THE ORGANISTS OF ST GEORGE'S CATHEDRAL This account of the history of the musical life of St George's Church and Cathedral is by Vaughan Selby-Jones, formerly a Lay Clerk of the Cathedral choir. I. The Early Organists Of St George's Cathedral II. REGINALD D'ARCY IRVINE (1898 - 1908) III. ALEXANDER J LECKIE (1908 - 1917) IV. HAYDN K HARDWICK (1918 - 1931) V. LESLIE W KIRKE (1931 - 1961) VI. THE REVEREND BRUCE NAYLOR (1961 - 1967) VII. JAMES BRITON (1968 - 1970) VIII. MICHAEL WENTZELL (1970 - 1973) IX. MICHAEL DUDMAN (1973 - 1975) X. DUDLEY STUART BASTIAN (1976 - 1977) XI. THE REVEREND DAVID G O'NEILL (1977 - 1983) XII. LINDSAY W HUTCHINSON (1983 - 1985) XIII. GORDON APPLETON (1986 - 1993) XIV. SIMON LAWFORD (1994 - ) I. THE EARLY ORGANISTS OF ST GEORGE'S CATHEDRAL A pipe organ by William Hill of London was dedicated in St George's Cathedral Perth on Advent Sunday 1875 and was used for the first time by the organist Mr C Trotter on that day. The West Australian Times of Friday 11 January 1878 reported as follows: "The congregation of St George's Cathedral have during the last few Sundays been enjoying a treat in consequence of Mr Compton kindly consenting to preside at the organ and conduct the musical portion of the service during the absence of the organist Mr Trotter. The anthem last Sunday evening In Jewry is God known was very creditably rendered, indeed the choir has much improved of late and has more volume of sound." At the annual meeting of parishioners of the Cathedral on Friday 26 April 1878 the then Bishop of Perth (The Right Rev. Henry Hutton Parry) who chaired the meeting said: "The parishioners are probably aware that the present arrangement with regard to the organist is merely of a temporary character, as Mr Compton, whose services are, I am sure, duly appreciated by the congregation, does not expect to remain in the colony. I know a person in England who, if the salary were somewhat augmented, would no doubt come out here as organist. He now holds that position in a church near Windsor, and has studied under Sir George Smart and under Professor MacFarlane at Cambridge, of which University he is a Bachelor of Music. He is anxious to come out to a warm climate, and I have no doubt we could secure his services, if the Vestry saw their way clear to increase the salary attached to the office of organist in our Cathedral Church." At the meeting of the newly elected Vestry of St George's Cathedral held on 29 April 1878 the Bishop referred to the desirability of securing the services of a really efficient organist, as Mr Compton's services would not be available after October or November. As he had already stated at the Easter meeting, he knew of a thoroughly competent musician at home who, on account of his health, was anxious to come out to a warm climate. He was now organist of a church near Windsor, and, in addition to being an excellent performer on the organ, was also a helpful violinist, and had been giving lessons in that capacity to the members of the Royal family. ,hen Mr Bowra asked what salary he would expect if he came to Perth, the Bishop replied that he thought that they could not offer him less than one hundred pounds a year, which, of course would be considerably supplemented by what he would receive by giving music lessons, and from other sources. Mr Stone then proposed that a sum of one hundred pounds be voted to the salary of a professional organist for the Cathedral "the vote to take effect from the present date, so that Mr Compton, who is now discharging the duties of organist, should participate in the increase so long as his services were available." The motion was agreed to. Mr Compton did not leave at the time indicated above, but gave his farewell organ recital at the Cathedral on 13 November 1879. The West Australian of 7 January 1881 reported the following: Mr Chas H Compton, erstwhile organist of St George's Cathedral writes as follows to the South Australian Advertiser on the subject of establishing commercial arrangements between India and Australia "after one or two voyages up and down - altogether I have made eight or ten - I also found hat India had a market for a variety of articles of Australian produce, such as flour, oats, butter, cheese, preserved meats, colonial wines, preserved fruits, sandalwood, in addition to live stocks such as horses - the demand for these exceeds two thousand a year, the Government requiring eight hundred to a thousand for which they pay six hundred rupees a piece - cows, live sheep, kangaroo dogs and Australian birds such as black swans, parrots and cockatoos - all of which I at various times took up, and invariably sold at a profit. The demand