Elvey, George Job

Composer

b Canterbury, Kent 1816; d Windlesham, Surrey 1893. Raised as a Presbyterian, he became a Canterbury Cathedral choirboy and from there went in 1831 with his brother Stephen to New College Oxford (BMus 1838, DMus 1840) and the RAM. He became organist at St George’s Chapel Windsor, where he re-designed the organ and remained for 46 years, retiring in 1882. He also played the violin, but was at the organ for many royal occasions and was knighted in 1871. He wrote many church anthems and much service music, also incidental pieces and oratorios; but his hymn tunes have outlived much of his other work, 5 featuring in various edns of A&M, and 2 in many current books, as here. Nos.480, 597=913.