‘Meddling Anglican’ music director dies at 50
mainThe Telegraph reports the death of Christopher Tambling, director of music for 18 years at Downside School, near Bath.
Downside is staunchy Roman Catholic. Tambling was low-church Anglican with distinctly populist tastes. He will be widely remembered for a much-played fanfare on the tune, Shine, Jesus, Shine.
Devastating.
In fairness:
“Although a low-church Anglican, he was warmly welcomed into this Roman Catholic community, where he did much to improve the standard of music-making, including introducing a weekly hymn practice for the whole school.
Revelling in his reputation as a “meddling Anglican”, Tambling was a great believer in making church music accessible, which he achieved through his own compositions and arrangements.
Among his more esoteric compositions was a fanfare for the organ based on Shine, Jesus, Shine, a song written by Graham Kendrick in 1987 which, to the chagrin of traditionalists, has become a popular Christian number.”
Such a shame, fine musician and so young too. His sons, Benjy and Edward (who played at the last Royal Wedding, and was then sacked by the Abbey for criticising a John Rutter piece written for the occasion on Facebook), are much too young to be burying their father.
Here is a rather better series of recordings of Christopher Tambling, in the company of trumpeter David Bertie, on the wondrous 1930 Compton 38-rank extension organ of Downside Abbey: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEil1O3df0kF7K3C81xLQsvUvsBKu4LBP