Londonderry Air

John Stuart Archer was born 19th Nov 1866, at Kensington, London, and died 21st Mar 1954, Paddington, London. Despite his importance on the British organ scene, he was not an academic musician, but rather, an engineer with an interest in chemistry.

I had been giving no other biographical details because I was unable to discover anything additional. However, adrianw has provided some excellent information, which I quote, which I will give in the First Comment.

Today is St. Patrick's Day, and whether you're Irish or not, all of us can agree that some of the most beautiful folk melodies have come from the Emerald Isle. The most famous must surely by "Danny Boy" - the "Londonderry Air."

I've always thought of Archer's arrangement of this as THE arrangement. It's highly expressive, and while I think you'll be moved, I've "controlled the emotion," in what I've been calling the "English cathedral-style."

The score is attached below, as well as a picture of J. Stuart Archer.