He was an organist, composer, arranger, singer and scientist born in North Wingfield, Derbyshire, England to a musical family where his father, Anthony, was the organist of St. Martin’s Church in Leicester, prior to it being named Leicester Cathedral. His sister, Martha, was also an organist who took over from her father in 1772 after he had moved to St. Modwen’s church in Burton Upon Trent.
He undertook studies with the organist Benjamin Cooke, who played the organ at Westminster Abbey and went on to become a music director for the Earl of Sandwich.
For four or five years he was the organist at Carlisle Cathedral from 1780 to 1784 before travelling to Italy to work. While there he became acquainted with Charles Edward Stuart aka Bonnie Prince Charlie who left him music books as a bequest were given to him after his death in 1788.
After returning to England in 1788 he went to work in London where he taught music. He was also in demand as a conductor and was music director of music festivals held in Birmingham, Derby and York and took over the conductorship of the Concerts of Ancient Music that had previously been directed by Joah Bates until his resignation in 1793.
In 1819 he became the organist at Westminster Abbey as the successor to George Ebenezer Williams. he remained in that position until his death in 1831.
His work as a composer and arranger saw him writing “This is the Day the Lord Hath Made Me” and the tune “Tottenham” writing an arrangement for the Christmas carol “Adeste Fidelis“. He published the collections Parochial Psalmody in 1825, A Selection of Tunes in 1825 and 12 Glees in 1832.
As a scientist he became a Fellow of the Royal Society and discovered a new method to measure the altitude of mountains.
A story has been passed on that says the Prince Regent George IV once spoke to him and said “My father is Rex, but you are a Greater Rex”.
At some point he got married and had at least 6 sons and a daughter. His son Thomas was an organist at Holy Trinity church in Burton on Trent and another son, Henry Wellington Greatorex went to the United States and was organist at a church in Hartford, Connecticut.
After catching a cold during a fishing trip he died in 1831 when he was 72 years old in Hampton, Middlesex, England.
Roberto Alagna recordings
Adeste Fidelis (Frederick Oakeley/John Francis Wade)
EMI 57017 (CD: The Christmas Album)
Arranger – Thomas Greatorex
Conductor – Robin Smith
Tenor – Roberto Alagna
London Symphony Orchestra
New London Children’s Choir
Smithills School Junior Choir
London Oratory School Choir
Choir of St. Johns College, Cambridge
Sources:
- https://www.westminster-abbey.org/abbey-commemorations/commemorations/thomas-greatorex
- https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Greatorex-109#Biography
- https://www.encyclopedia.com/arts/dictionaries-thesauruses-pictures-and-press-releases/greatorex-thomas
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Greatorex
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joah_Bates
- https://hymnary.org/tune/tottenham_greatorex
- http://www.hymntime.com/tch/bio/g/r/e/a/greatorex_t.htm
- https://www.allmusic.com/artist/thomas-greatorex-mn0000192740
- https://www.discogs.com/artist/4409899-Thomas-Greatorex