Edward Broome

Broome, Edward
(William) Edward Broome. Choir conductor, organist, composer, teacher, b Manchester 3 Jan 1868, d Toronto 28 Apr 1932; piano diploma RAM 1884, Fellow (Guild of Organists) 1889, B MUS (Trinity College, Toronto) 1901, D MUS (Toronto) 1908. He grew up in Wales, where he studied organ and piano 1876-90 with Roland Rogers and conducting with Jules Riviere. He went to the USA to conduct the Penryhn Male Chorus at the Chicago Exposition in 1893 and afterwards accepted a position as organist-choirmaster at the First Presbyterian Church in Brockville, Ont. He was organist-choirmaster 1895-1906 at Douglas Methodist Church, Montreal, and 1906-25 at Jarvis Street Baptist Church, Toronto, where he succeeded A.S. Vogt. He began teaching voice and choir techniques at the TCM in 1907, but he was best-known for his work with choirs. He was the founder and sole director 1910-25 of the Toronto Oratorio Society. The New York Philharmonic and Cleveland and Detroit SO's were among those he brought to Toronto to perform with the Society. He was also organist-choirmaster 1926-7 at Knox United Church in Calgary.

A mainly self-taught composer, Broome won eight first prizes in composition at the Welsh Eisteddfods. The most notable of his winning compositions was the dramatic cantata The Siege of Cardiff Castle (1908; manuscript at National Library of Canada). Another cantata, A Hymn of Trust (Psalm 18), was published (1910) by G. Schirmer. Approximately 100 of his works, primarily for church, were published by G. Schirmer, Ditson, Boston Music Company, and Schmidt. His arrangement of 'O Canada' was published by Nordheimer in 1907 (English words by James Acton, reprinted in The Home Journal and The Church Choir, both Dec 1907), and a second one by Anglo-Canadian in 1910 (English words by Mercy E. Powell McCulloch). Two of his choral works, 'Lead, Kindly Light' and 'Voices of the Sky,' are reprinted in CMH vol 9 and his song 'The Hour Has Come' is reprinted in CMH vol 13. His pupils included Allan Burt and Isabel Lloyd. He was president of the Toronto Clef Club in 1910.

Author Florence Hayes

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