The Composer Who Owns Christmas

The Composer Who Owns Christmas
sic may be, his personal beliefs are, in his own word, "nebulous." "I love the Church of England," Mr. Rutter said.
that But what these people probably don’t realize is that, as steeped in Christianity as Mr. Rutter’s mu
Miss Marple said that I used to think that was a problem,
So when people come up and say, ‘You’re the guy who wrote "What Sweeter Music" or the "Shepherd’s
Pipe Carol," ’ that’s fine," he continued, referring to two of his Christmas standards.
What few can deny is that, at its best — in classics like "What Sweeter Music," which thousands of choirs will sing this
holiday season — his writing is immaculately crafted, with a gift for melody that most composers would kill for.
" Mr. Rutter said, "but I’d made the transition from aspiring composer to functioning one." He continued: "And all thanks to David Willcocks, who was a great enabler.
that By the standards of Mendelssohn, I was hardly a prodigy,
" he said. that The privilege of writing my sort of music is that people choose it for the days they remember,
" he said. that I know they do my music, though, because my wife sings in the choir,