The Greatest Composer You've Never Even Heard Of
Eric Harding Thiman (1900-1975) is really cool, but it took me far too long to discover his music. I just feel like he deserves a bit more attention. His writing is mostly simple, lyrical and honest. I find his harmonies striking, his melodies convincing, and his text setting expressive.
Eric Harding Thiman (EHT) is not a composer, he's THE composer (for you see, initially, I perceived him backwards).
One of the aims of this page is to provide basic biographical information and -- hopefully -- a photograph.
Another goal of this page is to offer a comprehensive listing of Thiman's music. This list, in progress below, is not yet complete, nor is it attractively formatted.
Yet another goal of this page is to offer mp3 recordings of some of this stuff.
In short, this page needs a lot of help! If you know something about Thiman, or can help with any of this, please email David Sinden.
| Title | Scoring | Availability | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24 Introits and Introductory Sentences | SATB, org | Novello (NOV030105) | Some are a capella. 20 pages. |
| Angels Holy, High and Lowly | SATB | Paterson Ltd. (PAT16370) | |
| Carol of Peace | ? | Boosey & Hawkes M051466214) | "Unison" |
| Children of Jerusalem | Unison, SATB, organ | Novello (NOV281355) | "Children Of Jerusalem is a devout song for Unison voices and mixed chorus by Eric Thiman." 4 pages. |
| Christ Whose Glory Fills The Skies | SATB, org | Schirmer (GS31218) | musicroom.com skill level: 2/5. 8 pages. |
| A Christmas Rhapsody | SSA, pno | Novello (NOV200046) | "Founded on traditional carols." 16 pages. |
| Come, Holy Ghost | SATB, org | Novello (NOV281150) | musicroom.com skill level: 3/5. |
| Come Lord And Rule (Hymn) | Unison (descant), organ | Novello (NOV441153) | 4 pages. |
| Come, Ye Faithful, Raise the Strain | SATB, org | "Easter anthem" . . . "Word [sic] by St John Damascene." musicroom.com skill level: 3/5. 8 pages. | |
| Dear Friend Of All In Quieet Galilee (Hymn) | SATB, org | Novello (NOV441361) | 4 pages. |
| Donkey Plod And Mary Ride | SATB, org | Novello (NOV954316) | |
| Draw Nigh and Take the Body of the Lord | SATB, org | Novello (NOV290347) | "Text translated from the Bangor Antiphonary." musicroom.com skill level: 3/5. 4 pages. Image of the first page. |
| For the Beauty of the Earth | SATB, org | J. Curwen (JC80762) | musicroom.com skill level: 3/5. 8 pages. |
| Gloria In Excelsis Deo (High Voice) | High voice, pno | J. Curwen (JC72032) | "From the Christmas Cantata 'The Flower of Bethlehem', Music by Eric Thiman and Words by Irene Gass." Image of the first page. |
| Gloria In Excelsis Deo (SATB) | SATB, pno | Shawnee Press (SP20041) | "From the 'The Flower of Bethlehem' setting the words of Irene Gass and Lewis M. Kirby." musicroom.com skill level: 2/5. 12 pages. |
| I Will Sing The Wonderous Story (Hymn) | SATB, org | Novello (NOV441331) | 4 pages. |
| Immortal, Invisible | SATB, org | Novello (NOV290134) | Setting of ST. DENIO. musicroom.com skill level 2/5. 8 pages. |
| Jesu, the Very Thought of Thee | SATB, org | Paterson Ltd. (PAT16480) | Text by Bernard of Clairvaux |
| Jesus Shall Reign Where'er the Sun | SATB, org | Paterson Ltd. (PAT16420) | Text by Isaac Watts. musicroom.com skill level 3/5. 8 pages. |
| King of Glory, King of Peace | SATB, org | Novello (NOV290242) | Text by George Herbert. musicroom.com skill level: 3/5. 8 pages. |
| A Knocking on the Stable Door | SATB | Novello (NOV310504) | 4 pages. |
| The Last Supper | Soprano, Baritone, SATB, org | Novello (NOV070280) | A short cantata written in 1930. One of four "extended works" mentioned in the New Grove Dictionary of Music. 36 pages. |
| Let All the World | SATB, org | Novello (NOV290136) | Text by George Herbert. musicroom.com skill level: 3/5. 8 pages. |
| Lift Up Your Hearts | SATB, pno | Novello (NOV401172) | 4 pages. |
| Lord of Our Life | SATB, org | Novello (NOV281260) | 8 pages. |
| Lord, Make My Heart a Place Where Angels Sing | SATB, [org?] | Novello (NOV500268) | |
| Lord's Prayer | SATB, org | Novello (NOV441169) | 4 pages. |
| Love Divine, All Loves Excelling (Hymn) | SATB, org | Novello (NOV441337) | 4 pages. |
| The Magi's Gifts | SSA, pno | Novello (NOV290382) | "The Magi's gifts is a Christmas song arranged for SSA and Piano. Words are by Kathleen Warburton." 8 pages. Image of the first page |
| Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis in B minor | Unison, org | Novello (NOV330091) | musicroom.com skill level: 3/5. |
| Magnificat and Nun Dimittis in D-flat | SATB, org | Novello (NOV441194) | 16 pages. |
| Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis in G | Unison, org | Novello (NOV441234) | "This is a wonderful Magnificat And Nunc Dimittis setting, written in the key of G." musicroom.com skill level: 3/5. 8 pages. |
| My Little Son | SATB, kybd | United Music Publishers (UNI71960) | |
