EATON FANING

Joseph Eaton Faning (1850-1927) was born in Helston, Cornwall, England, the son of a music teacher. He was taught piano and violin by his parents and, at the age of five, made his first public appearance playing a violin solo. He was a chorister in a local church and studied organ and the violin with local teachers. At twelve, he became organist of All Saints’ Church, Holbrook. He then studied under Lindley Nunn, organist of St. Mary-le-Tower, Ipswich, who appointed Faning his deputy. Faning played at the daily evening service for five years, and was deputy trainer of the choir. He entered the Royal Academy of Music and studied composition under Sterndale Bennett and Arthur Sullivan. He received many awards including the Lucas silver medal for composition for his setting of the Magnificat. Sir John Stainer selected it for performance at the Festival of the Sons of the Clergy in 1878. Faning was organist of St. Thomas’s Church, Paddington and St. John’s Church, Lewisham. He conducted two amateur musical societies and “Mr. Eaton Faning’s Select Choir,” a professional group that sang at the London Ballad Concerts. He joined the staff of the Royal Academy of Music in 1874 and later taught at the Guildhall School of Music, the Royal College of Music, and Harrow School. His compositions range from operettas to church music, including a Mass. He also composed orchestral music including a symphony, and was best known for his songs and part-songs.

All are mixed chorus; some contain divisi.

SET	TITLE	VOICING	TEXT	LISTEN
	Daybreak	SATB/piano	Longfellow	LISTEN X Stop audio before closing
	Moonlight		Frederic Edward Weatherly	LISTEN X Stop audio before closing
	Obedient to the call			LISTEN X Stop audio before closing
	Our island home			LISTEN X Stop audio before closing
	Song of the Vikings	SATB/piano	Somerville Gibney	LISTEN X Stop audio before closing
	The miller’s wooing	SATB/piano	Julia Goddard	LISTEN X Stop audio before closing