Sir Richard Runciman Terry (1864 - April 18, 1938) was an English organist, choir director and musicologist. He is noted for his pioneering revival of Tudor liturgical music. He is often credited as R. R. Terry or simply R. T. Allegory of the Tudor dynasty (detail), attributed to Lucas de Heere, ca 1572: left to right, Philip II of Spain, Mary, Henry VIII, Edward VI, Elizabeth The Tudor period usually refers to the historical period between 1485 and 1558, especially in relation to the history of England. ...

Musical Career

His first appointments were to Elstow School in 1890 and as organist and choirmaster of St John's Cathedral, Antigua, in 1892. In 1896 he was appointed organist and director of music at the Roman Catholic Benedictine school of Downside Abbey in Somerset. It was here where he began the massively important work of reviving the Latin music of Tudor English composers such as William Byrd and Thomas Tallis. He was greatly inspired by the revival of Gregorian chant by Dom Prosper Gueranger at Solesmes Abbey in France, which was to be an important part of the Downside musical repertoire. A Benedictine is a person who follows the Rule of St Benedict. ... Saint Gregorys Abbey, commonly known as Downside Abbey, is a Benedictine monastery of the English Benedictine Congregation. ... Somerset is a county in the south-west of England. ... William Byrd William Byrd (1540? – 4 July 1623) was one of the most celebrated English composers of the Renaissance. ... Thomas Tallis Thomas Tallis (c 1505–23 November 1585) was an English composer. ... Gregorian chant is also known as plainchant or plainsong and is a form of monophonic, unaccompanied singing, which was developed in the Catholic Church, mainly during the period 800-1000. ...

Terry was the first Director of Music at the newly built Westminster Cathedral, a post which he held from 1901 to 1924, when he resigned after coming under significant criticism for his choice of music. Nonetheless, during this time he was able to establish a choral tradition of great merit at the Cathedral, developing a repertoire of both Gregorian chant and polyphonic music. The choir's particular focus on renaissance polyphony is believed to have had an impact on the emerging school of 20th century English composers and on the performance of church music in England. Following his resignation from Westminster Cathedral he went on to work as a musical editor, journalist and academic. Westminster Cathedral from Victoria Street The interior of Westminster Cathedral Westminster Cathedral is the motherchurch of the Roman Catholic faithful of the Archdiocese of Westminster and the metropolitan church of the Westminster Province, located at 42 Francis Street SW1 in the City of Westminster in London, England. ... Renaissance music is European classical music written during the Renaissance, approximately 1400 to 1600. ...

He was awarded a knighthood in 1922. The British honours system is a means of rewarding individuals personal bravery, achievement or service to the United Kingdom. ...

Contribution to Church Music

The Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians credits Terry for the revival of much English church music, including Peter Philips's Cantiones sacrae, Byrd's three and five part masses and Gradualia and Cantiones sacrae, Tallis' mass and lamentation, William Mundy's 'Mass Upon the Square' and many motets by Thomas Morley, Christopher Tye and others. Much of this work resulted in his editing and publishing performing editions of this music including 24 motets in Novello's series of Tudor motets. He also published the first modern editions of Calvin's first psalter of 1539 and the Scottish Psalter of 1635. In 1912 he edited the Westminster hymnal. The Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians is an encyclopedic dictionary of music and musicians, considered by most scholars to be the best general reference source on the subject in the English language. ... William Byrd William Byrd (1540? – 4 July 1623) was one of the most celebrated English composers of the Renaissance. ... Thomas Tallis Thomas Tallis (c 1505–23 November 1585) was an English composer. ... William Mundy (c 1529–c 1591) was an English composer. ... Thomas Morley (1557 or 1558 – October 1602) was an English composer, theorist, editor and organist of the Renaissance, and the foremost member of the English Madrigal School. ... Christopher Tye (around 1505 - around 1572) was an English composer and organist. ... The name Calvin origionated from the word scritonious, or ass-like. ...

Terry was also a composer of church music, most notably of hymn tunes, several of which are in use today, such as the popular Christmas Carol Myn Lyking. Singing carols: John Denver and the Muppets: A Christmas Together A Christmas carol (also called a noël) is a carol (song or hymn) whose lyrics are on the theme of Christmas, or the winter season in general. ...

Select Bibliography

• Catholic Church Music, 1907 (enlarged in 1931 as The Music of the Roman Rite)
• Still More Old Rhymes with New Tunes, Longmans, Green & Co, 1912 (illustrated by Gabriel Pippet)
• On Music's Borders, 1927