John Lawrence Kelsall (31 July 1947 – 4 November 1986) was a British composer, conductor and lecturer.
Contents
Studies
Kelsall was born in East Retford and studied composition, piano and organ at Aberdeen University, gaining an MA, with composition a major part of his final submission. His PhD (Compositional Techniques in the Music of Stockhausen (1951–1970)) was completed at Glasgow University in 1975. He completed a Cert. Ed in 1975 and was awarded the FLCM in Composition in 1979. He wrote a considerable amount of sacred and secular repertoire for choir and organ, and numerous chamber works.
Academic work
Kelsall was a lecturer at Kingston Polytechnic, now Kingston University, from 1977 until his untimely death in 1986. He founded the Polytechnic's Chamber Choir, becoming its first director, composing for the group and establishing a demanding calendar of concerts and cathedral residencies. The Chamber Choir under Kelsall became one of the Polytechnic's premier ensembles, performing at major venues up and down the UK, as well as giving a Purcell Room performance.
He died in Kingston-upon-Thames on 4 November 1986, aged 39.
Much of Kelsall's output has remained unjustly neglected since his death. Kelsall's music is currently edited and published by Ben Costello.
On Monday 28 July 2008 the John Kelsall Memorial Recital took place at St Michael's, Cornhill, London, given by the resident organist and Director of Music Jonathan Rennert.
The School of Music, Kingston Polytechnic
Throughout the late 1970s and early 1980s the Music Centre at Kingston Polytechnic was offering a BA Hons Mus Ed degree (CNAA), designed to develop the wider range of skills required in music education, with an emphasis on combining academic and practical aspects of music-making.
Other courses were offered including a one-year post-graduate/post-diploma course, a BEd Hons (CNAA) course, a BEd in-service course for teachers already in the profession, and supervision of approved research for MPhil and PhD (CNAA).
A wide variety of ensembles were available for the students to partake in, and the Music Centre was situated (as it is today) in an elegant Regency mansion set in extensive grounds adjacent to Richmond Park. The professional ensembles based at the Music Centre included the Medici Quartet and the London Sinfonietta, and the International Society for the Study of Tension in Performance was also established at the Music Centre.
After Kelsall's death in 1986, the Chamber Choir was directed by Peter Johnson until his move to Birmingham Conservatoire in 1990.
John Kelsall Retrospective
This event celebrating the life and work of John Kelsall and directed by Ben Costello, took place at St. Andrew's Church, Surbiton, Surrey, England, on Saturday, 4 November 2006. It marked the exact twenty-year anniversary of Kelsall's death, which occurred on 4 November 1986. Choral Evensong led by the Reverend Val Cory was followed by a reception and a brief panel discussion regarding Kelsall's life and work. The evening concluded with a short chamber concert featuring a selection of Kelsall's secular works.
Choral evensong
Introit: Kelsall – Eternal God, we look to thee (1979); Preces and Responses: Kelsall (Fourth Set, 1979); Canticles: Kelsall – Magnificat (1986) and Nunc Dimittis (Kelsall/Costello, 2006); Psalm 22: Chants by S. S. Wesley, B. Costello and J. Kelsall; Anthem: Kelsall – I call with my whole heart (1969); Organ Voluntary: Kelsall – Rhapsody No. 3 (1986)
The choirs of St Andrew and St Mark, Surbiton, and guests, members of the Clerkes of Old Sarum, members of Kingston Chamber Singers. Organist – Simon Harvey. Choirmaster – Ben Costello
Panel discussion
Speakers: Peter Johnson, John Bate, Ben Costello
Chamber concert
Yes (1978), Sonata for Bassoon and Piano (1978), Three Miniatures (1979), Prelude and Fugue (1979)
Performers: Heather Keens (soprano), Victoria Medcalf (bass clarinet), Ingrid Pearson (clarinet), Neil Strachan (bassoon), Julia Crowell (flute), Mary Parker (flute), Roger Beeson (piano), Ben Costello (piano)
