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Contributor


Vernon Griffiths

Composer

Born: 1894 Died: 1985
Biography Works 211 Arrangements 1 Resources 2

Biography

Vernon Griffiths was born in West Kirby, near Liverpool, England in 1894. Following war service in France, he graduated from Cambridge University and taught at Downside School, Somerset. In early 1927 he moved to New Zealand, where he taught at St Edmund's Christchurch Teachers' Training College.

In Christchurch he established Saturday morning classes in music theory and instrumental playing to bring music within the reach of all. His scheme was extraordinarily successful. He also established and edited Music in New Zealand, the first national journal of its kind, for four years. In 1933 he moved to Dunedin where he was appointed Director of Music at the King Edward Technical College. There he quickly established a school-wide part-singing choir as well as an orchestra of 100 or more and a full military band. He composed and arranged a huge amount of repertoire appropriate to the abilities and interests of teenage students. His Dominion Song Books became a staple diet for schools throughout New Zealand.

An account of his work in Dunedin is given in An Experiment in School Music Making (1941, NZ Council of Education Research). The Dunedin Scheme attracted world-wide attention, described by Percy Grainger as "astonishing". Griffiths graduated Mus.D (NZ) from the University of Canterbury in 1937, where he became Professor of Music in 1942. In the twenty years he was there he led many reforms in academic teaching while retaining his interest in the community through industrial and rural music-making - including conducting a Railway Workshops Choir. He also introduced Musicians-in-Residence at the University.

Community music-making was Griffiths' inspiration for composing a wide range of music. His output reflects his skill as a conductor and as an organist (he played one of the early performances of Holst's Hymn of Jesus). He was awarded an OBE in 1957, an honorary Doctor of Music degree from Canterbury University in 1975 and a Composers' Association of New Zealand Citation for services to music in 1980.

Major compositions include Peace and War for choir and brass band, Ode of Thanksgiving, Song of Joy, Three Masses, Dominion Song Books No's 6, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, andNelson's Bass Tune Books No's 1, 2, 3, 4.

Further information about Vernon Griffiths can be found in the Dictionary of New Zealand Biography.

Composed (211)

A Boy's Song

for treble voice or soprano and piano, 5m

A Christian Marriage Hymn

for three-part choir

A Christmas Choral Suite

for SATB choir and organ

A Christmas Round - 1977

a choir

A Christmas Round for 1974

for choir

A Christmas Round for Four Voices

A Christmas Round for Three Voices

for choir

A Dancing Round for Christmas - 1966

for choir

A Dancing Round for Christmas - 1969

for choir

A Hymn for the Nation

for SSAB choir and piano

A Jingle

for three-part treble choir and piano

A La Claire Fontaine

for three-part treble choir and piano

A man's a man for a' that

for TBB male voice choir and piano

A Marriage Hymn

for voice and piano, 2m

A Marriage Hymn

for SATB choir

A Marriage Hymn

for SSAA choir and piano

A New Zealand Hymn to Our Lady of the Rosary

for SA or unison choir and piano or organ

A Song of Joy

for SATB choir

All my heart this night rejoices

for SATB choir and organ

All things are yours

for SATB choir and organ

An Ancient Lullaby

for men's choir and piano

An Ode of Thanksgiving

for SATB choir and string orchestra, 10m

And the Glory of the Lord

for male choir of up to six parts

And the Glory of the Lord

for piano duet

Annie Laurie

for SSSB choir and piano

As pants the hart for cooling streams

for mixed choir

Ave Maria

for SA choir and organ

Ave Maria

for SAB choir

Barbara Allen

for three-part men's choir

Begone, Dull Care

for three-part treble choir and piano

Binkie and Me

for voice or unison choir and piano, 2m

Blest are the pure in heart

for SSAB choir and piano

Bobby Shafto

for choir and piano

Calino Custurame

for three-part treble choir and piano

Cantate Domino

for SATB choir and piano

Children of Everyman

for SATB choir and piano

Choral Suite of Five English Folksongs

for SATB choir and piano

Christ the Lord is Risen Again

for SATB choir

Christ The Lord is Risen Again

for mixed choir

Christ, whose Glory Fills the Skies

for mixed choir

Christmas and New Year Greeings - 1975

for unison choir and piano

Christmas and New Year Greetings - 1968

for unison choir and piano

Christmas Greetings - 1970

for unison choir and piano

Christmas Greetings - 1973

for choir

Come companions, join your voices

for TBB choir and piano

Come Lasses and Lads

for three-part treble choir and piano

Come, Let Us Join Our Cheerful Songs

for mixed choir

Come, Ye Faithful, Raise the Strain

for mixed choir

Comin' Thro' the Rye

for three-part treble choir and piano

Crown Him With Many Crowns

for mixed choir

Darby Kelly O!

