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Title: Twelve Good Musicians
From John Bull to Henry Purcell
Author: Frederick Bridge
Release Date: June 7, 2012 [EBook #39935]
Language: English
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TWELVE GOOD MUSICIANS ***
Produced by Al Haines
[Frontispiece: DR. JOHN BULL. _From the painting in the Music School,
University of Oxford._]
TWELVE GOOD MUSICIANS
From JOHN BULL to HENRY PURCELL
BY
SIR FREDERICK BRIDGE
C.V.O., M.A., Mus.D.
King Edward Professor of Music in the University of London,
Gresham Professor, Emeritus-Organist of Westminster Abbey
LONDON:
KEGAN PAUL, TRENCH, TRUBNER & CO. LTD.
NEW YORK: E. P. DUTTON & CO.
1920
{v}
INTRODUCTORY
In the Preface of his admirable contribution to the _Oxford History of
Music_ (Vol. III.) the late Sir Hubert Parry writes: "The seventeenth
century is musically almost a blank, even to those who take more than
the average interest in the Art; and barely a score of composers' names
during the whole time suggest anything more than a mere reputation to
modern ears." Of course the distinguished author is speaking of the
musical world in general, not of our own country's music only. I am
inclined to think it is a little severe on us. I have always found
that great interest is taken in the 17th century music and musicians of
England.
Surely the century which began with the great Madrigal school at its
highest point, which saw the Masque at its best in Milton's _Comus_,
which witnessed the supersession of the viol by the violin, and which,
at the close, had to its credit the complete works of our greatest
composer, Henry Purcell, ought not to be in any sense "almost a blank,"
to English students at least.
But if our musical students will only read Volume III of the _Oxford
History_--so full of the author's admirable criticisms and so amply
{vi} illustrated by selections from the great composers of the
period--they will certainly form a high opinion of what was
accomplished then, and, having finished the volume, their minds will
assuredly not be a "blank."
To help to a useful view of what was done in our own country in the
17th century I took that period for my University Course in this
session 1919-1920, and for my subject Twelve Good Musicians from John
Bull to Henry Purcell. The substance of these lectures is given in the
following chapters.
For many biographical details and other matter I have availed myself of
the valuable articles in Grove's _Dictionary_ and in the _Dictionary of
National Biography_, which I beg to acknowledge.
To Mr Barclay Squire I am deeply indebted for much information. His
work in Musical History is most valuable, and deserves the best thanks
of all students.
To my brother, Professor J. C. Bridge, M.A., Mus.D., of Chester, and to
Mr Jeffrey Pulver and Dr Borland I am also grateful for many
interesting facts contained in these pages.
J. FREDERICK BRIDGE.
_The Cloisters, Westminster Abbey,_
_October_, 1920.
{vii}
CONTENTS
CHAP.
I. DR JOHN BULL, 1563 (?)--1628
II. WILLIAM BYRD, 1542-3--1623
III. THOMAS MORLEY, 1557--1603
IV. THOMAS WEELKES, 1575 (?)--1623
V. ORLANDO GIBBONS, 1583--1625
VI. RICHARD DEERING, 1580 (?)--1630
VII. JOHN MILTON, 1553--1646-7
VIII. HENRY LAWES, 1595--1662
IX. MATTHEW LOCKE, 1630 (?)--1677
X. PELHAM HUMFREY, 1647--1674
XI. DR JOHN BLOW, 1648--1708
XII. HENRY PURCELL, 1658--1695
{1}
Twelve Good Musicians
1. DR. JOHN BULL.
1563 (?)--1628.
There is, I venture to think, a fitness in the choice of the first
musician of the Twelve to be considered. John Bull is a name familiar
to Englishmen, though I do not know that the musician bearing that name
has anything to do with the historical and political personage whose
jovial portrait is so well known to us. But Dr. John Bull, was the
first to hold anything like a University Professorship in London--or
indeed in England. It is true Gresham College has not developed into a
University, but its founder, Sir Thomas Gresham, certainly seems to
have had such an end in view, and John Bull was the first Gresham Music
Lecturer. As his successor at Gresham College, and as I have the
honour to be the first Musical Professor in the University of London, I
think there is a {2} justification for beginning this course in the
University with a consideration of the old Gresham Professor. I must
premise that in selecting twelve good men I have by no means exhausted
the number of such men available, but I hope to have chosen good
representatives of the various Schools and movements in the musical
world of England in the 17th century. And, although necessarily
concentrating my attention on the selected twelve, yet, of course,
undoubtedly I shall make many references to their fellow-musicians both
in this country and abroad. But it is to our own men and our own music
in the 17th century that I shall direct my chief attention.
To begin then with the first of my twelve good musicians--the first
Gresham Professor of Music, Dr. John Bull. Born about 1563 of a
Somersetshire family, he became one of the Children of the Chapel Royal
(as will be seen, always a great nursery of young English Musicians),
his master being Blytheman who, we are told, "spared neither time nor
labour to advance his natural gifts."
Organist of Hereford Cathedral for a time, we find him in 1585 a member
of the Chapel Royal Choir--not then organist, a post to which he
attained a few years later, succeeding his old {3} master, Blytheman.
He was evidently determined to get on in his profession, for, besides
all these posts and varied activities, he found time in 1586 to take
the degree of Bachelor of Music at Oxford (it being stated he had
"practised the faculty of music for 14 years"), following this up with
a Doctor's degree--this time at Cambridge.
He appears to have met with a somewhat serious adventure at Tewkesbury,
in 1592, "being robbed in those parts." A Mr. W. Chelps, of Tewkesbury
showed him "rare kindness" and was rewarded, no doubt by Bull's
influence, with the post of a Gentleman Extraordinary in the Chapel
Royal.
In 1592 our indefatigable musician took another degree, that of Doctor
of Music at Oxford, the delay in taking it having been caused,
according to a contemporary writer, by his having met with "rigid
puritans there, that could not endure Church Music."
The next important step in his varied career was his appointment as
first Gresham Professor of Music. His lectures should have been given
in Latin, but he was allowed to deliver them in English. Unfortunately
there is no copy of his lectures to be found, but Mr. Barclay Squire in
an article on Bull in the Dictionary of National Biography, gives the
following title-page of {4} the first lecture which is all that
survives of it:
"_The oration of Master John Bull, Doctor of Music and one of the
Gentlemen of his Majestie's Royal Chapel, as he pronounced the same
before divers worshipful persons the Aldermen and Commoners of the
Citie of London, with a great multitude of other people the_ 6_th day
of October_ 1597,_ in the new erected College of Sir Thomas Gresham,
Knight, deceased: made in the Commemoration of the said worthy Founder,
and the excellent Science of Musicke._ (Imprinted at London by Thomas
Este)."
Although a great misfortune that the Lecture itself is not to be found;
it is interesting to learn the subject of the oration from the
title-page.
It would, however, have been more interesting to read the lecture
itself, if only to see what Bull said about Sir Thomas Gresham and to
know his views upon music in general. Of one thing we may be certain:
he must have given his audience a real treat by his Clavier
performance; for doubtless he obeyed the directions given in the
Founder's will--directions which are observed to this day. It was wise
on the part of Gresham to insist that the lectures should be adequately
illustrated: an audience gains {5} much from _hearing the examples_
which have been commented upon by the lecturer. The directions are:
"The solemn music lectures twice every week, in manner following,
viz: the theoretique part for one half hour or thereabouts, and the
practique by concert of voice or instruments for the rest of the
hour."
Bull has been credited with the composition of our National Anthem.
The matter has been investigated by many, but, so far, there seems no
proof of it. We know, however, that he was honoured by King James I,
as his name was amongst those to whom were given "gold chains, plates,
or medals."
He appears to have been admitted into the freedom of the Merchant
Taylors' Company in 1606, and in 1607 he played before the King and
Prince Henry when they dined at Merchant Taylors' Hall. According to
Stowe, "John Bull, Doctor of Music, one of the Organists of His
Majestie's Chapel Royal and free of the Merchant Taylors', being in a
citizen's goune, cappe and hood, played most excellent melodie upon a
small payre of Organs placed there for that purpose only."
The Musical arrangements for this great City Company's feast were on a
very elaborate scale. {6} Besides Bull's performance (which was
apparently for the King only, who dined alone in a separate chamber
"where Dr. Bull did play all dinner time"), the Singing Men and
Children of the Royal Chapel sang melodious songs, and some of the best
singers of the day sang songs by Coperario, from a ship which was
suspended in the great Hall. Besides all this the Choir of St Paul's
sang songs, the words of which were by Ben Jonson. The King must have
had a pretty good programme of music to listen to, unless he spent the
evening in his own room where he dined alone--with Dr Bull playing to
pass the time.
The numerous singers in the great Hall seem to have been rather a
trouble to the givers of the feast. Bull and Gyles, the master of the
Children of the Chapel Royal, who performed in the King's chamber, were
rewarded the next day by being admitted into the livery of the Company
as a recognition of their services at the entertainment, which are
stated to have been "gratis, whereas the musicians in the greate Hall
exacted unreasonable somes of the Company for the same."
