8 songs for baritone and piano, with words from News of the World, 9th Aug 1953, and the Daily Telegraph, 8th or 10th Aug 1953

Peter Tranchell's 100-fold Amen. The work quotes several Amens and other works - see what you can find!

Peter Tranchell's Music for the service of Holy Communion: written for Fitzwilliam House, 1960

An SATB unaccompanied setting of this Christina Rossetti's poem "Twist me a crown of wind-flowers"

Peter Tranchell's piano duet "Spring Rondo" (four hands one piano), composed in 1968, duration approx 2'45".

A dismissal or closing response for unaccompanied AATTBB or SATTBB choir. Duration 30 seconds.

A bidding anthem for SATTBBB, duration c.20 seconds.

A round for four men's voices, with hidden depths, paying tribute to the "bandy legged and contemptuously regarded" Professor Nicholas Staggins, Master of the King's Music and Professor of Music at Cambridge University.

This light song sets words from a newspaper article to music for unaccompanied ATTBB or TTBB choir. This could easily be arranged for SATBB.

A light song written in 1979, exposing the savagery of the rose garden. For SATBB or ATTBB choir.

An anthem for SSATB and  organ, piano or harmonium, composed by Peter Tranchell for the Wedding Service on 10 July 1982 of Jeremy Mark Davies and Catherine Hudson Wilks.

"O that our faith", (tune: Waltham Chase) a short setting of a text by Charles Wesley, for three voice parts and organ, written October 1971

An introit/anthem for ATBrBB or SATBB unaccompanied, the text from John 16:33.

"His first Mayweek", or, "The scholar's progress: a speculation with music in five scenes". For male and female soloists, male-voice chorus, and two pianos. Words and music by Peter Tranchell.

A double Anglican psalm chant by Peter Tranchell for ATB or SATB.

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

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.

"The Fire Raisers" was written by Max Frisch in German (1958) as "Biedermann und die Brandstifter". Originally a radio play, it was later adapted [...Read More]

IN PREP

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 we have 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 possible here, but we have not had a chance to check.

Double chant for Psalm 75 in A major, D major or E flat major, 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.

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

The Sonatina for flute and piano was written for and dedicated to Henri and Juana Fromageot in May 1966. Juana later became a well-respected concert and recording pianist under the name Juana Zayas.

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)

"Suite" was published in the Draconian, the school magazine of the Dragon School, in August 1935. The score shows that Tranchell [...Read More]

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.