W. T. BEST

William Thomas Best (1826-1897)was born at Carlisle, Cumbria, England. As a child, he had some lessons from the organist of Carlisle Cathedral and soon became organist of the Baptist chapel in Pembroke Road after he was sent to Liverpool to study civil engineering. He was mainly was self-taught as an organist. At about twenty, he decided to become a professional musician. He was appointed organist at the church for the blind, and the Liverpool Philharmonic Society. He spent some time in London, acting as organist at the Royal Panopticon and, for a few months, was organist at St. Martin’s-in-the-Fields and at Lincoln’s Inn. He was appointed organist at St. George’s Hall, Liverpool, and remained there nearly forty years. As composer, he is principally known for his organ works, but did publish some pianoforte and vocal pieces. He was eccentric and a recluse. He would not join the Royal College of Organists, and refused to play on any organ whose pedal-keyboard had been constructed on the plan recommended by that college. For many years he refused to let any other organist play on his own organ. He kept the tuner in attendance at his recitals in St. George’s Hall, and would leave his seat in the middle of a performance to argue with him; on one occasion he informed the audience that the tuner received a princely salary and neglected his work.

All are mixed chorus; some contain divisi.

SET	TITLE	VOICING	TEXT	LISTEN
	What mournful thoughts come o’er the mind		Henry Fothergill Chorley	LISTEN X Stop audio before closing