Harold Darke

Darke worked between 1888 and 1976 across composer, organist and choir director. This article rests on 15 catalogued compositions, 2 published texts, 1 issued recordings and 14 scholarly references drawn from named institutional registers. Every statement below returns to a source shown in the evidence panel; where the record is silent or divided, the article says so instead of resolving it.

• Name — Harold Darke • Birth Name — Harold Edwin Darke • Born — 29 October 1888 • Birthplace — London, England • Died — 28 November 1976 • Place of death — Cambridge, England • Occupation — Organist, composer • Era — 20th-century • Spouse — Dora Garland

Darke was born in Highbury, north London, the youngest son of Samuel Darke and Arundel Bourne. He attended Dame Alice Owen's School in Islington. His initial teachers were Arthur Berridge and Fountain Meen. In 1903 he gained a scholarship to the Royal College of Music where his teachers were Frank Bridge, Walter Parratt, Hubert Parry, Charles Villiers Stanford, Charles Wood, and Herbert Sharpe. • Illustration — Darke served for 50 years at St Michael's Church, Cornhill, London • Illustration — Darke served as acting Director of Music at King's College, Cambridge during World War II His first organist post came in 1904 at the Stoke Newington Presbyterian Church. From 1906 to 1911 he was the organist at Emmanuel Church, West Hampstead. He became a Fellow of the Royal College of Organists (FRCO) in 1907. Between 1911 and 1916 he was the organist at St James's Church, Paddington. He served in the Royal Air Force during World War I.

He became organist at St Michael Cornhill in 1916, and in 1917 was awarded a Mus.Doc. degree from Oxford University. He married Dora Garland, at St Michaels Church, Cornhill, on 25 July 1918. Dora was a violinist and was the first woman to lead the Queen's Hall Orchestra. He remained at St Michael Cornhill until 1966, except for a brief war-time interregnum in 1941 to deputise for Boris Ord as Director of Music at King's College, Cambridge. It is widely accepted that the Cornhill Lunchtime Organ Recitals series begun by Darke in 1916 is the longest-running lunchtime organ concert series in the world. His midday recitals each Monday, playing Bach in the legato style of Schweitzer, made him a City institution. The series has flourished under his successors Richard Popplewell 1966–1979 and the present organist, Jonathan Rennert, from 1979. Darke also served as organ professor at the Royal College of Music from 1919 to 1969. Darke's work as Conductor of St Michael's Singers was crowned in 1956 (on the occasion of the Choir's 40th Anniversary) with first performances of a number of now well-established works composed especially for the occasion – notably An English Mass by Herbert Howells, Hierusalem by George Dyson, and A Vision of Aeroplanes by Ralph Vaughan Williams.

Darke continued to be active in his later years. He recorded Elgar's Organ Sonata in his early 70s and gave recitals at the Royal Festival Hall to mark his 75th, 80th and 85th birthdays. He died in Cambridge, UK, aged 88 on 28 November 1976.

Harold Darke is recorded as a citizen of United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Recorded with the occupation choir director. Established in Library of Congress under nr91037890. Established in Discogs under 860312. Established in FAST under 1501816. Formation and teaching. He trained under Walter Parratt. Each of those relationships is stated by the authority record rather than inferred from style.