John Reading

John Reading (c. 1645–1692) was an English composer and organist. His son, also John Reading (c. 1685–1764), was another composer and organist, who is now remembered as an important music copyist.

Little of Reading's life is known. He was born in Lincoln, Lincolnshire, and became Master of the Choristers at Lincoln Cathedral in 1670, and in 1675 at Chichester Cathedral and at Winchester Cathedral. From 1681 until his death he was organist at Winchester College. Here he set the college's Latin graces to music as well as the school song Dulce domum. Several of his organ works were included in a collection which was completed by Daniel Roseingrave. He also composed songs, theatre music, and part of a set of responses (now in the Anglican church repertoire in a form completed by modern editors). He died in Winchester.

Birth and Death Data: Born Lincoln (cathedral city and county town of Lincolnshire, England, UK), Died 1692 (Winchester (city and unparished area within the larger City of Winchester, Hampshire, England) )

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1914 - 1954

Roles Represented in DAHR: composer

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BS-75719 10-in. 4/5/1933 Old black Joe Elsie Baker ; Myrtle C. Eaver ; Olive Kline ; Lambert Murphy ; Elliott Shaw Mixed vocal quartet, with piano composer  
Victor PBS-09060 10-in. 12/2/1936 O come, all ye faithful Homer Hall Glee Club Male vocal chorus, with electric organ, chimes, and symphonet composer  
Victor D7VB-1596 10-in. 8/27/1947 O come all ye faithful Dick Leibert Organ solo composer  
Columbia CO51499 10-in. 5/8/1954 O come, all ye faithful (adeste fideles) Chuck Wagon Gang Mixed vocal quartet, with guitar composer  
Edison 3327 10-in. 10/3/1914 O come, all ye faithful Metropolitan Quartet Male vocal quartet composer  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Reading, John," accessed December 26, 2025, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/112217.

Reading, John. (2025). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved December 26, 2025, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/112217.

"Reading, John." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2025. Web. 26 December 2025.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/112217

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