Joseph Seymour (1854-1922). Born in Cork, Ireland, on 14 May 1854; died on 2 December 1922. Studied at Mechelen under Nicolas Lemmens, at Ratisbon under Franz Haberl. Graduated B. Mus. at Trinity College, Dublin (1892). Succeeded his father as organist of the Church of Saints Peter and Paul, Cork (from 1881), a position he retained for 20 years.

A professor of music at the Board of Education Training College, Drumacondra and an examiner for the Royal Irish Academy of Music. Editor of the Dublin Lyra Ecclesiastica (1884-1891), and correspondent to a number of musical journals. Edited Curwen’s Latin Series of Church Music, and other items of church music.

Also composed a Mass in A flat (1888), a Missa Trinitatis, Six Motets and other items of church music. Also composed an Irish May Day children’s operetta on Irish airs, and a part song ‘Bells of Shandon’.

(Source: dictionary of composers for the English Church in Great Britain, on Google.)

QUESTION: DOES ANYONE KNOW SEYMOUR'S MISSA SANCTA BIRGITTA?

The Saint Gregorius choir of Halle are singing it in the basilica on the 19^th of July 2015. Let's talk more about it later.

P.S. Very interesting book Roman Catholic Church Music in England, 1791–1914: A Handmaid of the Liturgy? by Dr. T E Muir, Ashgate Publishing Ltd, 2013, 310 pages. Joseph Seymour is mentioned several times, but not his mass in honour of Saint Brigid. As the author says, very few works of that period are still being performed and are therefore being lost.

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