Simon Preston

Simon Preston
Name	Simon Preston
Birth date	1938
Birth place	London
Death date	2022
Occupation	Organist, Conductor, Composer
Instruments	Pipe organ
Years active	1956–2017

Simon Preston Simon Preston (1938–2022) was an English organist and conductor noted for his tenure at Westminster Abbey and St Martin-in-the-Fields, and for extensive recordings of Baroque music, Renaissance music, and modern liturgical repertoire. He served as Organist and Master of the Choristers at Westminster Abbey and as a prominent recitalist at venues such as St Paul's Cathedral, York Minster, and international institutions including Notre-Dame de Paris and the Royal Albert Hall. His career bridged cathedral tradition, concert performance, and studio recording, influencing generations of choral and organ musicians.

Early life and education

Born in Chelsea, London in 1938, he was a chorister at St Margaret's, Westminster before studying at the Royal College of Music and the Royal Academy of Music. He took lessons with notable teachers associated with English church music and absorbed influences from organists linked to York Minster and Winchester Cathedral. Early apprenticeships included work under directors at St Martin-in-the-Fields and exposure to repertoire from composers such as Johann Sebastian Bach, Dietrich Buxtehude, Olivier Messiaen, and Charles Villiers Stanford.

Career

Preston's early posts included assistant positions at St John's Church, Smith Square and at St Margaret's, Westminster, leading to appointment as organist at St Martin-in-the-Fields in the late 1960s. In 1974 he succeeded prominent predecessors to become Organist and Master of the Choristers at Westminster Abbey, overseeing music for state occasions, royal events, and liturgical services linked to Coronation traditions and national ceremonies. He later returned to concert and freelance work, holding visiting posts at institutions such as King's College, Cambridge and performing with ensembles like the London Symphony Orchestra and the Philharmonia Orchestra. He collaborated with directors associated with Choir of King's College, Cambridge, The Sixteen, Choir of Westminster Abbey, and choirmasters from St Paul's Cathedral and York Minster.

Recordings and broadcasts

A prolific recording artist, Preston made acclaimed albums for labels tied to Decca Records, Philips Records, and EMI Classics. His discography includes complete volumes of Bach organ works, recordings of Handel organ concertos with ensembles connected to English Baroque Soloists, and interpretations of works by Franck, Mendelssohn, and Buxtehude. He featured in broadcasts on BBC Radio 3, performances televised by BBC Television, and international broadcasts from venues such as Notre-Dame de Paris and the Hofkirche, Dresden. His studio work encompassed collaborations with soloists linked to Royal Opera House, conductors from the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and choral projects involving St Martin-in-the-Fields ensembles.

Repertoire and style

Preston championed repertoire spanning Baroque music, Classical period works, Romantic music, and contemporary liturgical pieces, frequently programming Bach, Purcell, Handel, and Franck alongside 20th-century composers like Olivier Messiaen and Herbert Howells. His interpretive approach combined the English cathedral tradition found at Westminster Abbey and St Paul's Cathedral with continental registration practices from organs at Notre-Dame de Paris and German instruments at Thomaskirche, Leipzig. Critics compared his articulation and tempi to those established by organists associated with Gustav Leonhardt, Ton Koopman, and performers from the Organ Reform Movement.

Honours and awards

He received honors associated with British musical life, including appointments and recognitions from institutions like the Order of the British Empire and listings in directories tied to Royal Academy of Music alumni. His recordings won or were shortlisted for awards from bodies connected to Gramophone (magazine), BBC Music Magazine, and national arts councils. He held honorary fellowships from conservatoires including the Royal College of Music and the Royal Academy of Music, and served on juries for competitions affiliated with the St Albans International Organ Festival and national organ societies.

Personal life and legacy

Preston lived in London and maintained close associations with choirs and conservatoires across the United Kingdom and Europe, mentoring organists who later held posts at Westminster Abbey, St Paul's Cathedral, York Minster, and university chapels such as King's College, Cambridge and New College, Oxford. His legacy is preserved in recordings housed in archives connected to BBC Archives, collections at the Royal College of Music, and concert histories of venues like the Royal Albert Hall and St Martin-in-the-Fields. Posthumous retrospectives have been organized by institutions including Westminster Abbey and the Royal Academy of Music.

Category:English organists Category:English conductors Category:1938 births Category:2022 deaths