Alan Spedding, MBE, organist, composer, conductor, teacher

Alan Spedding at Beverley Minster

It was with great sadness that we learned of the death yesterday of  the organist, composer and choral trainer, Alan Spedding MBE.

Alan was born in London and studied organ and ‘cello at the Royal College of Music. He was appointed Organist and Master of the Choristers at Beverley Minster in 1967, after three years as organist of the Parish Church, Kingston upon Thames.

He directed the music at Beverley with distinction for 42 years and supervised the restoration of the minster organ by Wood Pipe Organ Builders during the early 1990s when his good humour and wise counsel were always valued.

A renowned recitalist, his musical interests were not confined to the organ loft. He conducted Hull Choral Union and the East Riding Choir for many years and was music master at Beverley Grammar School for 18 years. He was in demand as a musical festival adjudicator and directed many courses for the Royal School of Church Music. He also served as a council member and diploma examiner for the Royal College of Organists, whose Fellowship he held.

After his retirement in 2009 he was appointed curator of the organ at Hull University from which he had received an honorary DMus in 1994 for services to music. His MBE was awarded in 2003 for the same reason. He leaves a wife, Ann, two sons and six grandchildren. A memorial service will be held at Beverley Minster on April 11 at 2pm.

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The audio file, left, features the sixth variation from Alan Spedding's Variations on Urbs Beata. It is played by Gordon Stewart on a recording from St Giles, Pontefract.

On the second audio file we hear Alan playing Bairstow's Toccata-Prelude on Pange Lingua on the Minster organ.

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