Repertoire revivals – Caleb Simper

Readers will know I have a soft spot for Henry Coleman’s undemanding church organ music, but Coleman now has a rival for my affections, in Caleb Simper. I’ve just spent a joyous hour or so sight-reading my way through Stainer & Bell’s editions of his organ voluntaries. Simper was one of those prolific late Victorian/early twentieth century composers who wrote reams of likeable if not very profound music. And from from time to time, as an organist, that’s exactly what you need (and I’d rather play Simper than Lefebure-Wely any day).

The later twentieth century had no patience with Simper and his ilk. A Vaughan Williams sneer can stand for the rest:

‘Composers with ridiculous names: their names are about the one thing these composers couldn’t help; other aspects of their activities are less innocent.’

But in his time Simper’s prodigious output was greatly loved – he sold over 5 million copies of his choral music, marketed by his publishers Weekes & Co under the strapline ‘sung throughout the civilised world’. His success as a composer allowed him to retire from any other activities (apart from playing the organ at St Mary Magdalene in Barnstaple) at the age of 34.

Can I recommend Brian Clegg’s well-researched and engaging biography of Simper? Brian took over a Wiltshire village choir and found that Simper was a firm favourite with the older members. Trying to write programme notes he discovered practically nothing about him online, or in the musical dictionaries, and so began a quest. The result is what must be the definitive biography of Simper – find it here.

Weekes and Co’s catalogue was eventually acquired by Stainer & Bell, who have published 12 volumes of Simper’s organ voluntaries. Written on two staves (with occasional optional pedal parts), it is, as S&B say, playable and practical music for organists of limited technical ability. So good for pianists-to-organists, good for sight-reading practice, and good to have in your organ bag for when they announce the organist will now play something…