During an absence abroad in 1601 his deputy at Gresham College was
Thomas Byrd, son of the composer W. Byrd. Bull's fame had so spread
{7} that he had many tempting offers to attach himself to the "French
and Spanish Courts," but he obeyed Queen Elizabeth's order to return to
England.
In 1607, on account of a desire to marry, he relinquished the Gresham
post, celibacy being one of the conditions of the appointment. The
lady of his choice was "Elizabeth Walter of the Strand, maiden, aged
about 24, daughter of Walter, citizen of London."
Nothing much is chronicled of him for the next four years, but in 1611
his name heads the list of the Prince of Wales' musicians at a salary
of £40 a year, and another mention is made of him in connection with
Princess Elizabeth's marriage, on which occasion (Feb. 14th, 1613) a
benediction, _God the Father, God the Son_, was sung to an anthem "made
new for that purpose by Dr. Bull."
We now come to the mysterious portion of Bull's life which culminated
in his flight from England. The first hint is suggested by the
following letter from Bull to Sir M. Hicks, secretary to the Earl of
Salisbury:
"Sir,
I have bin many times to have spoken with you, to desire your favor
to my Lord and Mr. Chancellor, to graunte me theire favors to
chaunge my name, and put in my childes, leaving out my {8} owne.
It is but £40 by yeare for my service heretofore, the matter is not
great, yet it will be some reliefe for my poor childe, having
nothing ells to leave it."
The letter proceeds to mention some others whose interest had been
moved, and is written in a tone of great humiliation. Was it an
instance of coming events casting their shadows before? The following
entry in the Chapel Royal cheque-book rather supports the supposition:
"John Bull, Doctor of Music, went beyond the seas without licence,
and was admitted into the Archduke's Service, and entered into paie
there about Michaelmas."
Peter Hopkins filled his place, and his quarter's salary, Michaelmas to
Christmas, was divided amongst members of the Royal Chapel.
His departure created some sensation, as it is said he "was so much
admired for his dexterous hand on the Organ, that many thought there
was more than man in him." Wood puts it down to his "being possessed
with crotchets, as many musicians are." A letter, however, from the
British Minister at Brussels to King James I, puts a rather different
complexion on it. It would appear that the Minister had been charged
by James I, to express his displeasure at the Archduke's want of
courtesy in engaging Bull, {9} and in the letter announcing the
fulfilment of his mission the Minister says:
"And I told him plainly, that it was notorious to all the world,
the said Bull did not leave your Majesty's Service for any wrong
done unto him or for matter of Religion, under which fained pretext
he sought to wrong the reputation of your Majesty's justice, but
did in that dishonest manner steal out of England through the guilt
of a corrupt conscience to escape punishment which notoriously he
had deserved and was designed to have been inflicted on him by the
hand of justice for his ..... grievous crimes."
It will be noticed the writer scoffs at Bull's religious sensitiveness,
but there is no doubt he was, like Byrd, a Papist at heart.
In 1617 he succeeded Waelrant at Antwerp Cathedral, dying in that city
on the 12th or 13th of March, 1628, and being buried in the Cathedral.
Bull was evidently well thought of by his Antwerp friends, and
Sweelinck, the great Dutch organist, included a Canon by Bull in his
work on Composition. Bull returned the compliment by writing a
Fantasia on a Fugue by Sweelinck.
Bull is most favourably known as a composer for the Virginals. Many
fine examples are to be found in the _Fitzwilliam Virginal Book_, and
his powers as performer must have been very great, judging from his
compositions. He joined Byrd and Gibbons in contributing to the
celebrated {10} collection _Parthenia_ ("the first music for the
Virginals ever published in England.") There are examples of his
Church Music in Boyce's Cathedral Music (1760), but, like many other
specimens contained in that valuable and well-known collection, these
compositions of Bull do not seem to me to be the best examples of his
powers. A really beautiful little motet contained in Sir William
Leighton's _Teares and Lamentations of a Sorrowful Soule_ (1614)
entitled _In the Departure of the Lord_ gives me a very high opinion of
his Church Music. It is for four voices and full of beautiful harmony
and expressive modulation. Indeed, I think it compares favourably with
much of the kind written by contemporary musicians.
I hope to be able to edit it, with other specimens of Bull's sacred
music, in the early future.
A portrait exists in the University of Oxford, and round it is written
"The Bull by force in field doth rayne
But Bull by skill good-will doth gaine."
A copy of this portrait is prefixed to this book.
{11}
II. WILLIAM BYRD
1542 or 3--1623
A great contemporary of John Bull comes next for consideration.
William Byrd is certainly one of the most distinguished of the
remarkable company of English composers living in the early years of
the 17th century. Curiously enough, he was not included amongst the
contributors to _The Triumphs of Oriana_. There may be a reason, of
which more anon. Anthony Wood tells us "he was bred up to musick under
Thomas Tallis," and the eminent Church musician was god-father to
Byrd's son Thomas. Byrd was also Tallis' executor. In early life the
subject of my Lecture was Organist of Lincoln, in which city he was
married on the 14th of September, 1568. His eldest son was born at
Lincoln in 1569, and a daughter in 1571-2. This proves he did not at
once come to London on his appointment to the Chapel Royal. This was
in 1569, when he succeeded Robert Parsons as Gentleman of the Chapel
Royal, the said Robert Parsons having been drowned at Newark in January
of that year. It seems probable that Byrd kept up some kind of
connection with {12} Lincoln for some time after his appointment to the
Chapel Royal, for an entry in the Chapter Records of Lincoln mentions
the appointment of Thomas Butler as Organist and Master of the
Choristers on the "nomination and commendation of Mr William Byrd." In
London he shared with his old master, Tallis, the post of Organist of
the Royal Chapel and he also enjoyed with him a privilege of a more
profitable nature, which was no less than a patent, granted by Queen
Elizabeth to print and sell music, English or foreign, and to rule,
print and sell music paper for twenty-one years, and all other printers
were forbidden to infringe this license under penalty of forty
shillings. A petition from some printers, having reference to this
license, shows it was not altogether a popular privilege. The
complainants say: "Byrd and Tallys, her Majesty's Servants, have
musicke bokes with note, _which the Complainants confess they would not
print_, nor be furnished to print, tho' there were no privilege." I
think this may be regarded as a little specimen of professional
jealousy.
Whether the privilege was a great financial benefit to the two old
Masters one cannot say, but, anyhow, it was of great advantage in one
way, and that was the opportunity it gave of printing and publishing
their own works, and {13} Byrd was not slow in taking advantage of it.
In 1575 appeared his first published work, as a set of "Cantiones" in
4, 5, and 6 parts. Some of the compositions were by Tallis and some by
Byrd, and they are fine and dignified specimens of both composers. One
by Tallis in particular is a beautiful example of his treatment of a
Chorale, the parts flowing in charming melody and the whole work
abounding in interesting and clever "imitation." I have been able to
publish this fine example of early Church music, and it has been well
received "in Quires and places where they sing." With the exception of
"If ye love me" I do not know any anthem by Tallis which compares with
it in solemn and chaste expression. It shows Byrd's old master--one of
the founders of our Cathedral music--at his very best.
On the death of Tallis 1585, the patent was enjoyed by Byrd alone, and
he made very good use of it. One of his first publications was
entitled _Psalmes, Sonets, and Songs of sadness and pietie, made into
musicke of_ 5 _parts; whereof some of them going abroad among divers,
in untrue coppies, are heere truely corrected, and the other being
Songs very rare and newly composed, are heere published, for the
recreation of all such as delight in Musicke_ (1588).
{14}
At the back of the title-page of this work are the following "Eight
Reasons briefly set down by the Author to perswade every one to learn
to sing:"
1. First it is a knowledge easily taught and quickly learned where
there is a good Master and an apt Scholar.
2. The exercise of singing is delightful to Nature, and good to
preserve the health of Man.
3. It doth strengthen all parts of the breast and doth open the
pipes.
4. It is a singular good remedy for Stutting[1] and Stammering in
the speech.
5. It is the best means to procure a perfect pronunciation, and to
make a good Orator.
6. It is the only way to know where Nature hath bestowed the
benefit of a good voice, which gift is so rare, as there is not one
among a thousand that hath it, and in many that excellent gift is
lost, because they want Art to express Nature.
7. There is not any Musicke of Instruments whatsoever comparable to
that which is made of the voices of Men, where the voices are good
and the same well sorted and ordered.
8. The better the voice is the meeter it is to honour and serve God
therewith, and the voice of man is Chiefly to be imployed to that
End."
To the above is added the following couplet:
Since Singing is so good a thing
I wish all men would learne to sing.
In the same year appeared a work which was {15} destined to wield
tremendous influence upon English Musical Art. This was a collection
of Madrigals called _Musica Transalpina_. _Madrigals translated out
of_ 4, 5, _and_ 6 _parts, chosen out of divers excellent Authors, with
the first and second parts of La Virginella made by MAISTER BYRD upon
two stanzas of Ariosto and brought to speak English with the rest_.
The inclusion of his name in this connection gives Byrd the claim to be
considered one of the first, if not the first, of English Madrigal
writers. And the fact that he contributed to this work may have
possibly been the cause of the absence of his name from the collection
made by Morley--which, of course, was an imitation of the publication
which had appeared some twelve years before. This is merely a
supposition, but there must be some reason for the exclusion of such a
distinguished composer, and one already famous as a Madrigal writer.