for men's choir and piano, 2m

Davie Lowston

for SAB choir and piano

Disposer Supreme

for SSAB choir and piano

Drink to Me Only

for three-part treble choir and piano

Edlingham

for SA choir and piano

Eight British Folk and National melodies

for SAB choir and piano

Elves in the Orchard

for piano

Epithalamium (Nuptial Song)

for piano duet, 4m

Epithalamium I (Entry of the Bride) & II

for organ, 3m

Even Such is Time

for men's choir

Exsultet

for unison choir

Fight the good fight

for SSAB choir and piano

Firmly I Believe and Truly

for mixed choir and piano

Five pieces for Organ

for organ

Four Country Songs

for men's choir

Fughetta on a french song motive

for flute, violin, cello and harpsichord

Give to our God immortal praise ('Dunedin')

for SATB choir and piano, 3m

Gloria

for SATB choir and organ

Gloria

for two-part treble choir with optional baritone part, may also be sung in unison with organ, or SAB choir with string orchestra, or two balanced groups of soprano and/or male voices with string orchestra

God Defend New Zealand

for three-part men's choir and piano

God of Mercy, God of Grace

for SSAB choir and piano

Golden Slumbers

for three-part treble choir and piano

Grandfather's Clock

for SAB choir and piano, 3m

Greensleeves

for three-part treble choir and piano

Greetings

for mixed choir

Greetings

for four-part choir

Haec dies

for SATB choir

Hail Thee Festival Day

for SATB choir and organ

Hallelujah Chorus

for six-part choir

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

for choir and piano

Hark, My Soul, How Everything

for mixed choir

Heart of Oak

for SSSB choir and piano

Here's a Health

for three-part men's choir and piano

High Barbary

for choir and piano

His Light Our Way

for unison choir and organ

I have Twelve Oxen

for two-part treble voices and piano

I See His Blood Upon the Rose

for unison choir and piano

Jemima

for three-part men's choir and piano

Jesu Dulcis Memoria

for SSA choir

Jesu Dulcis Memoria

for three-part men's choir

Jesus Shall Reign

for mixed choir

Jesus, Grant me this, I pray

for SATB choir and organ, 3m

John Peel

for SSSB choir and piano

Joy to Thee Queen!

for unison choir and piano

Jubilate Deo

for two-part women's choir and orchestra

King of Glory

for SSAB choir and piano

Laudate Dominum

for SATB choir and piano

Laugh and be Merry

for SATB choir and piano

Let us, with a gladsome mind

for treble or mixed choir and piano

Live We Singing

for three-part treble choir and piano

Loch Lomond

for SSSB choir and piano

Love Came Down at Christmas - 1972

for three-part choir

Love Will Find Out the Way

for three-part treble choir and piano

Magificat and Nunc Dimittis

for two-part choir and organ

Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis

for three-part choir and congregation

Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis

for SATB choir and organ

Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis

for TTBB choir and organ

Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis

for SATB choir and organ

Magnificat and Nunc Dimitus

for two-part choir of boys, women and girls

Mass in D

for unison choir, two-part treble choir or three-part choir treble choir and organ

Mass of the Maternal Heart of Mary

for two-part choir and organ

Meditation in the Form of Variations on Orientis Partibus

for organ

Meditation on Maria zu lieben

for organ, 3m

Melinda's Minuet

for piano

Missa Canonica

for two-part or unison choir

Missa Innocentium

for two-part boys' voices

Missa Simplex in D major

for two-part treble choir with men and organ

Moonlight dance

for piano

Musical Christmas Card

for two-part choir and piano

Musical Christmas Card - 1967

for four-part choir

My Bonnie

for three-part men's choir and piano

My God, My King

for mixed choir

My soul yearns for you, my God

for SATB choir and optional piano

New Every Morning is the Love

for mixed choir

Now Thank We All Our God

for mixed choir

Now that the Daylight Dies Away

for mixed choir

O Clap Your Hands (Omnes gentes, plaudite)

