This week the world of church music is mourning two great losses. Last Friday, Sir Stephen Cleobury died at the age of 70 after a long illness. Then on Sunday, Colin Mawby died aged 83. Both men had served as masters of music at Westminster Cathedral.
In 1979, Sir Stephen became the first Anglican to take up the role, which is among the most prestigious in the Catholic musical world. Three years later, he was appointed director of music for the Choir of King’s College, Cambridge, leading the annual Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols on Christmas Eve, which has been broadcast live by the BBC since 1928. He retired from the post in September, after 37 years in which he had strengthened the choir’s global reputation and enthusiastically promoted new choral music.