It is the more remarkable from the fact that Morley spoke of Byrd with
the greatest respect and even affection.[2]
Two years later he wrote two settings of _This sweet and merry month of
May_ for Watson's _First sett of Italian Madrigals Englished_. Among
his other vocal compositions are _Psalms, Songs {16} and Sonets, some
solemne, other joyfull framed to the life of the words_. _Fit for
voyces or viols_. He also was a contributor to Leighton's _Teares and
Lamentations of a Sorrowful Soul_, the work in which Bull's beautiful
Motet appears. One of his works he dedicated to the Earl of
Northampton, and the dedication infers that not only had Byrd reason to
be grateful to that nobleman, but so also had the Gentlemen of the
Chapel Royal, as he seems to have been the means of securing an
increase in their salaries. Of course many of Byrd's works were not
published, and this is particularly the case with his compositions for
the Virginals. Many are in the _Fitzwilliam Virginal Book_[3] and also
in _Lady Nevill's Booke_, which is a collection of Virginal Lessons,
copied by a singing Man of Windsor named John Baldwin. Before leaving
Byrd's professional life it is interesting to note his connection with
another musical worthy contemporary, Alfonso Ferabosco; a joint
publication of theirs will show this. It was entitled _Medulla
Musicke, sucked out of the sappe of Two of the most famous Musicians
that ever lived, Master William Byrd and Master Alfonso Ferabosco,
Either of whom having made 40 severall ways (without contention)
shewing most rare and {17} intricate skill in 2 parts in one upon the
Plaine Song Miserere_. This work was most probably the outcome of a
"friendly contention" which they had "each one judging his rival's
work, they both set plaine song 40 different ways."
In private life Byrd's religious feelings made his career rather an
anxious one; like many others on the Chapel Royal Staff, though
outwardly Protestant, he was probably a Roman Catholic. It was known
that the Byrd family were "Papisticall recusants"; as early as 1581 he
is mentioned as living at one of the places frequented by recusants,
and is also set down as "a friend and abettor of those beyond the Sea,
and is said to be living with Mr. Lister over against St Dunstans or at
the Lord Padgettes house at Draighton." It is a noticeable thing that
though his duties called him to the Chapel Royal, he lived nearly the
whole of his life out of London. At one place, Stondon, Essex, he had
some sequestrated property granted to him for three lives, but had a
good deal of dispute with the previous owners, which went so far as to
necessitate the King's intervention. In a law-suit in connection with
it "one Petiver submitted the said Byrd did give him vile and bitter
words," that when told he had no right to the property replied that "yf
he could not hould it by right {18} he would hould it by might." Byrd
lived a long life, and died on July 4, 1623.
The exact entry recording this fact in the Chapel Royal Cheque Book
runs "1623, William Byrd, a Father of Musick, died the 4th of July, and
John Croker, a Counter Tenor of Westminster, was admitted for a year of
probation of his good behaviour and civill carriage."
Mr Barclay Squire has discovered much of interest concerning Byrd,
notably his Will. In this he expresses a hope that he "may live and
dye a true and perfect member of God's holy Catholic Church, (without
which I believe there is no salvation for me). My body to be
honourably buried in that parish or place where it shall please God to
take me oute of this life, which I humbly desyre (if it shall please
God) may be in the parish of Stondon where my dwellinge is, and this to
be buried neare unto the place where my wife lyeth buryed."
Of late years much attention has been devoted to Byrd's sacred music,
which includes some remarkably fine Masses, some of which have been
reprinted and used in the Roman Catholic Church. But Byrd has never
been forgotten in the Cathedrals of England, for his Anthem _Bow Thine
ear_ has always found a place in the lists of the daily musical
services. There is, also, a fine {19} specimen of his composition in
the volume of Cathedral music published by Dr. Hayes. It has English
words, and for a long time appeared in the Abbey list as by Hayes, but
it was identified as one of Byrd's Latin motets, and now is ascribed to
the rightful owner.
An interesting specimen of his Clavier compositions is to be found in
the Fitzwilliam volume being an arrangement of the air _O Mistress
Mine_. This is one of the few pieces of Shakesperean music which was
published in the Poet's life-time. It is charmingly treated by Byrd.
The same air appeared in a work by Morley, an arrangement of various
airs for a small Band consisting of the Treble Viol, Flute, Cittern,
Pandora, Lute, and Bass Viol. It seems probable that this air was a
popular tune and that Shakespeare wrote words to it, or possibly (as he
did in _Willo! Willo!_) took the old words which were set to the melody
and incorporated them in his play.
A contemporary opinion of Byrd can be gathered from Peacham's estimate
of him in the _Compleat Gentleman_. Writing in 1622, he says: "In
Motets and Musicks of piety and devotion, as well for the honour of our
nation as the merit of the man, I preferre above all other our Phoenix,
Mr. Wm. Byrd, whom, in that kind, I know not whether any may equall, I
am sure none excell, {20} even by the judgment of France and Italy.
His _Cantiones Sacrae_ and also his _Gradualia_ are meere Angelicall
and Divine and being himself naturally disposed to gravity and piety,
his veine is not so much for light Madrigals and Canzonets, yet his
Virginella and some others in his first set cannot be mended by the
best Italian of them all." And Morley speaks of him as "my loving
master, never without reuerence to be named of Musicians."
His name has always been associated with the Canon _Non nobis Domine_,
but it would be very difficult to establish his claim to the authorship.
Altogether the old musician has a remarkable list of varied
compositions to his credit. Besides those already mentioned he wrote
some excellent _Fancies_ and _In Nomines_ for strings, making a real
advance upon the somewhat stilted specimens of Instrumental Music then
in vogue, and helping to free the Instrumental form of composition from
the vocal. _Fancies_ and _In Nomines_ I shall speak of in detail in a
later lecture.
William Byrd had a long and honourable career and contributed in a
remarkable degree to the development of the Art of Music in England in
the 17th century. There is much truth in Peacham's verdict that his
music "cannot be mended by the best Italian of them all."
[1] _i.e._, stuttering; originally _stot_, from the German _stottern_.
To "stut" is still used in Cheshire dialect, (_v._ Wilbraham's
_Glossary of Cheshire Words_.)
[2] It may have been because he was a Roman Catholic and his name would
not have been welcome to Elizabeth.
[3] Now published. Edited by Mr. Fuller Maitland and Mr. Barclay
Squire.
{21}
III. THOMAS MORLEY.
1557--1603
The next of our twelve musicians in chronological order of birth is
Thomas Morley, born in 1557, when Byrd was a young man, though his
course was run long before that veteran had finished with the affairs
of this world. He was a pupil of Byrd, and was probably a chorister of
St Paul's Cathedral. In 1588 he graduated B.Mus. at Oxford, and some
three years later was appointed Organist of St Paul's. This position
he did, however, not hold long, as in 1592, he was appointed a
Gentleman of the Chapel Royal. In 1598 he was granted the licence,
which had previously been held by Tallis and Byrd, for the exclusive
right of printing and selling Books of Music and Ruled Paper, and many
of the musical works which were published at that time were issued by
Este, Peter Short, William Barley, and others, as the assigns of Thomas
Morley. In 1602 he resigned his positions at the Chapel Royal,
probably from ill-health, as one gathers {22} from the Introduction to
his _Plaine and Easie Introduction to Practical Music_ that he was
rather a confirmed invalid. Some have taken the year of his
resignation as that of his death, but there is nothing to support this,
and though Hawkins and Burney are at one in placing his death in 1604,
the correct date is 1603.
Details of Morley's life are scanty, by his works we must know him.
His compositions are both vocal and instrumental, sacred and secular;
and, in addition to his work in the various branches of composition,
much of his fame rests upon his authorship of the first really
satisfactory treatise on music, _The Plaine and Easie Introduction_
already referred to.
This work is full of interest, and has been a book of reference and of
valuable information to musicians for the past three centuries.
Written in the form of a dialogue between Master and Pupil, it contains
many quaint discourses, and it is in the early chapters of this work
that the story is told of the unfortunate gentleman who could not read
music at sight when asked to do so by his hostess, with the humiliating
result that the company wondered "where he had been brought up."
Morley's book was translated into German by I. C. Frost, Organist of St
Martin's, Halberstadt. {23} It is interesting to observe that more
than one of his works was translated into German (e.g., the _Canzonets
or Little Short Songs to Three Voyces_, published here first in 1593,
was translated into German and issued at Cassel in 1612 and at Rostock
in 1624; and the _Ballets for Five Voyces_ of 1595 was issued at
Nuremberg in 1609).
This is a striking testimony to his merits, but the most celebrated of
his publications was the great edition of Madrigals called _The
Triumphs of Oriana_. This is said to have been compiled as a tribute
to Queen Elizabeth, whose title of "Gloriana" is well known. In this
portly volume he includes no fewer than twenty-six Madrigals,
contributed by many of the most famous living English composers. The
work helped to make the practice of Madrigal-singing very popular in
England, and to this day its influence is great and few programmes of
Madrigal-music are ever issued without some specimen taken from this
splendid collection.
