Frederic Lord

Lord, Frederic

Frederic Lord. Choir director, teacher, organist, composer, b Bingley, Yorkshire, England, 15 Nov 1886, d Brantford, Ont, 15 Aug 1945. He performed in recital at 10 and was a church organist at 11 before studying piano in Montreux, Switzerland, with Ladislas Gorski and in England with Eaglefield Hull. He was organist at Barnoldswick, Lancashire, and at Settle, Yorkshire. He moved (1923) to Brantford, Ont, as organist-choirmaster of the First Baptist Church, taught piano and organ there, and was music director at the Ontario School for the Blind until his death.

Lord organized and conducted (1928-45) the Canadian Choir of Brantford. The choir, managed by his wife Dorothy, a violinist and teacher, first performed in 1929, won fourth prize at the Blackpool Music Festival (October 1930), sang 3 Nov 1930 at Albert Hall, London, during a tour of Scotland and England, and performed 23 Nov 1931 at Massey Hall, Toronto, and 1937-8 in New York. The choir won praise at home ('undeniably a virtuoso choir' - Toronto Globe) and abroad ('In beauty of tone and perfect precision they are the equals of any choir I have heard anywhere' - London Evening Standard).

Lord's compositions include choral works (G. Schirmer, Novello, and Anglo-Canadian); a symphony; two piano concertos; the cantata The Battle of Morgarten; a setting of Psalm 90 for baritone solo, choir, and orchestra; and piano pieces (Chester). He was an inspiring voice and choir teacher. His pupils included George Lambert. Some of his papers are at the National Library of Canada.