Roland Diggle (January 1, 1885 – January 13, 1954) was an English-born, American

organist An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ (music), organ. An organist may play organ repertoire, solo organ works, play with an musical ensemble, ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumentalist, instrumental ...

and

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and def ...

who wrote and arranged an enormous number of published pieces, and who served for forty years as organist and choirmaster at St. John's Episcopal Church of

Los Angeles, California Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

Biography

Roland Diggle was born in London, England, and he was educated at the

Royal College of Music The Royal College of Music (RCM) is a conservatoire established by royal charter in 1882, located in South Kensington, London, UK. It offers training from the undergraduate to the doctoral level in all aspects of Western Music including pe ...

in London.Vernon Gotwals (revised Judi Caldwell) (2013). Diggle, Roland. ''

Grove Music Online ''The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians'' is an encyclopedic dictionary of music and musicians. Along with the German-language '' Die Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart'', it is one of the largest reference works on the history and t ...

'', Oxford University Press He moved to the US in 1904 where he became a tireless advocate of organ music. During his lifetime he wrote or arranged over 500 organ compositions. He was well known in national and international music circles and his works have been published both in the U.S. and abroad. He served for forty years as organist and choirmaster at St. John's Episcopal Church of Los Angeles, California (from 1914), and he presented recitals at both the San Diego and San Francisco World's Fair Expositions. He was an important figure in the

American Guild of Organists The American Guild of Organists (AGO) is an international organization of academic, church, and concert organists in the US, headquartered in New York City with its administrative offices in the Interchurch Center. Founded as a professional educa ...

. According to Vernon Gotwals in ''

'', his style was "improvisatory and facile"; his works include ''Benedictus omnia opera'', a choral work which was formerly popular. He died on January 13, 1954, in Los Angeles, California.

References

Brief bio

* English composers American composers Male composers 1885 births 1954 deaths Academics of the Royal College of Music American classical organists American male organists Musicians from Los Angeles 20th-century organists American male composers 20th-century American male musicians Male classical organists {{US-composer-stub