Born in Bristol, Oct 5, 1875
Died in Cambridge, March 18, 1938
- Cyril Bradley Rootham [ROO-tum] was an organist, teacher, and composer. He is best remembered as the organist and music director at St. John’s College, Cambridge, where he served from 1901 until his death in 1938. Rootham received a bachelor’s degree in music from the institution in 1900.
- Fun fact: Five generations of the Rootham family had connections with or have graduated from St. John’s College.
- Rootham spent more effort promoting the works of his fellow contemporary composers than his own.
- As conductor of the Cambridge University Musical Society, Rootham helped influence English musical tastes in the early 20th century. He revived the music of past composers, such as Handel, Mozart, and Purcell, and promoted works by contemporary non-English composers like Kodály, Honegger, and Pizzetti.1
Learn More
Bio via English Heritage Music Series
Sources
- Cyril Rootham (1875-1938) – Composer, accessed August 3, 2026, https://www.rootham.org/index.html.