And it is to Morley we owe a delightful contemporary setting of words
by Shakespeare--the beautiful Lyric "It was a lover and his lass" from
_As You Like It_. This is one of the very few things which we
possess--with the words by Shakespeare and the music by a contemporary
{24} musician. Unfortunately, the charming song has been often sadly
mutilated by editors, sometimes by the introduction of unwarranted
"accidentals" and also by actual curtailment. I have, however, had the
opportunity of referring to one of the few copies in existence of the
original publication (formerly in the Halliwell-Phillip's collection),
and have so been enabled to issue it in its correct form. Various
attempts have been made to arrange it as a duet, on the ground that it
was sung in the play by "two pages." The dialogue which precedes the
song is very amusing and rather suggests that Shakespeare had some
little experience of the peculiar weaknesses of singers, both amateur
and professional. The following is the little episode in question:
_Enter Two Pages._
1st Page: Well met, honest gentleman.
Touchstone: By my troth, well met. Come sit, sit and a song.
2nd Page: We are for you: sit i' the middle.
1st Page: Shall we clap into't roundly, without
hawking or spitting or saying we are
hoarse; which are the only prologues
to a bad voice?
2nd Page: I'faith, i'faith; and both in a tune,
like two gipsies on a horse.
_As You Like It_, Act V., scene 3.
The words "two gipsies on a horse" have been {25} taken to suggest that
as the two gipsies must have ridden one behind the other, the two pages
should sing, not in unison, but one after the other. Hence the effort
to arrange the music in Canon, as it is termed. But there is no
warrant for this; neither will the song admit of it.[1]
With respect to his Instrumental writing, in addition to many examples
for the Virginals, he wrote for combined instruments, as will be seen
later. Much of his Virginal-music is contained in the _Fitzwilliam
Collection_, and in Will Forster's _Virginal Book_ in Buckingham
Palace. For combined instruments may be mentioned the seven Fantasias,
and there is also a collection called _First Book of Consort Lessons
for Six Instruments, Lute, Pandora, Cittern, Bass Viol, Flute and
Treble Viol_. Writing on this collection Dr Burney does not take a
very high estimate of its musical value: "they seem to have been
intended for Civic Feasts" (he says), "and Master Morley, supposing
perhaps that {26} the harmony which was to be heard through the
clattering of knives, forks, spoons, and plates, with the jingling of
glasses and clamorous conversation of a City feast, need not be very
accurate or refined, was not very nice in setting parts to these tunes,
which are so far from correct that almost any one of the City Waits
would have vamped as good an accompaniment on the spot."
I question if Dr Burney is justified in this scathing criticism. I do
not suppose he ever heard them performed, for the good reason that
there is no complete set of parts to be found, and there is no record
of any such being in existence in his time. A few years ago I did my
best to get these little "Band tunes" performed, but at first only the
Viol and Flute parts could be found. Later on I was fortunate enough
to discover a Cittern part in the Bodleian Library, and, later still, a
part for the Pandora has been found in the Christ Church Library. We
still want the parts for Lute and Bass Viol, but with these four we get
a very good representation of the original, and at the Exhibition
initiated by the Worshipful Company of Musicians we had one of these
little tunes played by the six instruments, under the direction of the
Rev. W. Galpin. We had to supply parts for Lute and Bass Viol, but as
we had the original Harmony supplied {27} by the Flute (i.e. a small
Recorder), which was an inner part, and by the Cittern and
Pandora--both of which played Chords--we could not go far wrong. The
effect was both interesting and charming, and altogether discounted
Burney's unreliable criticism. It would be a great delight to all
lovers of this early music if the two missing parts could be found, but
I fear we shall hunt in vain.
His Sacred works include two Services and an Anthem, which was
published in Barnard's collection, and a setting of the Burial Service,
which appears in Boyce's collection. There are also examples, in MS.
amongst the Harleian MSS., in the Christ Church Library at Oxford, and
the Fitzwilliam and Peterhouse Libraries at Cambridge. A curious
thing, rather, in connection with his Sacred works is, that, unlike his
secular compositions, none was published during his lifetime.
His style was not so broad as that of Tallis or so noble as that of
Byrd, but he had a great influence upon the art. His own compositions
include examples of his talent in many directions. As a theoretical
writer he is really distinguished above his contemporaries, and
contributed to the stores of Sacred, Secular, and Instrumental music,
besides writing for the stage.
{28}
Morley's early death was a real loss to English music, and he was
mourned by all his contemporaries. One of the most touching
testimonies is a beautiful _Lament for Six Voices_ by Thomas Weelkes,
himself a distinguished composer, whom we shall consider later. The
words are as follows:
A remembrance of my friend Mr. Thomas Morley.
Death hath deprived me of my dearest friend,
My dearest friend is dead and laid in grave,
In grave he rests until the world shall end,
The world shall end, as end must all things have.
All things must have an end that nature wrought
That nature wrought must unto dust be brought.
Another poetical testimony to Morley was written in his life-time, and
may be given here. It is supposed to be by Michael Drayton:
Such was old Orpheus' cunning,
That senseless things drew near him;
And herds of beasts to hear him.
The stock, the stone, the ox, the ass came running.
Morley! but this enchanting
To thee, to be the music god, is wanting;
And yet thou needst not fear him.
Draw thou the shepherds still, and bonny lasses,
And envy him not stocks, stones, oxen, asses.
[1] Mr Arkwright gives us an interesting bit of information in
connection with Morley and Shakespeare. "Morley lived in St Peter's,
Bishopsgate, between 1596 and 1601, and his name appears in two _Rolls
of Assessments for Subsidies_. In the earlier of these documents is
the name of William Shakespeare, his goods being valued at the same
amount as Morley's. He and Shakespeare both appealed against the
assessment, and it may be supposed some amount of personal intercourse
existed between them."
{29}
IV. THOMAS WEELKES
1575?--1623
In the previous Lecture I have mentioned Thomas Weelkes, and now turn
for a short space to this distinguished composer. As I have said
before, I do not profess to include all the great English musicians of
the 17th century in this short series of Lectures, and Weelkes is
selected, not only as being greatly superior to many others, but
because he has given us something original in the shape of combined
Instrumental and Vocal work, in addition to his valuable contributions
to the Madrigal School. Of this I must speak later. As a
Madrigal-writer he is notable as one of the "glorious company" of
contributors to _The Triumphs of Oriana_. Although little of his
Church music is published, yet as Organist of Chichester Cathedral and,
as a member of the Choir of the Chapel Royal, he was an experienced
Church musician. He left many Anthems, which are preserved in MS. in
various Libraries; and he contributed {30} two pieces to Leighton's
_Teares and Lamentations of a Sorrowful Soul_. In his _Fancies for
Strings_ he displays a very fertile imagination. I have had some of
his _Fancies_ performed at my various Lectures, and have found them
remarkable for melodic interest and very advanced as regards Harmony.
His instrumental writing is surprising; and, when one compares his
Fancies with those by Orlando Gibbons, one is astonished at the novelty
of his ideas. As will be seen later I shall have much to say in
connection with Gibbons, Deering, and Purcell in regard to the Fancy.
But I may as well at once explain that this was the form which was
supreme in the early days of the 17th century as a vehicle for
Instrumental writing. An enormous number of these compositions exist,
and it was not until Purcell's time that the Fancy disappeared--being
supplanted by the Sonatas for three strings and a Basso Continuo. It
was a form which helped on the progress of writing for Instruments in a
wonderful way. "Apt for Voices and Viols" was the usual title-page
which composers loved. But, when the Fancy developed, the writing was
far too elaborate to be "apt for voices," and so we get the independent
instrumental Fancy. It was, as a rule, a work of some considerable
length, and, while full of variety, it was lacking in {31} any real
development. The composer indulged his "Fancy," and wandered from
point to point at his own sweet will.
It was with the Fancy that Weelkes made an early experiment of adding a
vocal part quite independent of the strings. And he took for his vocal
part the popular series of "Cryes" which were then common to the
streets of London. He did not, as has so often been wrongly stated,
"set the Cryes of London to music," but he took the words and the music
of these old and very interesting things and added the vocal part to
what was a real Fancy for strings. It is said Morley did the same
thing, but I have, so far, failed to find any example of it.
Ravenscroft took many of these same old Cryes and worked them up as
Rounds, and Campion introduced _Cherry Ripe_ into a charming song
"There is a Garden in her face" in 1617; but the _Humorous Fancy_ by
Weelkes is, so far as I can see at present, the earliest of this kind
of work. Later, in connection with Gibbons and Deering, I shall have
much to say on this subject, as these composers also wrote _Humorous
Fancies_, the vocal parts being the same old Cryes of London but
treated in a more elaborate manner.
Weelkes' example is very charming, and although his string parts are
somewhat stilted, {32} yet there is always life in them. He makes one
point which shows he was not altogether able to forget his Madrigals
and Ballets. Like the latter, the _Fancy_ at one point leaves its
regular course, and for a few bars a delightful Dance tune is
introduced, to the words--whatever they mean--"Twincledowne Tavye." It
is as if the vendors of fish, fruit and vegetables met in the street
and had a bit of a frolic together. The Fancy is resumed with the
Cryes of the Chimney Sweep, Bellows-Mender etc., and later on a
beautiful song for the seller of "Broome" is introduced. The words of
this song date back before Weelkes, being found with slight variation
in an old play called _Three Ladies of London_, 1584. They are sung by
a character named "Conscience" who enters with brooms, and sings the
song.
