromwich