Musical Works

From the Caius Psalter, Chant 21A by "M.W. Scot-Higson", an anagram of Moscow Nights.

Twice A Kiss, an operetta in one act for seven soloists, piano and electronic organ, with libretto by Maurice Holt, was written for Peter le Huray and St Catherine’s College to perform in May Week in June 1955.

Seven Pieces in Alphabetical Order, for solo piano. Composed 1947, revised 1960. Duration c. 9 minutes.

Fortunare Nos was composed in 1986 for the wedding of one of Tranchell's students. It incorporates the hymn tune Wish Road originally written for Eastbourne College in 1950. The words are from a hymn by Henry J. Buckoll (1803-71) in Psalms and Hymns for Rugby School Chapel, 1850, and the Latin verse is a translation, presumably by Tranchell, of Verse 1.

An eyebrow-raising harmonisation, written 1988.

An excellent quadruple chant, well-known from the Psalms from St Paul's recordings where it's used for Psalm 103. Three typeset editions are published here.

Two (and possibly three) versions of this triple chant are found in the Cambridge University Library archive: 

• The earliest version (197-?) appears to be the triple chant for Psalm 127. ATBB & organ in C major.
• Then MS.Tranchell.3.68, the version for SATB & organ in E flat major. This version might be assumed to date from the period 1982-1989 when the Gonville & Caius College Choir added a soprano line.
• The archive also records MS.Tranchell.3.67 "For ATBB & organ in E minor [sic]. Photocopy of MS.Tranchell.4.86 with holograph revisions". Cataloguing error seems likely here, but we have not had a chance to check.

Double chant for Psalm 75 in A major, D flat, D or E flat, also used by St. Paul's for Psalm 102 in B flat major

The Libran Preces and Responses were composed in October 1972. We are publishing the original ATBrBB version and a transposed version for SATTBB.

Peter Tranchell's Sonatina for pianoforte (1949) is a little mysterious - Tranchell didn't mention it in letters home, and was at the time talking more about his piano concerto (which either never materialised or has been lost). The work is in five movements, duration approx. 15 minutes, and was dedicated to Jane Scott, later to become Elizabeth Jane Howard.

Some confusion surrounds Peter Tranchell's Sonata (or Sonatas) for piano.

Peter Tranchell' opera The Mayor of Casterbridge was first performed on 30 July 1951, by a largely amateur and student cast, at the Arts Theatre as part of the Cambridge Festival.

DAISY SIMPKINS

or

THE SPINNING HOUSE

A Concert Entertainment in One Act

Four Voluntaries for Organ by Peter Tranchell (Pastorale, Fantasy, Prayer, Epilogue), first performed by Basil Ramsey (later to be Editor of The Musical Times and Choir and Organ) in 1952

"The Robot Emperor" is an "entertainment" in 5 scenes for solos, chorus and orchestra, with words and music by Peter Tranchell, written in 1965.

"Heaven!", for voice and piano, was written in 1954 for performance in "Just as it Comes" at Trinity College, Cambridge. The lyrics are by Simon Phipps (Chaplain at Trinity College 1953-57 and Bishop of Lincoln between 1974 and 1987).

Peter Tranchell wrote this setting of Psalm 23 (The Lord is my shepherd) in 1962 for unison voices and organ, revised it in 1970 for two-part male-voices and organ, and again in 1976 for ATBrB choir and organ. The score published here has been arranged for SATB by Peter Marchbank.

This beautiful setting of Psalm 133 incorporates verses from Colossians 3. The setting can be purchased from OUP/CMS, in Peter Tranchell, Three Responsorial Psalms (CMS 046)

In 1954 Peter wrote the music for the musical comedy Zuleika, which culminated in a three month run in the West End in 1957. We have published a typeset version of Peter Tranchell's own piano edition.

Probably Peter Tranchell's best known work at present, "If ye would hear the angels sing" was written in 1965, setting words by Dora Greenwell to music for SATB and organ.