for STB choir and piano, 3m

O for a thousand tongues

for SSAB choir and piano

O God of Truth

for SSSB choir and piano

O God, our Help

for SSSB choir and piano

O Mary, Mother of our joy

for choir or congregation and piano or organ

O Mistress Mine

for men's choir

O Worship the King

for SSSB choir and piano

Oft in Danger

for SSSB choir and piano

On the Heaphy Track

for voice and piano

Onward, My Comrades

for three-part treble choir and piano

Our Lady of Lourdes

for SSAA choir, 2m

Peace and War

for choir and brass band

Polly-Wolly-Doodle

for three-part men's choir and piano

Postlude based on Dijon Church Melody

for organ

Praise, my Soul

for SSSB choir and piano

Praise, O Praise Our God and King

for mixed choir

Prelude and Alla Marcia

for organ

Procession for a Festival

for organ, 5m

Psalm 144

for congregation or choir and piano or organ

Recessional on 'St. George' - Festal Voluntaries

for organ, 4m

Rejoice Heavenly Powers

for SATB choir

Robin Adair

for three-part treble choir and piano

School Song

for mixed choir

She is Far From the Land

for three-part treble choir and piano

Short Suite

for organ, 8m

Silverstream Mass - Kyrie

for two-part choir and piano

Sing my tongue the Saviour's Glory

for choir or congregation and piano or organ

Soldiers of Christ, arise

for SSAB choir and piano

Some Folks Do

for three-part men's choir and piano

Song of the Western Men

for three-part treble choir and piano

Strawberry Fair

for SSA choir and piano

Summer-Time Suite

for piano

Super, omnia ligna cedrorum

for three-part men's choir

Tavern in the Town

for choir and piano

Tell me where is fancy bred

for voice and piano, 3m

The Angler's Song

for three-part men's choir and piano

The Ash Grove

for three-part treble choir and piano

The Bailiff's Daughter

for SSSB choir and piano

The Bay of Biscay

for SSSB choir and piano

The British Grenadiers

for SSSB choir and piano

The Campbells are Coming

for three-part treble choir and piano

The First Nowell

for mixed choir

The Fox Jumped Over the Parson's Gate

for three-part men's choir and piano

The Harp that Once Through Tara's Hall

for three-part treble choir and piano

The Heavens Are Telling (from The Creation)

for six-part choir and organ

The King of Love my Shepherd is

for SSAB choir and piano

The Lass of Richmond Hill

for three-part treble choir and piano

The Lion and the Tiger

for three-part men's choir and piano

The Lord's Prayer

for unison choir and piano

The Lord's Prayer

for unison choir and piano

The Mermaid

for TBB choir and piano

The Miller of the Dee

for SSSB choir and piano

The Piper of Dundee

for TBB choir and piano

The Reproaches

for mixed choir

The Rolling English Road

for choir and piano

The Spirit of the Lord

for SATB choir

There is a Lady Sweet and Kind

for tenor and piano, 3m

There is a Tavern in the Town

for SSSB choir and piano

Three Kings Out of the Orient Came - 1972

for mixed choir and piano

Thy Kingdom Come, O God

for mixed choir

To the Maypole Haste Away

for three-part treble choir and piano

To The Name That Brings Salvation

for mixed choir

Trisagion - Nicaea

for organ, 7m

Tu es Petrus

for SAB choir and piano

Turn Back, O Man

for SSSB choir and piano

Two Antiphons - 1979

for unison choir and piano

Vive l'amour

for SSSB choir and piano

Vive L'amour

for two-part men's choir and piano

We be three poor mariners

for TBB choir and piano

Wedding Music

for organ

When all Thy mercies

for SSAB choir and piano

When Christ was Born

for three-part choir

When I Survey The Wondrous Cross

for mixed choir

When Johnny comes Marching Home

for three-part men's choir and piano

Where mountains rise to open skies

for SATB choir and piano

While Shepherds watched

for SSAB choir and piano

Who is Sylvia?

for low-voiced men's choir

With every good Christmas and New Year wish - 1964

for three-part choir

With every good Christmas and New Year wish - 1965

for unison choir and piano or unaccompanied four-part choir

Worthy is the Lamb

for six-part choir

Wrong not, Sweet Empress

for men's choir and piano, 2m

Ye Banks and Braes

for three-part treble choir and piano

Ye Choirs of New Jerusalem

for mixed choir

Ye holy Angels bright

for SSAB choir and piano

You Gentlemen of England

for treble choir and piano, 2m

Arranged (1)

The Angler's Song

for three-part men's choir and piano

Resources (2)

Music in New Zealand | Spring 1991, No. 14 - JOURNAL

Commentary or analysis

Sound Ideas | Vol. 6, No. 1 (March 2003) - JOURNAL

Commentary or analysis