Idyll No. 4

Alan Gray (23 December 1855 – 27 September 1935) was a British organist and composer. He was born in York, and attended St Peter's School and Trinity College, Cambridge. From 1883 until 1893 he was Director of Music at Wellington College. In 1893 he returned to Cambridge, succeeding C.V.Stanford as organist of Trinity College, and remained organist there until 1930. He died in Cambridge in 1935 at the age of 79.

Among his compositions are liturgical music which include several complete service settings, as well as a Communion Service. The Evening Service in F minor, for double choir a capella is particularly fine. A number of his fine hymn descants are still in common use, as are a few of his hymn tunes. His monumental anthem, "What are these that glow from afar?", which was written to commemorate those who fell in World War I is an electrifying work that fully satisfies and challenges organist and choir. His organ works, which are numerous, have all but disappeared from the repertoire, even of English organists.

Gray was a TALL man, who stood at 6'7"! However he was said to be very gentle, especially with choristers, who loved him greatly. He is still thought of with words of praise at Trinity College.

"Idyll No. 4" was published by Stainer & Bell in 1912, and is dedicated: "W. Denis Browne".

For it's motto, Gray takes the text from Alfred Tennyson (1809-1892), "The old year lies a-dying. Old year, you must not die!"

Still, there is little of a "new year's feel" to this, except in dark and somber tones. To me, it seems a tense, dramatic, vast, changing tapestry of emotions and sounds, at times heroic, and at times very tender.

More info on the dedicatee, and the first stanza of Tennyson's poem are found in the First Comment.

This performance uses the "new, repitched" version of the PB Hill, as the instrument actually is today.

The score is attached below, as well as several photos of Gray, of Browne, Tennyson, and several of Trinity College, Cambridge.