No doubt the tune given by Weelkes is the original one.
The conclusion of this Fancy is very charming and rather like an Anthem:
Then let us sing
And so we will make an end
With Alleluia.
There are two MSS. of this work in the British Museum. I have followed
the shorter version, {33} as the longer is not only rather dull and
prolonged but includes a little deviation into vulgarity, and so is
hardly suitable for modern ears. The "Alleluia" occurs in the longer
MS. and I have included it in my version.
It is fortunate that there are two sets of parts, as neither of them is
complete. But having been so fortunate as to find these two sets I
have been able to restore the missing part.
The discovery of this Fancy is the reason why I select Weelkes instead
of Wilbye, one of his great contemporaries, and I think all lovers of
Shakespeare will be glad to make acquaintance with the music of the
_Cryes of London_ which saluted the Poet's ears in his daily walks.
Weelkes paid a loving tribute to "his dearest friend" Morley, on the
latter's death. The date of Weelkes' death (1623) and other
particulars have been brought to light by the investigations of the
Rev. Dr. Fellowes, whose devotion to the madrigal school is so well
known and appreciated. His paper on Weelkes (Musical Association, May,
1916) is an eloquent testimony to the worth of this composer, to whose
madrigal writing I have not space quite to do justice. The _Humorous
Fancy_, however, shows him in a new and interesting light.
{34}
V. ORLANDO GIBBONS
1583--1625
Orlando Gibbons is certainly the most outstanding name of the English
musicians in the early part of the 17th century. A good deal of this
is, no doubt, due to the fact that his contributions to Sacred Music
have been one of the great possessions of our Cathedral School, and
their presence in service lists has been--and I venture to hope will
always be--a constant tribute to their excellence.
Gibbons' upbringing was, of course, such as turned his mind naturally,
though by no means exclusively, to Church Music.
He was the son of one of the City waifs of Cambridge, William Gibbons,
and was born in 1583. Placed in the Choir of King's College, he is
mentioned amongst the Choristers during the years 1596-97; at which
time his elder brother, Edward Gibbons, was Organist of the College.
It might be noted in passing that this Edward Gibbons was himself a
B.Mus. of both {35} Universities; and, after occupying an appointment
at Bristol at the beginning of the 17th century, was, later, organist
and Priest Vicar at Exeter Cathedral, where he had to answer a charge
of neglecting his duties; this, however, he managed to do successfully.
He died about 1653.
To return to Orlando. There are some interesting entries in the
College Records of 1601, 1602, and 1603, of sums of from 2s. to 2s. 6d.
paid to Gibbons--or Gibbins, as it is there spelt--for music composed
"_in festo Dominae Reginae_," and also in the two latter years for
music for the Purification. No Christian name is given, but there is
little doubt it was Orlando Gibbons. He was placed in an important and
honourable appointment at an early age, for in 1604 he became Organist
of the Chapel Royal, and in 1606 took his bachelor's degree at
Cambridge.
In 1611 his name appears as an associate with Byrd and Bull in a work
called _Parthenia_, a collection of pieces for the Virginals of which I
shall speak later on.
We do not hear much more of him until 1612, with the exception of a
mention in the State Papers of that period, wherein we find a petition
in 1611 to the Earl of Salisbury "for a lease in reversion of forty
marks per annum of Duchy {36} lands, without fine, as promised him by
the Queen." The year 1612 sees the publication of his _First sett of
Madrigals and Mottets of_ 5 _parts, apt for viols or voyces_. _Newly
composed by ORLANDO GIBBONS, Batchelor of Music, Organist of H. M.
Chapel in Ordinary_. The work is dedicated to Sir Christopher Hatton,
and the dedication runs thus: "They were most of them composed in your
owne house and doe therefore properly belong to you. The language you
provided them, I only furnished them with tongues to utter the same."
It is thought from this that Sir C. Hatton wrote the words, as Gibbons
was on terms of close intimacy with him. Another proof of this is
shown by a piece in Ben Coszyn's _Virginal Book_, where Gibbons is
represented by a "Hatten's" Galliard. The collection, _Madrigals and
Mottets_, is rather misleading as to title, for there is not one Motet
in it, though there are thirteen Madrigals, some divided into 2, 3 and
4 sections, each as long as an ordinary Madrigal. One of the 'sett' is
_The Silver Swan_.
It has been stated that besides the published Madrigals, no secular or
vocal compositions exist in MS. except a kind of _Burlesque Madrigal_
called _The Cryes of London for_ 6 _voices_.
This statement is altogether incorrect. To {37} mention one, a song,
_A Soldier's Farewell to his Mistress_ ("My love, adieu") is in
existence, and I have often had it performed. And the statement about
the _Burlesque Madrigal_ is truly absurd. It is curious that the
musical historians have, as in Burney's case, either neglected to
notice the existence of the work on the Cryes of London, or have, quite
incorrectly, called it a Madrigal. It is a particularly interesting
form of composition. Like Weelkes' _Humourous Fancy_, it has parts for
Viols and a superimposed vocal score for S.A.T.B. (not 6 voices)
consisting of the Old Cryes of London. But it differs in one respect
from Weelkes', for it is an "In Nomine" for strings. This is an older
form of the Fancy, and has the peculiarity of one part for the Viol--an
inner part--being allotted a well-known old ecclesiastical melody.
This Plainsong melody is to be found in the _Sarum Missal_ to the words
"_Gloria Tibi Trinitas_," and, curiously enough, the same Plainsong is
used by many composers of "_In Nomines_," Byrd and Ferabosco amongst
others. But this is the only example I have come across where a sacred
melody is introduced in connection with secular, and, in the case of
Cryes, somewhat humourous words. Examples of the introduction of
secular tunes into the sacred works by {38} composers of the Italian
school of the 16th century are, of course, very common. This is a
curious reversal of the custom, i.e. the introduction of a sacred tune
into a secular vocal work. It says much for Gibbons' skill that he is
able to write very effective and flowing Viol parts and to introduce so
many examples of the old Cryes, quite untrammelled by the Plainsong
persistently played by one of the Viols. The copy from which this
interesting work is taken is a MS. written by Thomas Myriell in 1616,
so the Fancy was composed before that date. The copyist who preserved
this work for us was the Rector of St Stephen's, Wallbrook, the church
adjoining the Mansion House. Between 1612 and 1622 must have been
published the best known Fantasies by Gibbons, for the collection is
dedicated to Edward Wray as one of the Grooms of the Bedchamber, and
Wray was dismissed in 1622. _Fantasies of Three parts composed by
Orlando Gibbons, Batchelor of Musick, and late organist to His M.
Chapel Royal in Ordinary_. Cut in Copper, the like not here-to-fore
Extant. The word "late" is rather surprising, when he is not recorded
to have resigned his position at the Chapel Royal. He was appointed
Organist of Westminster Abbey in 1623.
{39}
These Fantasies were published by The Musical Antiquarian Society in
1843; and in some respects this publication has been the cause of a
good deal of ignorance as to the real progress which Instrumental music
made in the early years of the 17th century. They are undoubtedly
somewhat dull when placed by the side of Fancies by Byrd and others.
No doubt the veneration for Gibbons and the rightful appreciation of
his fine Cathedral music made the members of the old and valuable
Musical Antiquarian Society more ready to edit his Fancies than to
select from less eminent Church writers. But one cannot have much
respect for Burney's judgment when he pronounces Orlando Gibbons to
have been "utterly contemptible in his productions for instruments."
He must be judged alongside of other 16th century composers; for,
although he indeed lived through the first quarter of the _seventeenth_
century, his instrumental music is characteristic of the _sixteenth_.
In common with other composers of his day, Gibbons shows in his Clavier
works an earlier and more successful attempt at a true Instrumental
style than he does in his music for Strings. The Viols were later in
forsaking the vocal polyphonic style than the keyed {40} instruments,
simply because the vocal style suited the bowed instruments so much
better than the Clavier. So we find composers for the Clavier
borrowing the rhythmic features of folk-songs and dance-tunes much
earlier than they found it desirable or necessary to do in Viol music.
Out of six pieces by Gibbons in _Parthenia_, three are dances (a Pavane
and two Galliards); one (_The Queenes Commande_) is an air with
variations; and the other two are the _Preludium_ (a piece of very
simple harmonic design, with florid figuration like the early organ
preludes) and a quite remarkable _Fantasia in four parts_--remarkable
because rather exceptional as a Clavier piece, and also because of its
protracted and serious working in the Canzona style. In the
_Fitzwilliam Collection_ the only pieces by Gibbons are an air with
variations, _The Woods so Wilde_, and a Pavane--the latter, however,
being identical with _The Lord of Salisbury his Pavin_, which is found
also in _Parthenia_.
