Martin Neary | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Nearyc. 2005 | |
| Born | (1940-03-28)28 March 1940 London, England |
| Died | 27 September 2025(2025-09-27) (aged 85) |
| Alma mater | Cambridge University |
| Occupation | Organist and choral conductor |
| Organizations | |
Martin Gerard James NearyLVO (28 March 1940 – 27 September 2025) was an Englishorganist andchoral conductor. He was master of music atWinchester Cathedral from 1972 to 1988, and organist and master of the choristers atWestminster Abbey from 1988 to 1998. He commissioned new works from composers includingJonathan Harvey andJohn Tavener. In 1997 he was music director of thefuneral service for Princess Diana.
Neary was born in London on 28 March 1940.[1][2] He was a chorister of theChapel Royal atSt James's Palace from age eight, singing at the baptism ofCharles III in 1948 and the televisedcoronation of Elizabeth II in 1953 at the age of 13.[2][3] He attended theCity of London School.[3] He went on to read first theology and then music atCambridge University,[4] where he was organ scholar atGonville and Caius College.[2][5] After he initially considered studying to enter theAnglican ministry, he decided to pursue music, feeling that it "provided ... a means of expression, with a power beyond that of words".[1]
Neary became assistant organist ofSt Margaret's, Westminster, in 1963 and succeededHerbert Dawson as organist there in 1965,[1] serving until 1971.[6] During this period he had other engagements such as conducting theTwickenham Musical Society and playing recitals at theRoyal Festival Hall.[1]
Neary was organist and director of music atWinchester Cathedral from 1972 to 1988.[7] He focused on the services including dailyevensong. Thecathedral choir also performed on tours, such as participating in the 1985 premiere of Andrew Lloyd Webber'sRequiem together with the choir ofSt Thomas in Manhattan. On the occasion of the cathedral's 900th anniversary in 1979, they toured to Canada, the US, and to theChannel Islands which then belonged to the diocese.[1] In addition to extending the traditional choral repertoire, Neary commissioned works from composers includingJonathan Harvey and, in particular,John Tavener.[8] The premiere of Harvey’sPassion and Resurrection took place in 1981.[1] With his assistant organists,James Lancelot andTimothy Byram-Wigfield, he was responsible for planning of the major rebuilding and enlargement of the cathedral organ byHarrison and Harrison in 1986–88. In 1984 Neary was artist-in-residence at the University of California at Davis.[9]
Neary was organist and master of the choristers atWestminster Abbey from 1988 to 1998.[7] Overseas tours were made with the Westminster choir and, in addition to his own organ recitals at the cathedral, he drew organists from across the world to play there, includingDaniel Chorzempa, Daniel Hathaway and Marilyn Keiser from the United States,Raymond Daveluy from Montreal,Peter Planyavsky from Vienna, andRalph Downes, among others from the United Kingdom. As the organist at Westminster Abbey, he held a concert to honourHenry Purcell on the occasion of his tercentenary in 1995, broadcast live byBBC. He was the musical director of thefuneral service for Princess Diana in 1997.[6] In accordance with Neary's promotion of the music of Tavener, the latter's "Song for Athene" was performed by the choir of the abbey as the coffin was borne out by thepallbearers.[10] In the1998 New Year Honours, he was appointed aLieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order (LVO) "for services in connection with the funeral of the late Diana, Princess of Wales".[6][8][11]
On 22 April 1998,Wesley Carr, the Dean of Westminster Abbey, dismissed Neary from his position on the grounds of alleged gross misconduct regarding the finances of a company that he and his wife had set up to administer fees from concerts at the abbey.[12] Neary petitionedQueen Elizabeth II, as visitor of the abbey, to resolve the dispute. The Queen appointedCharles Jauncey, Baron Jauncey of Tullichettle, to be her commissioner. After a 12-day hearing, Lord Jauncey determined that the decision to dismiss the organist and his wife "must score gamma minus on the scale of natural justice",[12] but upheld the previous verdict. The report also stated that Neary's musical abilities, and the hard work that he and his wife had done on behalf of the abbey and the choir, were not in question.[13]
Neary was the first conductor of theMillennium Youth Choir of theRoyal School of Church Music.[1] From 1992 to 2024, Neary was chairman of theHerbert Howells Society.[14] He became organist ofSt Michael and All Angels Church, Barnes, where he raised the quality of the choir to a level to perform Bach'sSt John Passion. He retired due to Parkinson's disease.[1]
Neary was married to Penny née Warren, the daughter of DameJosephine Barnes and SirBrian Warren. Their wedding was at St Margaret's in 1967. They had three children, Nicola, a hospital consultant, Alice, who became principal cellist of theBBC National Orchestra of Wales, and Thomas, who began living in care homes at the age of eight due to being severely autistic.[1][15]
Neary died from complications of Parkinson's disease on 27 September 2025, at the age of 85.[1][6][15]
| Cultural offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Organist and Master of the MusicWinchester Cathedral 1972–1988 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Organist and Master of the Choristers ofWestminster Abbey 1988–1998 | Succeeded by |
