Arthur Wills
Biography
Dr. Arthur Wills was director of music at Ely Cathedral from 1958 to 1990, and also held a professorship at the Royal Academy of Music in London from 1964 until 1992. He has toured extensively as a recitalist in Europe, North America, Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong, and has broadcast, appeared on TV and made many recordings, both as a soloist and with the Choir of Ely Cathedral.
His secular music includes seven song cycles, and an opera Winston and Julia, based on the novel by George Orwell. He has composed prolifically for the organ, and his ensemble works include a concerto with strings and timpani, a concerto for guitar and organ, and a symphonic suite The Fenlands for brass band and organ. His book ORGAN appeared in the Menuhin Music Guide series in 1984, with a second edition in 1993 and a third reprint in 1997. The Ely Choir has recorded a CD of his choral and organ music from 1955 to 1990 on Herald HAVPCD 197. His recording entitled Full Stops first issued in 1978, which includes his variations on Amazing Grace was reissued on CD 84305 in 1995 by Meridian.
In celebration of Dr. Wills' 75th birthday last year Jeremy Filsell recorded for Guild a CD of Dr. Wills' organ music on the organ of Tonbridge School Chapel, Dr. Wills being heard as narrator in his Variations on a Theme of Henry Purcell - Wondrous Machine (Guild GMCD7225). Novello have recently published his transcription for organ of three movements from Holst's Planets Suite - Mars, Venus and Jupiter. These have now been recorded by John Nolan at the organ of Ripon Cathedral on the Herald label.
In 1990 Dr. Wills was appointed OBE.
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