With regard to the Fancies written for "Base Viall," "Mean Viall," and
"Trebble Viall," after the manner of the period, these were published
absolutely devoid of any indications of pace, of phrasing, or of
expression. To this fact is probably due some of their loss of
popularity. They require artists to interpret them, and in {41} good
hands are capable of considerable effect in the old quaint style. The
robust tones of the modern 'Cello, Viola and Violin can hardly give us
a correct impression of these pieces, but by muting them a very good
suggestion of "Viall" tone is obtainable.
One may mention another "Fancy" written this time for two "trebble
Vialls" and a "Base." Whether it is the difference of the instruments,
or the fact that it is a later number in the collection and may
therefore be a later composition, I cannot say; but there is a
distinctly more modern spirit about this "Fancy." It is more rhythmic,
the sections are more marked, and at the end there is a complete
repetition of an eight-bar phrase, the only difference in the repeat
being that the first viall here takes the second part, and _vice versa_.
In the domain of Sacred Music Orlando Gibbons certainly holds the
foremost place amongst the English composers of the contrapuntal
school. No name is better known in our Cathedrals. In great
gatherings of Cathedral Choirs in my young days (alas! we do not now
have such gatherings to any great extent) Gibbons' splendid Service in
F was always an item to which we looked forward. And he has left us
almost as great a collection of anthems as {42} Purcell did in later
years. Many of them were composed for special occasions. One was a
wedding Anthem "for my Lord Somerset"; another "made for the King's
being in Scotland" (this was, of course, James I, and it was from this
Anthem I extracted the splendid concluding "Amen" which was sung at the
Coronations of King Edward VII and King George V, and which is now the
recognized "Abbey Amen").
The Anthem "This is the record of John" has a string accompaniment for
Viols; this was "made for Laud, President of St John's, Oxford, for St
John Baptist's Day." Another "Behold thou hast made my days" was
composed at the entreaty of Dr Maxey, Dean of Windsor, "the same day
se'night before his death."
Mention must also be made of "O clap your hands," which has always had
a suspicion attached to it of having played the part of Dr Heyther's
Doctor's Exercise. This suspicion is deepened by the fact that Dr
Cummings possessed a MS. of it with the following inscription upon it:
"Dr Heyther's Commencement Song Composed by Dr Orlando Gibbons". They
both took their degrees at Oxford on the same occasion viz: the
foundation of the Camden History {43} Professorship. Heyther was a Lay
Vicar of Westminster, and it was he who founded the Oxford Music
Lecture, now represented by the Professorship. It was originally worth
£3 a year. The degrees were conferred on the two friends of Camden at
his special request.
Gibbons was also a contributor to Wither's _Hymns and Songs of the
Church_. Withers himself pays him the following tribute: "He hath
chosen to make his music agreeable to the matter, and what the common
apprehension can best admit, rather than to the curious fancies of the
time; which path both of us could more easily have trodden."
Gibbons appears to have had a sense of humour, judging from a letter
which we found in the Westminster Abbey Muniment Room some years ago.
I believe this is the only letter of Gibbons' that is known. It is
addressed to the Treasurer of the Abbey, asking that the organ-tuner,
one Burrard, might be paid; it runs as follows:
Mr. Ireland: I know this bill to be very resonable for I have
alredy cut him off ten shillings therfore I pray despathe him, for
he hath delt honestly wth ye church soe shall I rest yr servant,
Orlando Gibbons.
The whole bill was very small, and by "cutting him off ten shillings" I
think old Orlando was rather hard!
{44}
We get a glimpse of Orlando Gibbons' organ-playing in the Abbey from
the _Life of Archbishop Williams_, sometime Lord Keeper of the Great
Seal. The French Ambassadors who came over to arrange the marriage of
the Prince of Wales (afterwards Charles I) with Henrietta Maria were
entertained at supper in the Jerusalem Chamber. But before the Supper
we are told "The Embassadors, with the Nobles and Gentlemen in their
Company, were brought in at the North Gate of the Abbey, which was
stuck with Flambeaux everywhere that strangers might cast their eyes
upon the stateliness of the Church. At the Door of the Quire the Lord
Keeper besought their Lordships to go in and take their seats there for
a while. At their entrance the organ was touched by the best Finger of
that age, Mr Orlando Gibbons. The Lord Embassadors and their Great
Train took up all the stalls where they continued about half-an-hour,
while the Quiremen, vested in their Rich Copes, sang three several
Anthems with most exquisite voices before them."
This Dean Williams was a very great man, Lord Keeper of the Great Seal
of England, Bishop of Lincoln, and afterwards Archbishop of York; he
was Dean of Westminster in 1620. We are told in his _Life_, written by
John Halket, {45} Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry: "He procured the
sweetest music both for the organ and for voices of all parts, that
ever was heard in English music. In those days the Abbey and the
Jerusalem Chamber, where he gave entertainment to his friends, were the
votaries of the Choicest Songs that the Land has heard. The greatest
masters of that delightful faculty frequented here above all others."
I think it must be to this patron of music that we owe the fine
collection of Madrigals and Motets (including the very rare and
valuable books of Deering) which are now preserved in the Abbey Library.
This account of the perfection of the music at the Abbey in these
remote days, under the fostering care of a Dean distinguished both as a
statesman and a musician, may perhaps be followed by a contemporary
description of the members of a choir--not, of course, of the Abbey
Choir in particular by another Dean. This was Dean Earle, the first
Dean after the Restoration. But the work from which I quote was first
printed in 1628, so that it is only a year or two after the time of
Gibbons. Earle was not Dean of Westminster until more than 30 years
later. The book is entitled _Microcosmographie: a piece of the World
discovered in Essays and Characters_, and was first published
anonymously. {46} I hope this description of what the writer calls "A
Merry Crew, the Common Singing-men in Cathedrall Churches," is not a
true description of the great body of such choirs at the time, but it
is worth quoting.
_The Common Singing-men in Cathedral Churches_
Are a bad Society, and yet a Company of good Fellowes, that roare
deep in the Quire, deeper in the Taverne. They are the eight parts
of speech, which goe to the Syntaxis of Service, and are
distinguish't by their noyses much like Bells, for they make not a
Consort but a Peale. Their pastime or recreation is prayers, their
exercise drinking, yet herein so religiously addicted that they
serve God oftest when they are drunke. Their humanity is a legge
[=consists in a bow] to the Residencer, their learning a Chapter,
for they learne it commonly before they read it, yet the old Hebrew
names are little beholden to them, for they mis-call them worse
then one another. Though they never expound the Scripture, they
handle it much, and pollute the Gospell with two things, their
Conversation and their thumbes. Upon worky-dayes they behave
themselves at Prayers as at their pots, for they swallow them downe
in an instant. Their Gownes are lac'd [=streaked] commonly with
steamings of ale, the superfluities of a cup or throat above
measure. Their skill in melody makes them the better companions
abroad, and their Anthemes abler to sing Catches. Long liv'd for
the most part they are not, especially the base, they overflow
their banke so oft to drowne the Organs. Briefly, if they escape
arresting, they dye constantly in God's Service; and to take their
death with more patience, they have Wine and Cakes at their
Funerall: and now they keepe the {47} Church a great deale better,
and helpe to fill it with their bones as before with their noyse.
This quotation must not be taken too seriously. Earle's book was
written when he was a young man, probably under the inspiration of
Casaubon's translation of the fourth-century Theophrastus' _Characters_
published in 1592. It consists of 77 "Characters," some of them
serious studies, and others, such as the above, humorous or satirical
sketches, not intended to be true representations, yet containing a
basis of truth. Richard Baxter, writing to Earle, says: "In charity,
and gentleness, and peaceableness of mind, you are very eminent."
A very unusual adventure is chronicled as having taken place on St
Peter's Day, 1620: "Eveseed, Gentleman of the Chapel Royal, did
violently and sodenly without cause runne upon Mr Gibbons, took him up
and threw him down upon a Standard whereby he received such hurt that
he is not yet recovered of the same, and withal he tare the band from
his neck to his prejudice and disgrace."
In 1625 Gibbons had to compose and direct the music for the reception
at Canterbury of Henrietta Maria, on the occasion of her marriage with
Charles I. It was to be his last commission, for he died on
Whitsunday, June 5th.
{48}
With regard to his death, we have always been led to believe that he
died of small-pox--all the histories, including the admirable Grove's
_Dictionary_, have taught us so. Mr W. Barclay Squire, of the British
Museum, has, however, shown this to be incorrect. In a letter, which
he found among the State Papers, from Sir Albertus Morton to Lord
Edward Conway, and endorsed "Mr Secretary Morton, touching the Musician
that dyed at Canterburie and supposed to have died of the plague," a
medical certificate is enclosed signed by Drs Poe and Domingo, stating
that his sickness was at first "lethargicall" followed by convulsions:
"he grew apoplecticall and so died"--thus refuting the small-pox theory
in favour of apoplexy.
His portrait is in the collection at Oxford, and a fine monument with
an excellent bust was erected in Canterbury Cathedral by the composer's
widow.