Four Piano Duets (One Piano – Four Hands), by Peter Tranchell (1922 – 1993). Composed in May 1953.

The Sonatina for Organ was written for Martin Neary in 1964, then revised in 1967. Martin Neary, who went on to become Organist and Director of Music at Winchester Cathedral and then Westminster Abbey, was the incumbent organ scholar when PAT succeeded Professor Patrick Hadley as Precentor in 1962.

When PAT eventually bought a television he became obsessed with the Australian TV soap Neighbours (among other things!). He arranged the well-known theme tune (by Tony Hatch) as an Anglican chant - it was heard at least once in Caius chapel services, receiving the reaction ‘that seems faintly familiar...’ although the harmonisation is pure Tranchell. The composer's name is an anagram of "Neighbours", and the arranger "I'm astraan" i.e. Australian. The chant was probably written around 1987.

Tranchell's Festive Overture was written in 1966 for Peter Marchbank and the Basingstoke Musical Society Orchestra (now the Basingstoke Symphony Orchestra). We have published a free score, and an arrangement for organ by Tim Harper.

Peter T wrote the music for two Cambridge Greek plays, including Antigone of Sophocles in 1959.

Peter T wrote the music for two Cambridge Greek plays, including The Bacchae of Euripides in 1956.

Fauxbourdons Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis on the third tone, by Peter Tranchell, composed in 1974 and 1975, suitable for AATTBB or SATTBB

For unison voices & organ, in E major. With antiphon: Praise the Lord, Halleluia.

First composed in 1968, with versions [...Read More]

Simple and effective painchant and fauxbourdons settings of the Magnificat and Nunc DImittis for AATTBB or SATTBB unaccompanied choir, composed 1975.

These settings were composed by Peter Tranchell, Precentor (Director of Music) at Gonville & Caius College, Cambridge, for use by the chapel choir in the regular round of evening services. Although written three years apart and for a slightly different disposition of voices, Tranchell clearly saw them as a ‘set’ since they were recorded together in 1981 for private release on the LP recording ‘Music from Caius’ in 1985.

Peter Tranchell composed this 1958 Sonata for Organ (his second) for, and partly based on the name of, Peter Le Huray, a fellow lecturer in the Music Faculty of Cambridge University, and Director of Music at St Catharine’s College.

The Waltz and Calypso is a wind octet written for the inauguration of the Cambridge University Music School Concert Hall, 11 November 1977. It is scored for 2 x oboe, 2 x clarinet in Bb, 2 x horn in F, and 2 x bassoon.

The Carol Voluntary is a light-hearted piece with a serious side, melding eight different carols (at the last count) with unexpected results. It was first written for Tranchell's friend David Isitt (later The Reverend) in 1948, then revised in 1964.

The anthem Cantantibus Organis for St Cecilia’s Day was written by Peter Tranchell in 1987 for use by the choir of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, where he was Precentor (Director of Music), and it was sung at Evensong (presumably on St Cecilia’s Day, 22 November) that year. It was written for S.A.T.T.B. and Organ, with Soprano, Tenor and Bass solos.

People, look East was composed in 1982 for the Gonville and Caius Choir and originally scored for AATBrBB (though with a note on the cover saying 'If necessary, the first alto part may be sung by sopranos'). The version performed by St. John's College Choir in the 2015 Advent Carol Service was arranged for SATB by Peter Marchbank in 2013.

Peter Tranchell set this famous text (from Edward Fitzgerald’s version of Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám of Naishápúr) to music in May 1978, shortly before the death of Geoffrey Thornton, the Caius Chapel organ scholar who succumbed to melanoma. Peter knew it was inevitable and although there's nothing on the score it was conceived very much as an In Memoriam.

The composer’s note at the end of the manuscript reads: ‘‘The Virgoan Responses were composed late August* 1972 for ATBrBB unacc, revised 1976, re-written for SATBrBB unacc in late August 1987. P.A.T.’’