From 1902 to 1910, Shaw was a music master and Director of Music at Gresham's School, Holt, a role in which he was succeeded by his fellow Old Derbeian, Walter Greatorex.[5] Benson's History of Gresham's School notes that —
Shaw was too fine a musician to be held for long, despite his love of Norfolk, and he went on to become an outstanding School Inspector.[6]
Shaw was an inspector of music in London schools from 1911 to 1940,[1] simultaneously holding several posts as an organist, and in 1920 was his brother Martin's successor as organist of St Mary's, Primrose Hill, remaining there until 1930.[7] He was also Inspector of Music to the Board of Education from 1928 until his retirement in 1942.[3] For some years he chaired the BBC's schools music sub-committee.[1]
In his Board of Education work, Shaw worked to raise standards of musical education in schools and also supported popular organisations and training colleges. His unofficial activities included promoting summer schools for teachers, and he was in demand as an adjudicator at music festivals.[1][3] He was the first adjudicator of the Thanet Competitive Musical Festival, founded in 1921.[8]
With his brother, Shaw edited song books. He was one of the editors of The Public School Hymn Book of 1919 and also published the Descant Hymn-Tune Book, in two volumes.[1] With Percy Dearmer, Martin and Geoffrey Shaw had a significant influence on 20th-century church music.[10]
In 1947, a Geoffrey Shaw Memorial Fund was established for the benefit of talented instrumentalists under the age of eighteen,[3][11] and there is now a Martin and Geoffrey Shaw Organ Scholarship at St Mary's, Primrose Hill.[7]
Marriage and children
Shaw was married to Mary Grace Shaw née Putley. He was the father of six children, including the actor Sebastian Shaw (1905–1994), best known for the role of Anakin Skywalker in Return of the Jedi.[12] His other children were James, Peter, Susan, Margaret and Penelope. James, like his father a chorister of St Paul's Cathedral, read History at Caius, his father's Cambridge college, and was killed during the Second World War. Penelope Shaw became an actress.[13] One of Shaw's great-grandchildren, Emma Bonner-Morgan, is a singer-songwriter and pianist.[14][15]
Selected publications
The Public School Hymn Book (1919) (joint ed.)
Before Bedtime: ten singing games (J. Curwen & Sons, 1919)
Cramer's Library of String Music, edited by G. Shaw (J. B. Cramer & Co., 1923)
The Descant Hymn-Tune Book: a collection of well-known tunes, arranged by G. Shaw (Novello and Co., 1925, 2 volumes)
Twice 44 Sociable Songs, Collected and Arranged by G. Shaw (London: Hawkes & Son, 1928)
Twice 20: Choral Songs for Choirs (1933)
A Book of Hidden Tunes: Teacher's Book (London: Nelson, 1934)
A Book of Hidden Tunes: Pupils' Book (London: Nelson, 1934)
4 Characteristic Sketches for Piano (Joseph Williams, 1936)
Coronation Song Book for Schools, Compiled by G. Shaw (Novello and Co., 1937)
Black Keys Duets for Pianoforte (London: Novello & Co., 1938)
The Cow, words by R. L. Stevenson (choruses for equal voices, piano) (J. Curwen & Sons, 1915)[16]
The Swing, words by R. L. Stevenson (unison voices, piano) (1915)[17]
Ask Me Why (words by Carew, three-part Song for equal voices) (1915)
Crossing the Bar Unison Song, words by Tennyson (choruses for equal voices) (J. Curwen & Sons, 1915)
Bed in Summer, unison song for children, words by Robert Louis Stevenson (choruses for equal voices) (1915)[18]
Hail, gladdening Light, anthem based on an old English carol tune, words from the Greek by John Keble (1917)
As Joseph was a-walking, an old carol, two-part song (1918)
The Campbells are comin', Scottish air, arranged with descant by G. Shaw (School Songs, 1921; Novello and Co., 1952)
He wants not Friends that hath Thy Love, anthem, words by R. Baxter (Novello and Co., Novello's Octavo Anthems, 1923)
The Day Draws on with Golden Light, Easter anthem, words 5th century, translated by T. A. L. (Novello and Co., Novello's Octavo Anthems, 1924)
The Bay of Biscay, melody by J. Davy, arranged with descant by G. Shaw (Novello and Co., 1925)
Early one Morning, arranged with descant by G. Shaw (Novello and Co., 1925) (also in Welsh, Yn gynnar un bore, words by Leslie Harries, Novello & Co., 1955)
Glynthorpe, tune for Emily Brontë's No coward soul is mine (hymn for unison voices, organ or piano) (Songs of Praise, 1925)[19]
Choral Prelude for Organ on the Trinity Office Hymn (J. B. Cramer & Co., Cramer's Library of Organ Music, 1925)
Annie Laurie, Scottish Air, arranged with descant by G. Shaw (Novello and Co., 1928)
Fairlight (words by Christina Rossetti, Who has seen the wind?) (Songs of Praise, 1929)[20]
Caller Herrin', Scottish air by N. Gow, arranged with descant by G. Shaw (Novello and Co., 1931)
The Girl I left behind me, English air, arranged with descant by G. Shaw (Novello and Co., 1931)
The Harp that once through Tara's Halls, Irish air, words by Thomas Moore, arranged with descant by G. Shaw (Novello and Co., 1931)
Cold's the Wind, Song, words by Thomas Dekker (Leonard, Gould & Bolttler, 1933)
Fight the good Fight, unison song for massed voices, words by J. S. B. Monsell (Cramer's Library of Unison and Part Songs, 1933)
Fantasia on Adeste Fideles, for the Organ (Novello & Co., Original Compositions for the Organ, 1935)
Festival Suite No. 1 for Pianoforte (W. Paxton & Co., 1936)
Ring Out, Ye Crystal Spheres (part song for SCTB) (Cramer, 1937)
The Happy Day, unison song, words by M. Shaw (choruses for equal voices) (J. Curwen & Sons, 1938)
A Child's Prayer, unison song, words by F. T. Palgrave (choruses for equal voices) (J. Curwen & Sons, 1939)
^James Shaw at organ-biography.info, accessed 9 January 2009
^ abcdefghGeoffrey Shaw (Composer, Arranger) at bach-cantatas.com, accessed 9 January 2009 (based on Colles, H. C., Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians (1952 ed.) and Baker's Biographical Dictionary of 20th Century Classical Musicians, 1997)
^ abcdeDraper, Martin, & Michael Willford, The St Mary's Primrose Hill Tradition – Volume 1 (2001), text online at smvph.org.uk, accessed 9 January 2009
^Leech, Richard, 'Better than Beefcake: Sebastian Shaw' in The Guardian dated 29 December 1994, Features section, p. T12, full text onlineArchived 16 April 2009 at the Wayback Machine at sebastianshaw.com, accessed 10 July 2009