Eric Thiman

Eric Harding Thiman (12 September 1900 Ashford, Kent – 13 February 1975 London) was an English composer and organist. Largely self-taught, he gained a FRCO in 1921. From 1930 he was Professor of Harmony at the Royal Academy of Music and later, from 1956 to 1962, was Dean of the Faculty of Music at the University of London. From 1958 he was organist of the [http://www.city-temple.com/index.asp.html City Temple] in London, a Congregational Church where he achieved renown as an improviser of great skill. A prolific composer of small-scale works, he wrote much educational music for piano and other instruments, as well as accessible music for church choirs, some of which is still performed. He is best remembered for his short passion cantata, "The Last Supper" (1930) which sets texts from the gospels of Matthew and John and hymns by St Thomas Aquinas, Charles Wesley and Johannes Franck. It remains one of the rivals to Stainer’s "The Crucifixion" in the repertoire of less ambitious choirs and choral societies.

References

* [http://www.musicweb-international.com/amateurs/Thiman.html External link to Musicweb International]
* [http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8913458758732744896 UGA Men's Glee Club perform Eric Thiman's composition, "She Is My Slender Small Love"]