20th June 1948 - 27th August 2006
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Richard Coulson – A Tribute
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given by the Rector of Esher at Richard's funeral eucharist on 7th September 2006
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I begin with the Gospel: This is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it
up on the last day. (John 6).
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Richard was, truly, a great musician, and we have all been hugely privileged to know him. Here we are in an ordinary parish church, where we
have had for the past 38 years a master of church music, a man who could have been organist of any cathedral. And those of you who have come
from far and wide have also been touched, in some way, by his music, and often profoundly touched – by Richard as a performer, a composer,
a conductor, an accompanist, a choirmaster, a teacher, an examiner, an encourager of others. And we are all, to a greater or lesser degree,
in shock at the cruel and untimely death of a man who, surely, was in the prime of his life. What a great loss to all of us! But most
especially to Helen and Alice, to Abby, and Nicholas and his children.
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You know the basic facts of Richard’s life, I am sure, but it’s good to remind ourselves just how special Richard was. Born the son of a mining
family in Felling, a small village near Gateshead he achieved an enormous amount and brought inspiration and pleasure to many, and all from teaching
himself to play the piano at the age of 11.
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I quote now from Richard’s CV for one of his recitals in 1996:
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‘Richard Coulson began his studies in Newcastle Cathedral and at the Newcastle School of Music, where he gained the Student of the Year Award.
At the Royal College of Music, where he studied with Richard Popplewell, he won all the major organ and harpsichord prizes. In the Fellow of the
Royal College of Organists examinations he was also presented with the highest awards and was the inaugural recipient of the Coventry Cathedral Recital Award.
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‘As a Churchill Fellow he furthered his studies in Holland studying Baroque Music with Gustav Leonhardt. nbsp;Since then he has been in great demand as
a recitalist, continuo player and conductor performing throughout Great Britain in many of the Cathedrals and concert halls, as well as in many European countries.
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‘He is a regular contributor to Radio 3, and made his solo Prom debut playing Liszt’s Prelude and Fugue on B.A.C.H. on the organ of the Royal Albert Hall.
More recently he has broadcast several programmes on the new Walker Organ in the Chapel of Reed’s School, Cobham where he is Director of Music.
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‘As well as his regular contributions as a solo recitalist on Radio 3, he has recorded programmes with the BBC Singers, most recently with Jane Glover,
and appeared on BBC national television news to highlight the plight of organists and falling standards in church music.
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‘Of his recordings, The Victorian Organist was hailed as Pick of the Year in Classical Music Magazine.
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‘As a choral conductor he directs tour choirs and has worked as a chorus master for the Young Musicians Symphony Orchestra. He was the first conductor
of the Voices for Hospices Movement in 1989 and has been involved both as conductor and organiser ever since.’
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There were other recordings too, including French classical music from Bryanston School, English classical music from St Giles’ Cripplegate, and
Mozart and Contemporaries on the new Walker organ which he commissioned at Reed’s School, Cobham.
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Richard was proud to have met the Queen Mother twice, first when she presented him with him with a prize at the Royal College of Music, and again
when the Winston Churchill Fellowship was presented to him by the Queen Mother and the American Ambassador at the Guildhall.
And he met the Queen when she visited Reed’s School in 1997.
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But the list of these achievements are the bare facts: more important to us are the impressions he made on the many people – all of us and many others –
whose lives he touched. Helen has shown me a few of the huge box-full of letters and cards which you and others have sent her, and they contain
powerful tributes to the effect Richard had on people. ‘His contribution to music throughout the world is immeasurable’ says one friend.
‘His continuo playing was without equal’, says another. Certain words and phrases recur, not because they trip out neatly, but because people
mean them: ‘perfect’, ‘brilliance throughout’, ‘mastery’. We at Christ Church and our sister church down the road at West End can vouch for
his sheer professionalism week in, week out in our Sunday worship, as well as the high days and holidays; not only was each voluntary a polished performance,
so was each hymn, each part of the musical setting he accompanied; he showed his complete mastery of the instrument every time he sat at the organ –
or indeed the piano. He could play anything that was put in front of him – but he didn’t improvise: such was his professionalism that he wouldn’t
give a performance unless it was polished and – yes – perfect. But it was more than perfection, Richard’s playing was an act of musical creation,
an act, indeed, of worship.
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Richard gained a great deal from the pupils he taught at Reed’s School for those 26 years. His achievements there, through his dedication and
enthusiasm, have proved real inspiration to many of his colleagues, pupils and parents alike. The new organ, and the new music school which he
worked so hard for, was a tangible legacy that he left. This life he greatly missed in recent years. And I find it hard to find words to
say how much he contributed to the life of our churches here in Esher, and how much he has inspired us; and another legacy he has left is of course
the full restoration of our own fine Walker organ here in Christ Church, which took a huge amount of his energy over the past three years or so.
The work which was completed just in time for Easter this year – and of course he only played it half a dozen Sundays before he became ill.
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For Richard’s musical skill and artistry, thanks be to God.
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Those letters and cards that I mentioned don’t only speak of Richard’s professional achievements, but also of his personality. ‘Charming and courteous’,
‘his shy smile’, ‘this gentle and humble man’, ‘his self-deprecating humour’, ‘he frequently wound the choir up’. Some of us have seen his amazing
collection of magic lanterns, and have been greatly entertained by his slide shows – I mean, what an delightfully quirky hobby! The collection has to
be seen to be believed. It was a true passion. ‘A private man who was there for so many people at very public events’. One letter sums it
up for so many: ‘we knew he was not in the best of health for some years, but we had no idea how serious his illness was’. It’s true: we are shocked
and greatly distressed by the devastating news of his death – cruel and untimely as it was – and our hearts go out to Helen and Alice, to Abby, Nicholas,
Roxanne and Lola: his wife, and the children and grandchildren of whom he was so proud, and who now find themselves in the valley of the shadow of death.
We have all been privileged to know him and we thank you for sharing him with us.
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For Richard’s loving personality, thanks be to God.
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At the end of the service I shall read again the words that I read over Richard’s body in hospital early on the Sunday morning on which he had died:
Proficiscere, anima christiana – ‘Go forth upon thy journey from this world, O Christian soul’. For Richard was indeed a true Christian –
on a pilgrim journey as all Christians are, grappling with life and with the faith we love – and he offered his gifts here to the glory of almighty God.
That’s why this service is a Eucharist, the service for which he played, Sunday by Sunday in our two churches for so many years.
The Eucharist which re-enacts the sacrifice which our Lord made for the world – and that means for each one of us, and for Richard.
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Our Gospel reading has the words of Jesus: that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. Our loss is real:
the loss of our beloved Richard’s musical skill and artistry, the loss of his loving personality. But the loss is temporary, and we can believe as
Christians that all will be restored.
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So as we offer the Eucharist in this funeral service we can say with confidence:
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For Richard’s music, and for the person he was, for his Christian faith and for the promise of resurrection – thanks be to God. Amen.
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William Allberry
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To commemorate the return of the restored organ Richard Coulson composed the
Natal Requiem, which was given its
first performance on Palm Sunday 2006.
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