Honour for former cathedral organist

A FORMER Organist and Master of the Choristers of St Patrick’s Church of Ireland Cathedral, Armagh has been awarded The British Empire Medal (BEM) in the New Year’s Honours.

Martin White, was just 26 when he arrived in Armagh from London in 1968 and he served in those capacities until 2002 when he retired from the Cathedral.

Although the Troubles erupted shortly after his arrival in Northern Ireland, nevertheless he took to Armagh and its people quickly.

And in the past week, in an exclusive interview with the Gazette, he said, “I was struck by the friendliness and warmth of the people. I encountered so many lovely, generous folks - not just in the Cathedral but throughout the City.”

Born in Southgate, Middlesex on Boxing Day 1941 he drew deeply on the High Anglican faith of his parents and, in his own words, “have been sustained by sacramental catholic Anglicanism throughout my life”.

Both interested and talented in the fields of electrical engineering and music, he opted to pursue a career in the latter. Thus it was that in 1961 he entered The Royal College of Music in London from where he graduated GRSM in 1965 having gained his FRCO and CHM (John Brook Prizeman) the previous year. Then in 1982 he graduated MusB of the University of Dublin, Trinity College.

The Reverend Michael Thompson highlighted his masterful musicianship by telling the Gazette, “Martin’s singular gift for extemporisation and his love of Gregorian Chant informed one another as the modalities of his liturgical compositions bear witness.”

And stressing his credentials further he added, “Martin also assisted Michael Fleming at All Saints Margaret Street, London, was for many years Organist of The Gregorian Association, and prior to going to Armagh he held organist posts at Acton, Ruislip, and St Mary’s Harrow on the Hill.”

That is the pedigree of the man to whom Michael Thompson accredits “his heroic work in maintaining the choral tradition of the Anglican Primatial Cathedral of Armagh throughout the challenges and dangers of the Troubles, the slender financial endowment and and the flight of many Church of Ireland families from the city to the surrounding villages,” before proclaiming that to be “perhaps Martin’s most celebrated work.”

Nor was his influence confined to Church circles for from 1974 to 2001 he was also a distinguished Director of the Music Centre and subsequently Head of Music Performance for The Southern Education and Library Board.

Upon retiring from the Cathedral in 2002 he was made a Lay Canon by the then-Archbishop Lord Eames OM. And he remains a Fellow of the Incorporated Guild of Church Musicians.

Invited to recall some of his most lasting memories of his time in the Cathedral, Martin said, “I recall the Enthronement Services of three Archbishops: the saintly George Otto Simms in 1969, John Ward Armstrong in the early 1980s, and Dr Robin Eames a few years later.

“These services were televised by both the BBC and RTE, and involved much challenging music for the Choir.

“I fondly remember recording a substantial organ-duet piece by Liszt, with my great friend, the late Baron Georges Minne, Organist of Armagh’s Roman Catholic Cathedral.

“Georges and I worked together on numerous occasions, and I was honoured to be asked to play at his Funeral Mass, two years ago.

“And I remember vividly the Opening Recital on the restored [CoI] Cathedral Organ, which was given by Dr. Gerard Gillen, who at that time was Organist of St. Mary’s Pro-Cathedral, Dublin, and Professor of Music at the National University, Maynooth.

“The organ had been rebuilt, to my specification, by Wells-Kennedy Partnership, Lisburn, and is considered by many to be one of the most outstanding instruments in the country.”

Although he retired from the Cathedral in 2002, the now 82-year-old has continued to be actively involved in the music world.

Explaining his post-Cathedral life he said, “I continued to do music-examining for the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) until 2016. And I did much international examining, visiting Hong Kong 22 times, Singapore, India, Malaysia, Indonesia, mainland China, Turkey, Cyprus, Germany and the Netherlands.”

In fact, this interview with the Ulster Gazette was conducted with him while he was in Hong Kong!

He continued, “I still give occasional Organ Recitals, and also play each Saturday evening for the Vigil Mass at St. John the Baptist Church, Portadown, where Noreen, my wife, conducts the choir.”

His Anglican roots run deeper, however, for as he explained, “My wife and I usually attend the 10am Eucharist on Sundays, and meet many ‘cathedral’ people regularly.

“We live near Armagh, and regularly see Dr. Stephen Timpany, the present Cathedral Organist, various choir-members and clergy of the Diocese, both presently serving and several now retired.”

Asked about things in and around Armagh's Cathedral ‘on the hill’ his enthusiastic reply was, “It is good to see the Cathedral Choir progressing well under Stephen Timpany’s leadership. And Dean Shane Forster has done so much to build up the congregation and to make the Cathedral available for numerous events to the wider community.”

And as for that New Year’s Honours award by His Majesty The King. Martin's modest response was, “I am deeply honoured to be granted the BEM, and am most grateful to the many clergy, choir-members, choirboys’ parents and others who made possible whatever I may have achieved during my 34 years as the Cathedral Organist.

“I was 26 when I arrived in Armagh in 1968. I am now 82 years of age and in very good health, so I have so much for which to be thankful!”