John Henry Maunder

John Henry Maunder was an English composer and organist best known for his popular Passion cantata Olivet to Calvary, composed in 1904.

Life

John Henry Maunder was born in Chelsea and studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London. He was organist at St Matthew's, Sydenham 1876–77, and St Paul's, Forest Hill 1878–79, neither of which now exists, as well as churches in Blackheath and Sutton, and accompanied concerts in the Royal Albert Hall. He was conductor of the Civil Service Vocal Union from 1881, and also trained the choir for Henry Irving's original production of Faust at the Lyceum Theatre in 1887.

Compositions

Like the music of his close contemporary Caleb Simper, Maunder's music goes unmentioned in Grove's Dictionary of Music, probably because he did not emerge from the cathedral tradition. His works are characteristic expressions of the Victorian era – a style replaced by the music of Charles Villiers Stanford, Hubert Parry and Charles Wood among others.
Maunder's many church cantatas were widely performed and admired, but have gone out of fashion. However, there is a revival of interest in his music, notably in The Netherlands, and in parts of the United Kingdom. Many choirs used to sing Maunder's Olivet to Calvary regularly, often in alternate years with John Stainer's Crucifixion. Other once popular but now seldom performed cantatas include Bethlehem, Penitence, Pardon and Peace, Song of Thanksgiving, and one called The Martyrs initially written for men's voices. The Martyrs, first performed in Oxford on 25 May 1894, became "a perennial favourite".
The harvest anthem Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem, perhaps one of his finest, is a typical multi-sectional work of 150 measures. Maunder wrote a number of part-songs, including a piece called Thor’s War Song, and a musical setting of the Border Ballad by Sir Walter Scott.
Maunder also wrote operettas. His Daisy Dingle received its first performance in Forest Hill in 1885. Another, a comic opera entitled The Superior Sex, was performed at the Empire Theatre, Southend, in March 1909, and again at the Cripplegate Theatre, London, in February 1910. Set in 2005 A.D., it takes a humorous look at female emancipation by setting an inept army regiment against legendary female-warriors, the Amazons. The balance of power then shifts from one side to the other, and receives much comment, before reverting in a dramatic final scene.

Critical opinion

In his A Short History of English Church Music, Erik Routley traced John Stainer's The Crucifixion as the archetypal choral work deliberately written for amateur choirs that others imitated, and often diluted.
However, in 1922, an American reviewer for The New Music Review wrote the following concerning Maunder's work:
Percy Scholes damnned him with faint praise, writing that his 'seemingly inexhaustible cantatas, Penitence, Pardon and Peace, and From Olivet to Calvary long enjoyed popularity, and still aid the devotions of undemanding congregations in less sophisticated areas.' In 1966, Basil Ramsey wrote in the Musical Times of the LP recording of Olivet to Calvary by Barry Rose and the Guildford Cathedral Choir: "Here is a perplexing problem. Does this work warrant the preparation that has resulted in such an irresistible performance? Sweeping transformations can be made to music, however questionable its worth; and even poor words take on a superior air in such circumstances. The delusion will work for some and not others." According to Robert Young, author of The Anthem in England and America, Maunder's music was probably more esteemed by volunteer church choir singers than his peers.
Phillip Tolley, in the website of British Choirs on the Net, wrote:

List of works

Anthems

Blessed be the Name of the Lord. Anthem
Christ is risen. Anthem for Easter
Christians, awake, salute the happy Morn. Anthem for Christmas
Conquering Kings their Titles take. Hymn-Anthem, words from Nevers Breviary, tr. John Chandler
It is a thing most wonderful. Hymn-Anthem, words by W. W. How
Lord, Thy Children guide and keep. Hymn-Anthem, words by W. W. How
O how amiable are Thy Dwellings. Anthem for treble voices
O how amiable are Thy Dwellings. Anthem for four voices
O worship the King. Anthem for congregation and choir
Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem. Anthem for Harvest
Sing, O Heavens. Anthem for Christmas and Epiphany
Sing to the Lord of Harvest. Anthem for Harvest, words by Dr. Monsell
Sing unto the Lord. Anthem
This is the Day. Anthem for Easter,
To Thee, Our God, We Fly. A Prayer for our Native Land. Words by W.Walsham How
We declare unto you glad Tidings. Anthem
While the Earth remaineth. Anthem for Harvest

Cantatas

Bethlehem. A Sacred Cantata for four solo voices and chorus, interspersed with Hymns to be sung by the congregation. The words written and arranged by E. C. Nunn
The Martyrs. Cantata for male voices – with soli – and orchestra, libretto by R. H. W. Bloor
Olivet to Calvary. A sacred cantata for two solo voices and chorus, words by Shapcott Wensley
Penitence, Pardon and Peace. A short Lenten Cantata for Soprano or Tenor and Baritone Soli and Chorus. The words by W. J. Bettison
Song of Thanksgiving. A Cantata for Harvest for Soprano, Tenor and Bass – or Contralto – Soli and Chorus, with Hymns to the sung by the congregation, the words written and arranged by Shapcott Wensley
William Tell. A Dramatic Cantata for schools, written by J. E. Parrott