It was my privilege to suggest and organize a Musical Festival of
Gibbons' works in Westminster Abbey in 1907. Some of his finest Church
music was given by a very large choir, and a beautiful replica in black
marble of the bust of the composer, which is in Canterbury Cathedral,
was unveiled. It has always seemed to me a reflection upon the Abbey
that no memorial to {49} the greatest of its organists--save
Purcell--should be found there. This Festival created very great
interest, and brought a munificent offer from Mr Crews, a well-known
amateur and Master of the Worshipful Company of Musicians, to defray
the expense of a bust of the celebrated organist. It is well placed in
close proximity to the memorials of his worthy successors, Blow,
Purcell, and Croft.
{50}
VI. RICHARD DEERING
1580 (?)--1630
In considering the careers and works of the first five musicians on my
list of twelve, I have, it is true, been treating of men whose names
are to be found in all musical histories. But of the next name on my
list I am able to say I am on comparatively new ground. There is
nothing so surprising to me as the universal neglect--nay, I may even
use the word disdain--with which musical historians of many periods
have treated the name of Richard Deering. In common with most people
of my own age I knew very little about this composer, and certainly in
common with, I venture to say, all my contemporaries, I never heard a
note of his music until a few years ago.
The story of my awakening to the real merits of this admirable composer
is simple. Looking over the music in the Chapter Library at
Westminster, I found among many fine collections of Madrigals--original
copies, mostly published in the 16th and early part of the 17th
centuries--two sets of Latin Motets in 5 and 6 parts by {51} Richard
Deering. They were bound up in covers made out of an illuminated MS.
On looking at the bindings, our late Dean, Dr Armitage Robinson (always
interested in the Library, and also, I may add, in my musical
researches) found that they were part of the Wedding Service of the
fourteenth century. The binding was promptly taken off, the Deering
books rebound, and handed on to me. I proceeded to score some of the
first book--published in 1617--and had not done many bars before it was
plain I was indeed about to unearth a treasure. Full of beautiful
Harmony and Contrapuntal devices with examples of melodic progressions,
new and original, these works were speedily brought to a hearing at my
Gresham Lectures, and, with as little delay as possible, edited (with
English translations), published, and introduced into the Abbey
Services. Since then many Cathedrals and great Churches have used
them. The Bach Choir has performed some of them, and Deering's fame
has, I hope, been re-established!
I may say, before proceeding to give details of Deering's career, that
nearly a hundred years ago an effort was made by a musical amateur to
get these Motets scored. By a curious chance I have come into the
possession of letters which passed between the owner of copies of these
fine things {52} and Mr Sale of Westminster Abbey. The owner was the
Rev Thomas Streatfeild, Vicar of Chart Edge, a well-known Kentish
antiquary, and he came into possession--probably at a sale of some of
the old Deering books--of a set of parts of these Motets. He applied
to Mr Sale (a very prominent member of the musical profession, a
Lay-Vicar of Westminster Abbey and a principal singer at the "Ancient
Concerts") to get these Motets scored for him. A letter from Sale's
daughter apologizes for delay, and says "her father does not think it
will be worth while to go to any great expense, as he has tried some
parts of it (_i.e._ the music of the Motets) with some who are used to
and admire that ancient style of music and they do not form a very high
opinion of it!" Curiously enough, a few bars in score of one of the
most beautiful Motets was enclosed with a note from a copyist saying
that it would take much time and be very expensive. So Deering's
Motets were laid to rest again for nearly 100 years. I may add Mr Sale
was the music instructor to Queen Victoria when she was a child.
Mr Streatfeild's copies of the 1617 Motets (_uncut!_) were sold (at his
death) by auction, and fetched £4 16s. 0d.
The neglect of Deering is certainly extraordinary. He was, as usual,
absurdly criticized {53} by Dr Burney, who spoke of his music as "very
sober, innocent, psalmodic, dry, and uninteresting," and further he
"was never able to discern in any of his works a single stroke of
genius, either in his melody or modulation." And Sir Frederick Ouseley
actually writes of his style as "severe and correct, but very dry"!
These verdicts amaze me! They are absolutely untrue, at least as
regards Deering's great works, his Motets. I question if Burney or
Ouseley ever heard one of them. They may have founded their opinion
upon some of his less important works, published by Playford some 30 or
40 years after Deering's death, which Playford himself does not vouch
for as being certainly by Deering. And, as regards Deering's Fancies,
I can hardly believe either Burney or Ouseley had any real knowledge of
them, for one which I produced at a University Lecture in 1912 was of a
high order of merit.
That Deering was appreciated at his proper value by his contemporaries
is apparent from the way in which Peacham, in his _Compleat Gentleman_
(1622) couples his name with others "for depth of skill and quickness
of concept." Almost the only bit of information which historians tell
us is that "Cromwell was very fond of his music," and that John
Kingston, the {54} organist, with two of his boys, often sang Deering's
music to the Protector. The mention of "two boys" points to the
Two-part Motets as being the music performed--not, of course, to the
Motets for five or six voices. Mace in his _Musick's Monument_ (1676)
mentions Deering's _Gloria Patri_ and other of his Latin settings.
I must now turn to the personal history of this good musician.
Richard Deering was descended from an ancient family--the Deerings of
the County of Kent. The branch from which Richard Deering traces his
descent was the one headed by William Deering of Petworth, in co.
Sussex, and his wife, Eleanor Dyke. The Deering of this sketch was the
son of Henry Deering of Liss, near Petworth, by the Lady Elizabeth
Grey. He died in 1630.
It is stated by Anthony Wood that Deering was "bred up in Italy, where
he obtained the name of a most admirable musician. After his return he
practised his Faculty for some time in England, where his name being
highly cried up, became after many entreaties, Organist to the English
Nuns living at Brussels." It is not easy to discover anything about
Deering's Italian life or work. My friend, the Rev Dr Spooner
Lillingston, {55} made some Inquiries for me in Italy, and is kind
enough to write as follows:
"The Earl of Kent's family (of which Deering's mother was a member)
remained Catholic for many years, and this family, half a century
before, seem to have intermarried with certain of the Italian nobility.
Lady Elizabeth Grey does not appear in any record of the Greys of Kent.
May not Deering's mother have been of Italian extraction? Hence his
Catholic religion and Italian training."
As to his Italian sojourn Dr Spooner Lillingston continues: "There is
no record of his first Communion at St John Lateran, so probably he did
not go to Italy until about ten years of age, all such records of First
Communions made in Italy being registered at St John's Lateran." Dr
Lillingston also tells us there is a record of an 8-part Motet by
Deering having been performed in one of the Churches, the title being
_O quam Gloriosa_.
That Deering studied hard and composed while in Italy seems pretty
certain. Judged from an observation in his "Dedication" of the 1617
Motets it would appear that it was in Rome that he wrote them. In this
dedication he speaks of having composed them in the chief city of the
world. I cannot help thinking that "the chief {56} city of the world"
to Deering--a Catholic--was Rome.
Almost the first fact of which we have very certain knowledge in
connection with his life in England is the "Supplication" which he made
for the degree of Bachelor of Music at Oxford, in April, 1610. In
answer to an inquiry, the Keeper of the Archives said that there is a
record of Deering's supplication, and it is stated that his plea is
granted "providing he shall have composed a work of eight parts for the
next 'Act.'" Dr Scott, the learned custodian of our Abbey Muniments
for many years, made some inquiries for me on this matter, and gives
the following note which he had apparently received from Oxford:
"Supplicateth in like manner Richard Deering, a scholar most highly
trained in music, of Christ Church, forasmuch as he hath spent ten
years in the study and practise of music, that this may suffice for
him to be admitted to the lectures of the music of Boethius."
The statement by Deering that he had spent "ten years in the study and
practise of music" absolutely disposes of the legend, so often
repeated, that Deering published a set of 5-part Motets in Antwerp, in
1597. I have always entirely doubted that this had any foundation in
{57} fact. I believe it is a misprint for 1617, and it was not likely
twenty years would elapse between the publication of two sets of Motets
by so prolific a composer. "Ten years" makes the date of Deering's
_studies_ to begin in 1600, so he could not have published in 1597. I
am glad to be able to correct this error on the authority of the Master
himself.
It is very amusing, and rather annoying, to see how the musical
historians have copied from one another the most untrue statements
about Deering. Burney, Hawkins, and Mr Husk in the first edition of
Grove's _Dictionary_, _all_ give 1597 instead of 1617; and Burney and
Hawkins say he was forced to leave England when the troubles of Charles
I began. Hawkins says he was Organist to Henrietta Maria until _she_
was compelled to leave England. The fact is Deering was dead before
all this! He returned to England as Organist to Henrietta Maria in
1625, and died in 1630.
But space would fail me to point out more of the absurd statements
about this musician. Let me rather now turn to his greatest
contribution to our musical treasures.
I leave for a time further comment upon his work in England, and
proceed to consider his magnificent Motets. It appears that on the
{58} invitation of the English nuns at Brussels he proceeded to that
city and became Organist to the Convent. It was whilst there that he
published in 1617 his fine series of _Cantiones Sacrae_ for five
voices; this was issued from the press of Peter Phalese in Antwerp.
There are 18 Motets, all to Latin words, for five voices, and "Basso
Continuo" for Organ.
I have already spoken of the way I made acquaintance with these
masterpieces. It is very gratifying to find the increased favour with
which they are received and the frequent performance of them by great
choirs. The ignorant accounts of them which I have quoted shake one's
faith in the opinion of such writers on other musical works.
