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Born in Ireland, Charles Wood was a treble chorister in the choir of the nearby St. Patrick's Cathedral where he received his early education. Later he studied composition at the Royal College of Music in London with Stanford and Parry. He went to Cambridge as student, organ scholar, then Fellow, becoming the first Director of Music and Organist. As a composer he is chiefly remembered for his Anglican church music, usually in a late romantic harmonic style. All Wood's a cappella music demonstrates fastidious craftsmanship and a supreme mastery of the genre, and he is no less resourceful in his accompanied choral works which sometimes include unison sections and have stirring organ accompaniments, conveying a satisfying warmth and richness of emotional expression appropriate to his carefully chosen texts. Wood co-edited three books of carols, wrote eight string quartets, and was co-founder of the Irish Folk Song Society. His pupils included Ralph Vaughan Williams and Herbert Howells. |