Carols

Once in Bethlehem of Judah. Christmas Carol, words by C. F. Alexander
Two Carols for Christmas. 1. All this night bright Angels sing, words by W. Austin. 2. Angels from the realms of glory, words by J. Montgomery

Hymns

Bread of heaven on thee we feed, words by Josiah Conder
By day and night in secret , words by W. H. Draper
Come forth, ye rich and poor , words by W. H. Draper
Creator God and Lord
Dear motherland of England, to the tune Albion, words by W. C. Braithwaite, appearing in the Fellowship Hymnbook
Father, Hear Thy Little Children, adapted from the tune Rothbury, words by Alice Jackson
Flowers from His Own gardens, to the tune Excelsior, words by W. St. Hill Bourne
For ever and for ever
Forward! be our watchword, to the tune Excelsior, words by H. Alford
God Almighty, in thy temple, to the tune Parry, words by Rev. R. H. Baynes
God bless our Native Land, to the tune Fatherland, words by W. E. Hickson
God of our Fatherland. Hymn for Coronation, words by A. W. Letts
Great King of Kings, to Thee we Pray, to the tune Martham, words by Rev. H. D. Rawnsley
I hear Ten Thousand Voices Singing, to the tune Jubilee/''Maunder, words by H. W. Fox
I love to hear the story, to the tune Kilverstone, words by E. H. Miller
Jesus Friend of Little Children, to the tune Rothbury, words by Walter J. Mathams
Just as I am, words by C. Elliott.
Long Ago sweet voices calling
Lord of the Sabbath, to the tune Martham, words by P. Doddridge, T. Cotterill et al.
Now let us join with hearts and tongues, to the tune Martham, words by John Newton
O God, in whose almighty hand, words by Rev Canon Rawnsley
Pass the word along the line, to the tune Dunbar, words by H. O Knowlton
Raise the Song, ye loyal Voices. Hymn for Coronation, words by The Rt. Rev. The Bishop of Durham
Rock of Ages, words by A. M. Toplady, etc.
This Day at Thy Creating Word, to the tune Martham, words by W. W. How
The Whole Wide World for Jesus, words by Catherine Johnson
Thy Will be done, words by S. Wensley
What can I do for England, to the tune Albion'', words by W. H. Draper

Services and Canticles

A short setting of the Office of Holy Communion in G
A simple setting of the Office of Holy Communion in F
Amen in G
Benedicite, omnia opera. Set to chants.
Benedicite, omnia opera. No. 2, in G,
Magnificat & Nunc Dimittis in C
Magnificat & Nunc Dimittis in D
Magnificat & Nunc Dimittis in G
Office of Holy Communion in D
Te Deum Laudamus in B♭
The Morning and Evening Service together with the Office for Holy Communion in Chant Form
The Morning and Evening Service together with the Office for Holy Communion in G

Songs, Ballads, and Part-songs

America, to Thee. A Song of allegiance for secular and sacred use
Border Ballad. For Male Voice Chorus, words by Sir W. Scott
Grandmother dear. Song, words by C. Bingham
Lead kindly Light. Sacred Song with Organ and Chorus ad lib. Words by A. Russan
Lil' brack Sheep. A Negro Version of The Ninety and nine. Sacred Song
O lovely Flowers. Sacred Song. Arranged and adapted by the Composer
Ocean charms. Part song for male voices, words by G. Wells
Our Motherland. Unison Chorus, words by E. Moynihan
Shadow and Sunlight. Song, words by A. Valdemar.
Song of the Northmen. Chorus for T. T. B. B., words by R. H. U. Bloor
Thor's War Song. Chorus for male voices, words by Longfellow
The Song of Thor.
Sweet Content. Part-Song for S. A. T. B., words by T. Dekker
To Arms. Part-Song for male voices, T. T. B. B., words by E. Newman

Instrumental

Caprice, in A, for Violin and Pianoforte
The Caravan of the Magi. March for Organ, arr. by E. C. Nunn, from the Cantata Bethlehem
Chanson Pathétique, for Violin with Pianoforte accompaniment
Espagnola. Solo for violin or flute or violoncello with pianoforte accompaniment
Romance, in B♭ for Violoncello and Pianoforte
Voix Séraphique, for the Mustel Organ with celesta

Operettas

The Superior Sex. A Comic Opera in Three Acts, libretto by H. D. Banning
Daisy Dingle. Private performance, Grosvenor Hall, 1879; Benefit Concert, The Forester's Hall, Forest Hill, 1885.

Other

The passion of Jesus: a metrical litany for Holy Week or Lent, for choir and congregation, words by S.C. Lowry
A dramatization of J. H. Maunder's Bethlehem: a Christmas cantata, done in the manner of the medieval miracle play; written by Catharine Morgan