Brewer, Alfred Herbert

1865-

An eminent contemporary English organist, conductor and composer who occupies the post of organist and master of choristers at Gloucester Cathedral. He was born at Gloucester and was educated at the Cathedral School in that city and at Exeter College, Oxford. From 1877 to 1880 he was chorister at Gloucester Cathedral, and in 1881 filled the post of organist at St. Catharine's Church.

Later he was organist at St. Mary de Crypt, and from 1882 to 1885 was organist at St. Giles' Church, Oxford. At Exeter College, Oxford, he procured the post of organ scholar and was also organ scholar at the Royal College of Music. He was elected organist of Bristol Cathedral in 1885 and for awhile served as organist at St. Michael's Church, Coventry. From 1892 to 1897 he was organist and master of music at Tonbridge School, and since 1897 has held the post at Gloucester Cathedral. His influence on the music life of his city is marked. He conducted the Gloucester Festivals in 1898, 1901 and 1904 and is conductor of the Gloucestershire Orchestral Society, the Gloucester Choral Union, the Gloucester Orpheus Society and the Gloucester Diocesan Choral Unin. He is Examiner of the Associated Board of the Royal Academy of Music and the Royal College of Music. From Dublin University, he holds the degree of Bachelor of Music, while the degree of Doctor of Music was conferred upon him by the Archbishop of Canterbury in 1905. Dr.  Brewer is the author of pieces for the violin and the piano; songs and part-songs; works for the organ, and various compositions for the church. His compositions include an Orchestral Service in C; music to the Ninetyeighth Psalm; the sacred cantatas Emmaus and The Holy Innocents; Love's Philosophy; a Song of Eden, setting to Milton's words; and In Springtime, the latter given at the Leeds Festival of 1907.