Fanfare for St Michael & All Angels

Guy Henry Eldridge, Mus. B (1904-1976) studied at the Royal College of Music and was organist at the church of St. Michael and All Angels, Chester Square, Belgravia in London for many years. He composed a number of anthems and other compositions that are still in print and he was Conductor of the Hollington Choral and Orchestral Society.

Eldridge was born in Sussex and eventually made his way to London. After his RCM studies, he went on to become a professor of music at the Guildhall and the London School of Music. In 1953 he became the organist & choirmaster of the Anglican church of St Michael and All Angels, Chester Square, Belgravia.

Vanessa Thompson, in a private email to me, said that her maternal grandfather was “a rather darling man, kind and gentle”. He was very much a loving husband, father and grandfather. Eldridge was also much loved for his work at St Michael’s Church and other places.

The organ at St Michael’s was, according to the NPOR, built in 1900 by Robert Hope-Jones as a 4m&p instrument. It was rebuilt by Willis in 1923 and by J W Walker in 1948. By this time, it had grown to 66 ss.

This, now large instrument, was replaced by a new 2m&p Walker organ in 1994.

In this Fanfare, I have used the PBC Hill Tuba ‘under expression’ in an attempt to replicate a Tromba stop. The unenclosed Harrison solo reed was added towards the end of the recording.