Page 42 - Church Music Quarterly September 2018

OBITUARIES
CANON ANTHONY CAESAR CVO, MA, MUS B, FRCO
Anthony Caesar was born in Southampton
in 1924. His upbringing was a musical one
in a Vicarage with musical parents. He was a Chorister at Winchester Cathedral, although he readily admitted that it took three voice trials before he was accepted. Anthony always said that if he had the chance to repeat any
of his years again, it would be those as a Winchester Chorister. When his voice broke he was awarded a Music Scholarship to Cranleigh and later became Music Scholar at Magdalene College Cambridge.
In his early thirties he received ‘the call’, as he put it, and theological training was received at St Stephen’s House, Oxford.
After a Curacy at St Mary Abbots Church in Kensington, he was appointed to a dual role, as Secretary to ACCM – the Advisory Council for the Church’s Ministry - whilst being Chaplain to the Royal School of Church Music at Addington Palace, where in those days there were full time students. From London he went to Bournemouth, as Priest in Charge of St Stephen’s Church where, with great pastoral skills and relentless old-fashioned pastoral visiting, he turned the Church into
a healthy positive communal congregation. From Bournemouth he went to Winchester Cathedral as Precentor, eventually becoming
a Residentiary Canon and member of Chapter In 1979 the Queen visited Winchester for the Royal Maundy Service and Anthony was instructed that Her Majesty wished to speak
with him. He was informed that the Royal household wanted him – and you can’t say no to that. With perhaps a little reluctance, he left his beloved Winchester to become Sub Dean of the Chapels Royal and Domestic Chaplain to the Queen. Despite mixing with Royalty on virtually a daily basis, and all the trimmings that go with such a privileged position, Anthony always remained an extremely humble and natural personality: a characteristic that was admired by many.
A brief semi-retirement chaplaincy at
St Cross was followed by retirement on the Isle of Wight where he spent Sunday mornings as Organist of Yaverland remaining active
as a co-editor of the New English Hymnal.
During my time as Director of Music at Beckenham Parish Church Anthony regularly attended Evensong. As an accompanist he was solid, reliable and colourful, often with a tad if humour thrown in, but most of all, he impressed with skills of improvisation which were second to none. I distinctly remember saying one evening after Evensong: ‘start writing it down’. And from that day onwards, I constantly encouraged Anthony to put pen to paper. He often played hard to get, but
>
Anthony Caesar with
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth.
perpetual nagging had its results, much of which is now published.
Anthony was a wonderful mentor to a young Director of Music offering the occasional words of wisdom and encouragement, something I will be eternally grateful for. Thank you to a warm, humorous man, a loving uncle, friend, teacher, musician, Pastor and Priest.
Anthony will be remembered at the 11.00am Choral Mass at St Matthew’s Westminster on Sunday 23rd September which will include a number of his compositions. Nigel Groome
NIGEL WERRY
We learn with sadness that Nigel Werry of Wellington, New Zealand died in early May 2018. He had served as Secretary of RSCM New Zealand for many years during the 20th century.
He will be remembered by senior members as the brilliant organiser of annual summer choir schools. He was also custodian of the RSCM Library at his Khandallah home until its move firstly to St Mark’s and then to its current home in the crypt of St Paul’s Cathedral.
The Revd Alison Pitts, current National Secretary, RSCM NZ, recalls her first choir school in January 1987, and expects some with longer memories will remember it and earlier ones. It was in Napier with Barry Ferguson as director.
Nigel was an extremely good organizer and stood for no nonsense. He was also an accomplished organist and choir director. He taught us well, especially about choir behaviour, and processing was one of his ‘things’. At the 1994 Nelson choir school, his last before retiring, he had us all processing up the street from the girls’ college where we were based: strictly in line with no wiggles or bulges, and always at an arm’s length between you and the one in front.
John Wardle and Jessica Wilson worked with Nigel in preparation for taking over the reins for the next phase.
Nigel will be fondly remembered. May he rest in peace.
Robert Tait
42 CMQ