James Turpin FRCO (15 December 1840 in Nottingham – 29 July 1896 in Brighton) was an English organist, composer and teacher.British musical biography. James Duff Brown, Stephen Samuel Stratton, 1897
Career
He was born in Nottingham on 15 December 1840 into a musical family which ran a dealership in musical instruments at 20 Chapel Bar, Nottingham. His brother Edmund Hart Turpin was organist at Nottingham Cathedral and James succeeded him in this position in 1866.Charles William Pearce, A Biographical Sketch of Edmund Hart Turpin, 1911 James Turpin was an excellent musician, being amongst many other good things, a capable organist and a painstaking teacher.Charles William Pearce, A Biographical Sketch of Edmund Hart Turpin, 1911 He achieved his FRCO in 1875.Nottinghamshire Guardian - Friday 16 July 1875 He graduated Mus Bac at the Cambridge University in 1880.Graduation, books.google.nl, retrieved 7 November 2014
He was active as an organ recitalist, organist, pianist and lecturer.Career, books.google.nl, retrieved 7 November 2014 As an organist he was well known and gave many recitals, including at the Royal Albert Hall during the International Inventions Exhibition in 1885.Well-known organist, ebooksread.com, retrieved 7 November 2014 Besides being an organist in various churches, James Turpin was also a good pianist.Pianist, ebooksread.com, retrieved 7 November 2014 Furthermore, he was Professor of harmony and counterpoint at Trinity College, London, and music master at Berkhamsted School. James Turpin gave lectures before the Royal College of Organists and the Musical Association.Lectures, ebooksread.com, retrieved 7 November 2014
Turpin was influential in obtaining suitable buildings for the National Training School of Music and also for the Royal College of Organists, of which he was secretary.Influence, books.google.nl, retrieved 7 November 2014 In later life he suffered for some years from paralysis, and died, on 29 July 1896.Paralysis, ebooksread.com, retrieved 7 November 2014
Appointments
Organist at Nottingham Cathedral 1866 - 1873 Organist at St Columb's Cathedral 1873Hb Phillips Impresario: The Man Who Brought McCormack, Kreisler and Robeson to Derry, Wesley McCann. Ulster Historical Foundation, Dec 1, 2001 – 1878 Organist of St Leonard's Church, St Leonards-on-Sea 1878 - 1879 Organist of Church of St Peter, Great Berkhamsted 1879 - Organist of St Andrew’s Church, Watford, Hertfordshire Music-master at Berkhampstead School Charles William Pearce, A Biographical Sketch of Edmund Hart Turpin, 1911 Professor of harmony and counterpoint, Trinity College, LondonTrinity College, ebooksread.com, retrieved 7 November 2014
Compositions
He composed a church service, songs, a sonata, and other pieces for the pianoforte.Compositions, ebooksread.com, retrieved 7 November 2014
References