and sale for sheep alone in India is, I am sure, quite unknown and comparatively untried. I once took up a flock of four hundred fat sheep from Western Australia on deck, and lost five on the voyage. I sold the remainder at fifteen rupees each on arrival at Bombay. They cost five shillings ahead at Fremantle. Cows in calf I have sold for twenty to thirty pounds a piece. There is also a great demand for fine haired kangaroo dogs, which sell at five to twenty pounds each, according to size and breed. It is perhaps unnecessary to say that in a few years, carrying out these ventures I made a fortune; but the cotton and jute manufacturers were just at this time reviving and I invested and speculated largely and with ill-success. I also went in for tea planting in Assam, and lost my money in that, as well as coffee planting in the Nelgherie Hills. I was unfortunate in many speculations but still that has nothing to do with the question of there still being a vast field for enterprise for commercial intercourse between South Australia and India; and I would moreover add, from her geographical position and the energy and high social position of the leading men, South Australia should eventually command the whole trade. During my visit to Western Australia I urged these questions to the utmost, but I regret to say that the colonists there are sadly behind the age, and I cannot say that I met with one man who had even the curiosity to enter upon the question thoroughly with me. Their geographical position is even better than that of this Colony (SA) and they could send live stock from their northern ports with a much better chance of being landed alive than the Australian colonies east of Cape Leeuwin could." Dean Gegg eventually procured the services of an organist by the name of Bode and at a vestry meeting held on 21 April 1885 it was decided to increase his salary to one hundred and twenty pounds a year. However, Bode resigned to take up the position of organist at St Andrew's Church, Brighton, Vic. and left Perth at the end of 1885. At a vestry meeting held on 27 November 1885 it was recorded that, in the opinion of the vestry, the Dean should offer the post of organist to Mr Edward Letch, then organist of St John's Church Fremantle. Mr F Law should be requested to undertake the direction and training of the choir. Edward Letch, who had at one time been assistant organist at the Cathedral, remained in the post of Cathedral organist until 1898 when he retired. (The West Australian Times 3/12/75, 11/1/78, 30/4/78, 3/5/78,11/11/79 The West Australian 7/1/81, 31/8/83, 23/4/485, 6/11/85, 30/11/85) G II. REGINALD D'ARCY IRVINE An advertisement in The West Australian, of 15 January 1898 showed the name of Reginald D'Arcy-Irvine (solo pianist and organist from Melbourne) as a member of the staff of Professor Francik's Conservatorium of Music, YMCA Buildings, Hay Street. This Conservatorium, which was established in 1894, was under the patronage of His Excellency the Governor, Colonel Sir Gerard Smith and Lady Smith, His Honour the Chief Justice, Sir Alexander Onslow and Lady Onslow and His Honour Mr Justice Hensman and Mrs Hensman. The West Australian of 17 January 1898 reported as follows: "Professor Francik and Mr D'Arcy-Irvine are arranging to hold a series of chamber concerts, the first of which is now in active rehearsal. Professor Francik's abilities are already well known to Perth audiences, while Mr D'Arcy-Irvine, who is a recent arrival, enjoys a high reputation in Melbourne musical circles." On 16 March 1898 D'Arcy-Irvine gave a pianoforte recital in his spacious studio "Gracemere" in St George's Terrace, opposite Government House. The studio was filled almost to overflowing for the occasion. His programme included words by Weber, Mendelssohn, Chopin and Moszkowski, his supporting artists being vocalists Mrs S Benjamin, Miss Grace Woodfield and Mr E C Swan and violinist Mr Arthur Taylor. On the evening of Palm Sunday 1898 (April 3) a performance of Spohr's oratorio Calvary was given in St George's Cathedral. The choirmaster, Mr J P Ford, conducted and the newly appointed organist, Mr Reginald D'Arcy-Irvine, presided at the organ. On the following day The West Australian reported as follows: "As this is Mr D'Arcy-Irvine's first week at the Cathedral, he is greatly to be congratulated upon his playing, at such short notice, of the exacting music falling to his lot." D'Arcy-Irvine also gave a short organ recital after Festal Evensong on Easter Day of that year, his programme being as follows: Prelude and Fugue in C minor (Mendelssohn), Andante in G (Batiste), "Achieved is the Glorious Work:" (Haydn), Andante Grazioso (Smart).