| Nativity | Soprano, Tenor, SATB, org/pno | Novello (NOV070281) | |
| O Christ, The Heavens' Eternal King | SATB, org | Novello (NOV281148) | |
| O Love of God | SSA, org | Novello (NOV401195) | |
| O Strength and Stay | SATB | Novello (NOV281139) | |
| O Waly Waly | SSA | Novello (NOV160081) | |
| Praise, O Praise the Lord of Harvest | SATB | Novello (NOV401037) | musicroom.com skill level: 3/5 |
| Seasonal Thanksgiving | Unison, pno | Schirmer (GS50184) | |
| A Shepherd Kept Sheep | SS, pno | Novello (NOV160097) | A canon for equal voices. Text is traditional. Image of the first page. |
| Sing Alleluia Forth | SATB, org | Novello (NOV290241) | "Hymn anthem." Text translated by John Ellerton. musicroom.com skill level: 2/5. 8 pages. |
| Te Deum Laudamus in D-flat | SATB, org | Novello (NOV441199) | 16 pages. |
| Thy Church, O God, Her Heart to Thee Upraiseth | SATB, org/pno | Novello (NOV290246) | "The words have been adapted by Robert Bridges from Robert Tailour's version of Psalm 21." musicroom.com skill level: 2/5. 4 pages. Image of the first page. |
| Winter Nativity | SSA, pno | J. Curwen (JC72682) | "Carol for SSA Choir and Piano, set to the words of K.M. Warburton." 4 pages. Image of the first page. |
| Title | Scoring | Availability | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Beech, The Birch And The Lime | Unison, pno | Cramer Music (BMPUPS269) | "The Beech, The Birch And The Lime is a beautiful piece by organist and composer Eric H. Thiman, who was a keen advocate of congregational singing. This is a setting of the words by Marjorie E. Kirtley and this version has been edited by Martin Shaw." musicroom.com skill level 2/5. 8 pages. |
| A Folk-song Sequence | SSA | J. Curwen (JC72506) | 20 pages. |
| A Clean Wind Blowing | Unison, pno | J. Curwen (JC72307) | "Unison or solo song for boy's [sic] voices." Words by Will H. Oglivie. 4 pages. Image of the first page. |
| I Hear Spring Calling | Unison, pno | J. Curwen (JC72067) | 4 pages. |
| I Love All Graceful Things | Unison, pno | J. Curwen (JC71977) | text by Kathleen Boland. musicroom.com skill level: 3/5. 4 pages. Image of the first page. |
| I Wandered Lonely As A Cloud (Unison) | Unison, pno | Novello (NOV481938) | text by Wm. Wordsworth. musicroom.com skill level: 3/5. |
| I Wandered Lonely As A Cloud (Daffodils) | SA, pno | Novello (NOV160098) | text by Wm. Wordsworth. 8 pages. Image of the first page. |
| Kerry Roads | Unison, pno | Novello (NOV670848) | 4 pages. |
| The Man in the Moon | Unison, pno | J. Curwen (JC72413) | 4 pages. |
| The Path to the Moon | Unison, pno | Boosey & Hawkes (M060028137) | "An inspiring piece, arranged for Unison voices and Piano accompaniment." 4 pages. |
| A Room of My Own | Unison, pno | J. Curwen (JC72355) | musicroom.com skill level: 2/5. 4 pages. |
| She is My Slender Small Love | "Men's Voices" | J. Curwen (JC50850) | Text by Syndney Bell. musicroom.com skill level 4/5. 4 pages. |
| The Skylark | Unison, pno | Novello (NOV252156) | "The words, by Marjorie Kirtley, are from Twelve Happy Months." musicroom.com skill level: 3/5. 4 pages. |
| Songs of Sailors of the Sea | SATB, pno | Novello (NOV070371) | Orig. for SATB, orch. musicroom.com skill level: 4/5. |
| Summer Breeze | SSA, pno | J. Curwen (JC72546) | Text by Kathleen Boland. musicroom.com skill level: 3/5. 4 pages. |
| Summer Days | "2-Part Choir," pno | Novello (NOV160103) | "A celebratory song herlding the approaching summer, based upon a text by S. Longfellow and written for the upper voices with Piano accompaniment." musicroom.com skill level: 3/5. |
| The Weaver's Daughter | SA, pno | Novello (NOV530387). 4 pages. |
| Title | Availability | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| 44 Tunes Freely Harmonized | Novello (NOV010127) | "44 Hymn Tunes freely harmonised to accompany Unison singing. Ideal for the Organist who enjoys embellishing the final verse." 24 pages. Tune list |
| Canzona | Novello (NOV590264) | 4 pages. |
| Canzonetta On 'Horsley' | Novello (NOV590245) | 4 pages. |
| Eight Interludes, Sets 1-3 | Novello (NOV590194) | "A set of eight interludes for the beginner Organist, written by Eric Thiman. The pieces cover a variety of styles, with an Elegy and a piece in the manner of eighteenth-century Organ writing." musicroom.com skill level: 2/5. 43 pages. |
| Five Hymn-tune Variants | J. Curwen (JC99133) | 12 pages. |
| Panus Angelicus for Organ | J. Curwen (JC99126) | 1959. 4 pages. |
| Postlude on Harwood's Thornbury | Novello (NOV590345) | |
| Six Pieces in Various Styles, Set 2 | J. Curwen (JC99128) | musicroom.com skill level 3/5. 16 pages. Contents. |
| Three Pieces | Novello (NOV590141) | 12 pages. |
| Timans [sic?] and Seasons: Five Pieces For Organ | Novello (NOV590234) | 12 pages |
| Vespers | J. Curwen (JC99132) | 12 pages. |
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Last modified: 30 May 2006