It’s tough for me to keep up with everything sometimes, especially on a weekend when I want to promote my shows and I’ve got to be in New York for the day. So it’s only now that I’m getting around to posting about English organist and choir director John Bertalot, for 15 years director of music at Princeton’s Trinity Episcopal Church. Bertalot, who died on Saturday, founded the Princeton Singers in 1983.

Across the pond, he was organist and director of music at St Matthew’s Church, Northampton (1958-1964) and Blackburn Cathedral (1964-1982). He wrote several books on choral directing and singing.

In 1998, Bertalot was succeeded as director of the Princeton Singers by composer-conductor Steven Sametz. Under Sametz, the group, a professional chamber choir based at Trinity Church, also served as resident ensemble for the Lehigh University Summer Choral Composers Forum. The organization folded in August, after 41 years, due to “ongoing financial challenges… significantly intensified by the pandemic.”

At the time of his death, Bertalot, who was born in Maidstone, Kent, in 1931, was 94 years-old. It was difficult for me to find a good or interesting photo (beyond those that have already been shared by others), as sadly, it appears his website has expired. Here’s something of an informal one, with Bartelot in neither gown nor tie. Thankfully, there are still some decent videos posted on YouTube.

R.I.P.

——-

Bertalot at Blackburn (complete program in the description)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiSEicR9lt0&t

Bertalot at Trinity

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22FS_48V6fE

With the Princeton Singers, Herbert Howells’ “Take Him, Earth, for Cherishing,” to the memory of JFK

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3tXoLC2Fqg