Page 37 - Church Music Quarterly June 2018

OBITUARIES
GORDON APPLETON FRSCM
The RSCM marks with sadness the death o Gordon Appleton. Some o Gordon’s riends andcolleagues,includingtwoo theRSCM’s
ormer Directors, refect upon Gordon’s qualities and many achievements.
From John Harper, Emeritus Director, RSCM
Christiankindness,generosityo spirit, loyalty and total commitment were qualities thatGordonAppletonbroughttohiswork attheRSCM,whetherwithcolleagues, volunteers, a fliated members, or the Northern Cathedral Singers (later Northern Voices). He was never less than prompt and thorough in all he did. More than that, he broughttotheorganizationa oundation
o theologicalunderstanding,aloveo
music and the church, and the experience
o workingineducationandinavariety
o churchsettingsbothintheWestIndies and Australia.
He arrived at the RSCM in 1993, having served as organist and choirmaster o Kingston College in Jamaica, and having spent 14 years in Western Australia, frst
on the sta at Guild ord Grammar School andthenasdirectoro musicatStGeorge’s Cathedral, Perth. In succeeding John Cooke asRegionalDirectorintheNortho Britain, hehadatoughactto ollow;andhedidso in his own quiet and steady way, gaining the respect and a ection o those with whom he worked and had contact.
Gordon Appleton.
Gordon Appleton leading a choir.
That steadiness in the feld was very important at a time o considerable stress
on the centre o the RSCM, which had to weather two changes o location and a radical reorganization o sta fng, as it sought operational and fnancial stability, andnewdirectionsin ulfllingthe ounder’s underpinningvision.Asaresulto those changes Gordon took on a wider brie , coordinating the voluntary committees in Britain and Ireland, and developing The Network as a quarterly bulletin o orthcoming events. And though he was gentle in manner and relativelyconservativeinoutlook,therewas strength and determination, demonstrated
rom time to time in his frm dealings with voluntarycommitteeswhomhe elthad lost their way or become inert.
He delighted in his work with the Northern Cathedral Singers, but he was every bit as passionate about music in small churches. Sad as his death may be, there could be no more ftting end than playing the organ on Easter Day at the small church o St John in Ripon, ollowed by a uneral in the cathedral.
From Lindsay Gray, Emeritus Director, RSCM
Weareallverysadtolearno thedeath
o GordonAppleton.Fromapersonalangle, it was a great privilege to have worked alongsidehim orfveyearsattheRSCM.
Gordon was a fne church musician who enthusiastically, generously and selfessly supported anyone who had the remotest interest or involvement in church music across the world. Not only was he an extremely talented choir director and organist but he was also a ‘per ect gentleman’ who engaged warmly with everyone he met, looked or and ound the best in every individual
and displayed genuine care and empathy, especially i he sensed that you were going through a tough time.
In his work in the sphere o church music, Gordon is especially associated with a wide range o activities in the north o England. His superb direction o the Northern Cathedral Singers and o courses and workshops in that region is legendary and he wasahugeinspirationtocountlessmusicians. Hewasalsoknownandrevered orthese skills throughout the UK and in many other countries across the world. Indeed, Gordon continued to travel extensively and to lead events a ter he retired rom the RSCM, visiting parts o the USA, A rica, Europe andmostrecentlyAustralia,acountry or which he had a special a ection.
We shall all miss Gordon immensely: the riendlygreeting,theastutecontributions
at Area meetings, the calm, dignifed control o arehearsalandthegentlyunderstatedbut very evident Christian approach in everything achieved. John Blow wrote a ter the death o the great Henry Purcell, ‘he retired too soon’; Gordon certainly retired too soon – but we can be immensely grate ul or all that he gave us.
Wesay arewelltoGordonwiththe comortingthoughtthathepassedthrough tohigherrealmsatthestarto aEucharist onEasterDayandattheconsoleo theorgan. Icanevenimaginehimsaying,withjust
a subtle touch o his delight ul humour, ‘Well, it seemed like an appropriate moment.’ Thank you, Gordon, rom all o us who
were ortunate enough to have known you.
From Andrew Robinson
Gordon was an inspirational church musician who, through his work with the RSCM and other musical activities, sought to inspire and motivatepeople romallbackgroundsand skillsandtodrawouto themtheverybest.
Gordonhadarealsenseo hiscalling and vocation. He had, a ter much thought, determined that his calling was to serve the
>
>