Prelude and Passacaglia for Organ, on 'Liebster Jesu, wir sind Hier' and 'Who would true valour see', Peter Tranchell, 1952

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IN PREP

Music for the service of Holy Communion : written for Fitzwilliam House, 1960

Peter Tranchell, 1960

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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.

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An eyebrow-raising harmonisation, written 1988.

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Four versions of this quadruple chant are known. Three are found in the Cambridge University Library archive: 

• The earliest version (1970) is the quadruple chant for Psalm 12. ATBB & organ in C minor.
• Then we have quadruple chant for Psalm 12. SATB & organ in E minor and the version for Psalm 13 for SATB & organ in E flat minor. The SATB versions might be assumed to date from the period 1982-1989 when the Gonville & Caius College Choir added a soprano line.

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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.

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IN PREP

The Four Voluntaries for Organ were performed by Basil Ramsey, later to be Editor of The Musical Times, [...Read More]

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. [...Read More]

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.

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This beautiful setting of Psalm 133 incorporates verses from Colossians 3. The setting has now been published by CMS, in Peter Tranchell, Three Responsorial Psalms (CMS 046), available to purchase here so [...Read More]

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.

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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.

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A setting of verses 1-3 and 9 of Psalm 141 (Coverdale version), with the first half of verse 4 used [...Read More]

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

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

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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