We have been informed of the death of Richard Seal, organist and master of the choir at Salisbury Cathedral from 1968 to 1997.
Richard introduced girls to his chorus, a scandalous innovation at the time.
He was 86 at his death.
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One of the kindest, most modest, deeply musical, gentle but inspiring cathedral choir directors of his era. The number of professional musicians working today whose careers started as choristers at Salisbury under Richard Seal’s direction is considerable. One of the quiet heroes of English church music. May he rest in peace.
He was such an inspired musician and a wonderfully kind man. His choristers and all who worked and performed alongside him loved him. He will be so sadly missed. Rest in Peace, dear Richard.
Dear Richard was a great guy, and along with Harrison (Fred) Oxley, and Malcolm Archer also for bringing in the girls to CofE cathedrals. Not sure who at Bradford Cathedral brought the girls in there, but it was 30 years ago last week.
And (re girls) Dennis Townhill in St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral, Edinburgh 42 years ago in 1978
Leicester and St David’s Cathedrals were among the first to introduce girl choristers, some years, if not decades, before Salisbury in 1991.
He was very brave to do what he did – he was also a wonderful musician. Rest In Peace
It was always a pleasure to play for Richard, such a kind, gentle and inspiring musician. When he was on the podium we in the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra could even forgive the organ for being a quarter tone sharp.
So true
So, what were the girls wearing when they were brought into the Cathedral?
(Similar response to “Clickbait” header).
I was a chorister, a treble, under Richard Seal in the mid 80s, directly before he introduced the girl’s choir. I couldn’t be more proud of the association: he was a kind and enlightened man, capable of conjuring depths of feeling in musicians with only a lift of his enviable eyebrows. He was a gift to me, and to countless others.