Hail the day that sees Him rise, Alleluya!

Today, May 10th, is Ascension Day.

Sir Sydney Hugo Nicholson MVO (9 February 1875 – 30 May 1947) was an English choir director, organist and composer, now chiefly remembered as the founder of the Royal School of Church Music (RSCM).

He was born in London and educated at Rugby School, New College, Oxford and the Royal College of Music. At this last-named institution, he studied the organ, and then served as organist at Barnet Parish Church (1897 - 1903), Carlisle Cathedral (1904), Lower Chapel, Eton College (1904 - 1908), Manchester Cathedral (1908 - 1919), and Westminster Abbey (1919 - 1928). Along with maintaining his organist posts, he edited the Hymns Ancient and Modern supplement that was published in 1916; he did not live to see the 1950 revised edition.

Something momentous would have to occur to persuade most away from playing the organ at the prestigious Westminster Abbey, but such was the case with Nicholson who was so concerned at the sad state of choral music in the parish churches throughout the country that in 1927 he founded the School of English Church Music (now the RSCM), in the hope of rectifying the problem. He was warden of St Nicholas College, Chislehurst (1928 - 1939).

In addition to having edited Hymns Ancient and Modern, Nicholson wrote several hymn tunes. Of these, the most famous is "Crucifer" for the popular processional hymn "Lift High the Cross." In 1928 he received the Lambeth DMus, and a decade later he was knighted for his services to Church music. He died at the age of 72, and was buried at Westminster Abbey.

The text was written by Charles Wesley (1707-1788), the great hymn-writer of the Wesley family, and by Thomas Cotterhill (1779-1823).

The score is attached below, as well as a painting of Charles Wesley and three photographs of Sir Sydney Nicholson.

The FULL TEXT is given in the FIRST COMMENT.