Richard Purvis
Advertisement
Advertisement
Top Related Artists
Biography
Richard Irven Purvis (1913â1994) was an American organist, composer, conductor, and teacher born in San Francisco. He began performing publicly at age 14 and later studied at the Curtis Institute of Music under Alexander McCurdy and Fritz Reiner. During World War II, Purvis served as an Army bandmaster and was held as a prisoner of war; during this time, he composed âA Soldier's Prayerâ and an arrangement of âGreensleevesâ. In 1947, he was appointed Organist and Master of Choristers at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco, where he served until 1971 and established a cathedral school for boys. He was recognized for the âPurvis sound,â influenced by the cathedralâs Aeolian Skinner organ. His compositions include the suite Four Dubious Conceits and Concerto for Organ and Orchestra. Purvis continued to teach and compose into his 70s, leaving a legacy of over 200 works. He died on December 25, 1994.
Read All
Read Less
Albums
Top Tracks
- Track Popularity
- Les Petites Cloches
- Adeste Fidelis
- It Came Upon A Midnite Clear
- Capriccio On The Notes Of The Cuckoo
- Joy To The World
- Pavane
- The First Noel
- Lo, How a Rose
- Piece Heroique
- O Little Town
- Cortege Et Litanie
- Christmas Cradle Song
- Sheep May Safely Graze
- In Dulci Jubila
- Carol Rhapsody
- Marche Grotesque
- Toccata Festiva
- Toccata
- Adagissimo
- Nocturne
- Supplication
- Processional
- Greensleeves
- Arioso
