Joseph Marcus Ritchie

Joseph Marcus Ritchie (born 1946 in Elizabethton; †21 August 1989 in Washington, D.C. ) was an American organist, choirmaster and composer. He often shortened his name to "J. Marcus Ritchie."

Biography After graduating from Elizabethton High School in 1960, His principal organ teachers were Ruth Fuque Stout during high school, Harold G. Andrews at Greensboro College and Grigg T. Fountain at Northwestern University. He also underwent a five-week training in Boychoir techniques, repertory and choral conducting with Simon Preston at Christ Church College Oxford in 1972 St. Martin's Episcopal Church in Metairie, where he established a concert series entitled "Abendmusiken." He was dean of the American Guild of Organist' New Orleans Chapter through 1979, he was organist and choirmaster at the Episcopal Cathedral of St. Philip in Atlanta, Georgia. He initiated the Sunday Afternoon Organ Recital Series which preceded Evensong. In October 1976 he organized a Jehan Alain festival, featuring Marie-Claire Alain and John Obetz, among others He also managed the concert series for the Roman Catholic Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Atlanta Joseph Marcus Ritchie died of AIDS. His body was cremated and buried in the columbarium of St. Paul's Parish, K Street. A memorial fund was inaugurated, which enabled the Parish to offer several organ recitals in honor of its late organist, e.g., by John Obetz in 1992. Greensboro College, Ritchie's alma mater, named one of its endowments after him.

Ritchie was also active as a composer. The Hymnal 1982 of the Episcopal Church contains his 1976 setting of the canticle «The Third Song of Isaiah» (no. S-227). The music libraries of the Cathedral of St. Philip and St Paul's Parish, K Street hold scores of a set of Preces and Responses (1982), the anthem Born for this (1982), and the motet Jesu! Rex Admirabilis (1977, rev. 1987). In addition to this, Ritchie composed several Anglican chants, especially one for Psalm 98, which is used in various Episcopal parishes in the Anglo-Catholic tradition.

Writings Southern Cathedrals Festival. A Review. In: Music - the Journal of the A.G.O. and the R.C.C.O. 6 (1972), issue 11, p. 37. Aldeburgh Festival. A Review. In: Music - the Journal of the A.G.O. and the R.C.C.O. 6 (1972), issue 11, p. 38&56.