ST. CLEMENT (Scholefield)

Composer: Clement C. Scholefield

ST. CLEMENT was composed for this text by Rev. Clement C. Scholefield (b. Edgbaston, near Birmingham, Warwickshire, England, 1839; d. Goldalming, Surrey, England, 1904). ST. CLEMENT was published in Arthur S. Sullivan's 1874 hymnal, Church Hymns with Tunes; of his own accord Sullivan (PHH 46) "canonized" his curate, Scholefield, by naming this tune ST. CLEMENT. Educated at St. John's College, Cambridge, Scholefield was ordained in the Church of England in 1867. He served at Hove, Brighton, St. Peter's in Kensington (1869-1879), and briefly at St. Luke's in Chelsea. From 1880 to 1890 he was chaplain at Eton College and from 1890 to 1895 vicar of Holy Trinity in Knightsbridge. Mainly self-taught as a musician, Scholefield became an accomplished pianist and composed some songs and hymn tunes, of which ST. CLEMENT is the only one in common use today; it is always joined to Ellerton's text.

Although some people object to the waltz-like rhythms of ST. CLEMENT, most love the melody with its slurred tones. Sing with solid organ support or accompaniment. For the fourth stanza, the organist could slow down slightly and add the most brilliant mixture and reeds available.

--Psalter Hymnal Handbook.

See also St. Clement at Wikipedia.org for continued discussion about possible composers.

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