Works by John Kelsall
Original choral works
Ave plena gracia (unacc. anthem for Tr solo and SATB)
Text: 15th Century; Anon / Completed: unknown (revised on 25 August 1973)
Bless ye the Lord! (anthem for SATB and organ)
Text: from the Benedicite / Completed: 14 September 1982
Burning Babe, The (unacc. carol-anthem for SATB with divisions)
Text: Robert Southwell / Completed: 1985 (published by Oecumuse in 1985) / Commissioned by the John Bate Choir (now Thames Philharmonic Choir)
Canite tuba in Sion (unacc. anthem for SATB with divisions)
Completed: unknown
Christus factus est (unacc. anthem for trebles)
Completed: 1978
Dove Descending, The (Anthem for Pentecost) (unacc. anthem with divisions)
Text: T S Eliot / Completed: 1983
Ecce, Agnus Dei (unacc. setting and solos, with some divisions) / Completed: 29 September 1970
Easter Past (unacc. anthem with divisions)
Text: I Corinthians vs. 15 and 20, and Wie Schön Leuchtet / Completed: 1986
Epsom Mass (setting for congregation, SATB and organ)
Choral arrangements
Little Jesus (Rocking) (unacc. anthem for SATBaB with divisions)
Music: Traditional Czech Christmas carol / Text: Shawn Colvin / Arranged: 1981
My Dancing Day (anthem for SATB with divisions and organ)
Music: Traditional / Text: Traditional 16th Century / Arranged: 1976
Infant King, The (unacc. carol for SSAA)
Music: Basque Noel / Text: S. Baring-Gould / Arranged: unknown
Lord’s Prayer, The (unacc. setting for SATB)
Music: Maurice Duruflé (orig. F major) / Text: The Lord's Prayer / Arranged: c. 1979
Scarborough Fair / Canticle (unacc. song for SATB with optional treble recorder)
Music: Traditional/Paul Simon / Arranged: 1976
Sussex Carol, The (carol for double SATB choir with some divisions and organ)
Music: Traditional / Melody and Text from Mrs Verrall, Monk's Gate, Sussex / Arrangement started on 22 October 1984 and completed on 3 November 1984
Sweet was the song the Virgin sang (carol for SATB with occasional divisions and organ)
Music: 16th Century Anon (collected from British Library Egerton 2971 and British Library Add MSS 17786-17791 / Text: Anon / Arrangement completed on 3 December 1985
Instrumental works
Sonatas and Variations (fl, ob, cl, bsn)
Completed: 1 December 1977
Variations for two bassoons (2 bsn)
Completed: 1978
Variations for violin with piano (vn, pF)
Completed: unknown
(Piano part missing)
Caprice (piano duet)
Completed: 1970 (MA submission)
Cold Angel – Overture for Orchestra (2 (1), 2, 2, 2; 2, 2; tps; str (multiple divisions))
Completed: Kingston-upon-Thames 27 July 1979
Copula (vc, gtr)
Completed: 1978
Dal Nacimiento (sop, 2 fl, 2 vc, 2 org, vib, mar, various perc.)
Text: Romance IX – San Juan de la Cruz / Completed: 15 October 1982
Prelude and Fugue (pF)
Completed: April 1979
Romance (hn and pF)
Completed: 1983
Rhapsody No.1 (org)
Completed: 1983
Rhapsody No.2 (org)
Completed: 15 March 1986
Instrumental works with voice
Metamorphoses XIII (sop, bar, rec, choir, tape and small ensemble)
Text: Anne Muir (b. 1948)
Yes (m-s, fl, cl, bass cl)
Text: words taken from the closing lines of Joyce's Ulysses (1914–1921) / Completed: 1978
Three songs for mezzo-soprano (m-s solo, 2 fl (dbl. picc.), 2 bs, 2 cl, alt sx, ten sx, 2 tpts, 2 tbn, elec. piano, perc.)
Text: Various / Completed: Christmas 1978
Rosemoundé (soprano and small ensemble)
Sunwards (alt, fl, ob, 2 bsn)
Text: George Mackay Brown / Completed: 23 March 1978
Three Songs for Feste (voice, fl)
Text: Shakespeare / Completed: 27 August 1979
Editions
Thomas Ebdon – Responses (1756–1811)
Edited by John Kelsall in 1982
Sacred music composed for the use of the choir of Durham (1790–1811) (p. 104 BL: I.219)
William Smith (of Durham) – Preces and Responses
Edited by John Kelsall in 1978
Daniel Purcell – Ode to Saint Cecilia
Edited by John Kelsall in 1978
Orlande de Lassus (c.1530–1594) – Missa Super Osculetur Me (1582)
Edited by John Kelsall in 1986
Orlande de Lassus – Ne reminiscaris, Domine (Munich, 1577)
Edited by John Kelsall in 1984
(List correct as at March 2025.)