His early experience as a painter marked the studied composition of almost every frame of his greatest films

His early experience as a painter marked the studied composition of almost every frame of his greatest films. Just one year ago, Maurice Pialat declared, “I started too old, and finished too young.” His combative nature and fierce independence of spirit are typical of his fellow countrymen in the Puy-de-D? at the heart of the grim grandeur of the Monts du Forez. But his main contribution to the churches has been his unstinting support of new hymn writing at a time when the hymn itself has been in danger. He leaves a definitive collection of Fred Pratt Green’s hymns for publication in 2003.Braley wrote a number of hymns himself, and produced translations for The Galliard Book of Carols (1980). This ushered in a final stage of his work, to which he devoted much time after his retirement in 1987. In 2000 the trust published HymnQuest, in CD-Rom form (updated annually since), providing access to all the hymns current in Britain, both words and tunes. In particular he came to know Fred Pratt Green, with whom he worked to edit Partners in Praise (1979) and whose first collection of hymns he published in 1982, with a second in 1989.With Pratt Green searching for a way to use his increasing royalties, Braley assisted him to found the Pratt Green Trust in 1984, and became its secretary.

When this became too large to handle from home, Stainer & Bell produced Living Worship three times a year, which he edited with Michael Lehr up until 1974. Braley began to be in great demand all over the country to lead workshops on worship.From the appearance of the Methodist hymn supplement Hymns and Songs in 1969 it became clear that there was a new movement in the writing of hymns that were modern but in the great tradition of John Wesley and Isaac Watts Braley was enthusiastic in moving this forward. In 1969 he published In the Present Tense, the songs of Sydney Carter, author of “Lord of the Dance”.In 1969 the family moved to Finchley in north London, and Braley became a member of East Finchley Methodist Church. After his marriage to Joan Frost in 1949 they lived in Reigate, Surrey, where they tried every church, and joined the Methodists. The minister there had a liberal outlook that attracted Braley and he assisted with the young people and with drama. In 1954 he became a Methodist local preacher.The work with Galliard forced a move to Belton, Great Yarmouth, in 1966, and it was in collaboration with the Methodist minister at Gorleston, the Rev Kenneth Curtis, that Braley became involved in experimental worship and began, first privately with Belton Books, and then through Galliard, the publication of songs, hymns and worship material.

At school he rebelled against compulsory chapel, and the Cadet Corps. From 1950 he served the firm on an occasional basis and in 1958 he became company secretary, and was appointed to the board. From 1943 to 1965 he worked for the Crusader Insurance Company, training as an actuary, qualifying as a Chartered Secretary, and from the late 1950s being in charge of the very early introduction of computer technology.His family had been involved in the music publishers Stainer & Bell since 1912 As a child Bernard often spent Saturday mornings there. Bernard Braley, music publisher: born London 26 June 1924; married 1949 Joan Frost (one son, one daughter); died London 1 January 2003.