Thomas Clark
Alias: Thomas Clark of Canterbury
Life
Born: 1775
Died: 1859
Biography
Thomas Clark was "conductor of the music at the Wesleyan Chapel, Canterbury, and latterly of the Unitarian Chapel, Canterbury". He was a boot and shoe maker by trade, but became one of the most prolific English psalmodists of the early nineteenth century.
His early musical works include nine sets of psalm tunes 'with symphonies and an instrumental bass', and twelve sets of 'psalm and hymn tunes'. In later years he edited the Union Tune Book for the Sunday School Union. He is also credited by William Marsh for his 'kind assistance in correcting the HARMONY' of Marsh's collection A Set of New Psalm and Hymn Tunes (London: 1816).
An obituary published on p448 of The Christian reformer; or, Unitarian magazine and review in 1859 (vol. 15) reads:
'May 30, at Canterbury, aged 84, Mr. THOMAS CLARK, well known throughout the Nonconformist body, and beyond it, as a composer of sacred music. He was by trade a shoemaker, and worked at his business till about twenty years since. He had received but a scanty education, but was an incessant reader, especially in history and theology. Both his taste and his passion for music were extraordinary. While hammering at the lapstone or lying awake in the night, melodies were suggested to him which, casting aside the implements of his trade or leaping directly out of bed, he at once committed to paper, and added the harmonies when he had greater leisure. It would almost seem as if this love for one of the most delightful of all arts, and capability of excelling in it, were literally born with him; for he never received a lesson on the theory of music in his life. He published at various times nearly twenty volumes of anthems and hymns, besides editing various collections; and has left behind him a great store of MS. music, among which it is not unlikely that some of his best compositions may be found. In private as in public life, Mr. Clark bore a blameless character; and died with the respect, not only of his co-religionists, but of all his fellow-citizens. He was a member of the Unitarian congregation assembling in the Blackfriars' chapel, Canterbury, where he had conducted the music for more than half a century.'
View the Wikipedia article on Thomas Clark.
List of choral works
- For works at CPDL sorted alphabetically by title, see Thomas Clark compositions
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Anthems
- Awake up my glory, awake lute and harp ( Sibelius 3 )
- I will arise and go to my Father ( Sibelius 6 )
- In that day shall this song be sung ( Sibelius 7 )
- O be joyful in the Lord, all ye lands ( Sibelius 7 )
Canticles
- Magnificat ( Sibelius 6 )
- Nunc dimittis ( Sibelius 6 )
Metrical psalm and hymn tunes
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Publications
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- A Sett of Psalm and Hymn Tunes, [1805].
- A Set of Psalm Tunes, [1805].
- Stand still, refulgent orb. An Ode to the New Year, [1805?]
- A Second Set of Psalm and Hymn Tunes, (1806).
- A Second Set of Psalm Tunes, [c1807].
- A Third Set of Psalm and Hymn Tunes, [1807].
- [A New Ode for the Spring - entered at Stationers' Hall by James Peck on 14 Mar 1807]
- A Fourth Set of Psalm and Hymn Tunes, [c1808].
- A Third Set of Psalm Tunes, [c1809].
- A Fifth Set of Psalm and Hymn Tunes, [c1809].
- [God is Gone Up. An Anthem from the 47th Psalm - entered at Stationers' Hall by the composer on 10 Aug 1809].
- [A Te Deum and Jubilate, adapted for a Double Choir - entered at Stationers' Hall by the composer on 10 Aug 1809].
- A Fourth Set of Psalm Tunes, [c1810].
- Twelve Tunes in Peculiar Measures, [c1810].
- Clark’s Sixth Set of Hymn Tunes, [c1811].
- A Fifth Set of Psalm Tunes, [c1813].
- Clark’s Seventh Book of Hymn Tunes, [1813-15].
- A Sixth Set of Psalm Tunes, [c1814].
- An Eighth Set of Psalm and Hymn Tunes, [c1817].
- A Ninth Set of Psalm and Hymn Tunes, [c1818].
- An Eleventh Set of Hymn Tunes, [c1820].
- A Twelfth Set of Psalm and Hymn Tunes, [c1821].
- The Congregational Harmonist, or Clerk's Companion, [1828?].
- A Seventh Set of Psalm Tunes, [c1830].
- An Eighth Set of Psalm Tunes, [c1830].
- A Ninth Set of Psalm Tunes, [c1830].
- The Union Harmonist, 1841.
- The Union Tune Book, 1842.
- David's Harp, 1843.
- The Juvenile Harmonist, 1843.
- British Psalmody, [1844]