T. Frederick Candlyn

Thomas Frederick Handel Candlyn (17 December 1892 – 16 December 1964) was an English-born organist, composer and choirmaster who spent most of his professional career at two Episcopal Church congregations in New York.

Candlyn was born 17 December 1892, in Davenham, Cheshire, England, the son of Thomas John Candlin, an organist. From 1908 until 1910, he was assistant organist at St George's Minster, Doncaster and studied with the church's organist, Wilfrid Sanderson. Candlyn received the Bachelor of Music degree from Durham University in 1911.

During his years in Albany, Candlyn taught at the New York State College for Teachers, as instructor from 1921 until his appointment as assistant professor starting with the 1935–1936 school year. He served as chair of the music department beginning in 1924 and received an honorary doctorate of pedagogy (Pd.D.) from the college in June 1927. Candlyn edited the compilation The Songs of New York State College for Teachers, published by H.W. Gray Company in 1923. He founded the Albany Oratorio Society and conducted the Mendelssohn Club of Albany during its 1939-1940 and 1940-1941 seasons.

In 1943, Dr. Brooks (who had left Albany in 1926) offered Candlyn the position of organist and choirmaster at St. Thomas Episcopal Church, New York. He oversaw renovations to St. Thomas's organ in the 1940's. This work is partially documented in letters printed in Charles Callahan's The American Classic Organ: A History in Letters. Candlyn worked at St. Thomas until his retirement in 1954 due to increasingly poor eyesight.

After his retirement from St. Thomas, Candlyn was the organist and choirmaster at Trinity Church, Roslyn, (Long Island) New York.

Candlyn composed two hundred works, primarily anthems, cantatas, service settings and organ solos. Three of his anthems ("Christ, whose glory fills the skies," "Thee We Adore," and "King of Glory, King of Peace") remain part of the standard repertoire of Episcopal church choirs in North America. When he was appointed to St. Thomas in 1943, The Diapason, journal of the American Guild of Organists, wrote that he was "known to all church musicians for his compositions." His son, Sgt. Donald S. Candlyn, was killed 26 December 1944 in Luxembourg during World War II at the age of nineteen. He was posthumously awarded the Silver Star.

Candlyn died of lung cancer on 16 December 1964 in Point Lookout, New York on Long Island. He was survived by his wife and daughter.

He is buried at Long Island National Cemetery, East Farmingdale, New York.

Prizes Clemson Gold Medal for the anthem "O come, O come, Emmanuel", 1919 Strawbridge Clothier Prize, 1923 The Philadelphia Sesqui-Centennial International Exhibition (category A Capella Suite) for "The Historical Suite", 1925 The Audsley Memorial Medal of the National Association of Organists for "Sonata Dramatica", 1926 Guild of Organists Prize for the cantata "The Light of the World"