The first set of Motets was dedicated to a remarkable personage, Sir
William Stanley,[1] and {59} the Preface is so interesting I feel
justified in giving it (with the title-page). The original Dedication
is in Latin, but I give it in a translation.[2]
{60}
In the second set, published in 1618, Deering claims to have written in
the Madrigalian style. It looks as if he had tried to imitate the
Madrigals he had heard, and to adapt some of the phrases to sacred
words. I do not think the second set is as good as the first. But
there are some very fine things in it, one of the best being "Silence
prevailed in Heaven," a dramatic account of St Michael's war with the
Dragon. I have had this printed, and it produces a splendid effect,
and hope in time to restore to life many more of these unknown and
really beautiful masterpieces.
I have not space to chronicle all Deering's musical works. But I must
conclude this notice by some account of his secular music, and, more
particularly, his remarkable _Humorous Fancy, The Crycs of London_.
This is the third of these interesting Fancies which I have had the
opportunity of recovering from oblivion. I have {61} already in the
case of Weelkes and Gibbons explained the circumstances attending this
recovery. Deering's _Fancy_ is the most elaborate of the three, and,
besides a number of _Cryes_ which the other musicians omitted, he has
preserved to us some most interesting and charming Tradesmen's
Songs--those of the Swepe, the Blacking-seller, the Vendor of Garlick,
the Rat-catcher, and the Tooth-drawer. The whole _Fancy_ is full of
life, and shows Deering to be both dramatic and humourous. This work
(and a similar one on _Country Cryes_) were written before he left
England for Brussels, as the copy in the British Museum was made 1616.
There are a few Anthems scattered about in various Libraries, but as a
Catholic his contributions to English Cathedral music would, no doubt,
be few. Some are to be found in Durham Cathedral Library. On the
marriage of Charles I, he was appointed Organist to the Queen Henrietta
Maria. On July 11th, 1628, his name appears in a list of musicians in
ordinary to the King, and he was evidently a member of the King's
Private Band.
Most historians have stated that he lived to 1657, but this is just as
incorrect as their other statements concerning Deering and his music.
I have devoted much time to the elucidation of {62} the history and the
reproduction of his work, and feel in doing this I have helped to
restore to his rightful place one of the greatest English musicians of
the 17th, or indeed of any, century.
[1] Sir William Stanley was a Roman Catholic and a very extraordinary
man. I think the following account from the _Dictionary of National
Biography_ will be of interest.
Sir W. Stanley, Adventurer, one of the Cheshire Stanleys. He served in
the Netherlands under Alva. He quitted the Spanish service in 1570 and
served in Ireland under Elizabeth, and later on was appointed Sheriff
of Cork. He was very severe on the rebels and he reported he had
hanged 300 of them and so terrified the rest that "a man might now
travel the whole country and no one molest him." He thought he was not
properly rewarded, and later on was guilty of treachery. He was, of
course, Roman Catholic and greatly in the confidence of the Jesuits.
He actually went to Spain to advise the best method of conquering
England. He recommended that Ireland should be made the basis of
operations, and that troops should disembark at Milford Haven rather
than at Portsmouth. When Elizabeth died Stanley sent no less a person
than Guy Fawkes, his subaltern officer, with an emissary of Catesby to
Spain, to warn Philip against James. There is no evidence that he was
concerned in the Gunpowder Plot, but he was placed under arrest at
Brussels on suspicion of being concerned in it.
He spent the latter part of his life in complete obscurity. In 1616 he
contributed largely to a Jesuit College of Liége, and was Governor of
Mechlin. He sought in vain for permission to return to England, and
died at Ghent in 1630, and was honoured with a magnificent public
funeral. He married Elizabeth, daughter of John Egerton of Egerton,
who was buried in Mechlin Cathedral, in 1614. The male line of the
Stanleys of Horton became extinct by the death of the twelfth baronet
Sir John Stanley-Errington in 1883.
[2] Cantiones Sacrae for 5 Voices
with Basso Continuo for Organ.
by
RICHARD DEERING, Englishman,
Organist to the venerable
English Nuns in the Monastery
of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Brussels.
Antwerp.
at the house of Peter Phalese
1617.
_Dedication_
To Sir William Stanley, Knight, renewed at home and in Military life,
Councillor at war to the most honourable and invincible Catholic King,
his most worshipful Lord.
For long my Music has desired to come forward. She is not unpolished
(for she was born in the first City of the World) but she is modest.
For it is customary with new men, especially those that are bashful,
not to bring their offspring however excellent to the light, until they
find some distinguished man, whose approval if they win, they need fear
neither the abuse of rivals nor the criticism of the ignorant.
But what patron should my music choose in preference to your lordship?
When permitted to relax your mind from military cares, you think no
delight, no pleasure greater than music. To music you give the chief
place after war, in which none surpass you. Therefore let my child go
forth with you for its patron. If you are the first to smile upon it
as it takes its first modest steps, you will give it wonderful courage,
for greater things. Live, flourish and conquer.
In War we long for Peace; Peace endeth wars,
Music makes jocund Peace to know no jars.
Your most obedient servant,
R. Deering.
{63}
VII. JOHN MILTON
1553--1646-7
To many the name of John Milton will hardly suggest a musical composer.
And yet I am able to include this name--the name of the father of the
poet--among the band of "Good Musicians" whose careers and works I am
considering. I have always felt greatly interested in him and desired
to find out all I could of his personal history, and particularly of
his musical education, for undoubtedly in the elder Milton we have a
really accomplished musician. We are told he educated his
distinguished son in music, and that he had an organ in his house.
Dr Burney gives a very good and concise account of him, upon which I
cannot improve and from which I venture to quote. (Burney, Vol. III,
p. 134):
"We come now to John Milton, the father of our great poet, who though a
scrivener by profession, was a voluminous composer, and equal in
science, if not genius, to the best musicians of his age: in
conjunction and on a level with whom, his name and works appeared in
numerous musical publications of the time, particularly in those of
{64} old Wilbye; in the _Triumphs of Oriana_ published by Morley; in
Ravenscroft's _Psalms_; in the _Lamentations_ published by Sir William
Leighton; and in MS. collections, still in the possession of the
curious.
Mr Warton, in his Notes upon Milton's _Poems on Several Occasions_,
tells us, from the MS. _Life of the Poet_ by Aubrey, the antiquary, in
the Mus. Ashm. Oxon, that Milton's father, though a "scrivener," was
not apprenticed to that trade, having been bred a scholar and of Christ
Church, Oxford; and that he took to trade in consequence of being
disinherited.
His son celebrates his musical abilities in an admirable Latin poem,
_Ad Patrem_, where, alluding to his father's musical science, he says
that Apollo had divided his favours in the sister arts between them;
giving Music to the father and Poetry to the son.
Nor blame, Oh much-lov'd sire! the sacred Nine,
Who thee have honour'd with such gifts divine;
Who taught thee how to charm the list'ning throng,
With all the sweetness of a siren's song;
Blending such tones as every breast inflame
And made thee heir to great Orion's fame.
By blood united, and by kindred arts,
On each Apollo his refulgence darts:
To thee points out the magic power of sound,
To me the mazes of poetic ground;
And fostered thus by his parental care,
We equal seem Divinity to share." (_Translation_).
{65}
The elder Milton was born in 1553, and is said to have been in the
choir of Christ Church, Oxford. His father was a Roman Catholic, and
it is said he disinherited his son for abjuring the Catholic faith.
The son went to London, and became a member of the Scriveners Company
(1599-1600). In 1632 he retired to Horton, in Buckinghamshire, having
made a considerable fortune. In London he lived in Bread Street, where
John Milton, the poet, was born. He contributed an admirable six-part
Madrigal to _The Triumphs of Oriana_ (1601), Motets to Leighton's
_Teares and Lamentations_ (1614), and Tunes to Ravenscroft's _Psalter_
(1621). There are various Anthems and Fancies in five and six parts in
MS. in various libraries.
Now here is a man who contributed to three or four important musical
publications, and was included in a list of the best known English
composers. Had he been a professional musician he could not have done
more. But we know he was a scrivener. What was he before he became a
scrivener? and whence did he get his musical knowledge? If we could
prove that the suggestion is true which makes him a Chorister at Christ
Church, Oxford, we should know where he probably got his musical
knowledge and his proficiency in Latin. But this information {66}
seems to be impossible of proof. For the purpose of these Lectures I
have devoted a good deal of time to this subject. Dr Strong, the Dean
of Christ Church, now Bishop of Ripon, has been kind enough to look
into the matter very carefully, and he writes me the following
interesting letter:
Christ Church,
Oxford.
June 25, 1919.
My dear Bridge,
I am sorry to say that I cannot discover anything about Mr. John
Milton, Senior. We have here a very important series of books
called Disbursement books. These contain a sort of summary
statement of the payments made under various heads. But what makes
them of interest is that all the members of the Foundation, from
the Dean down to the cook, received their payments through the
Treasurer and signed a receipt for them in the book. So there is a
whole list of signatures beginning about 1570 and going down (with
the exception of the Civil War period) to about 1830, when new
methods were adopted. It is always possible to discover by this
who held each office, and whether they were in residence on a
particular day. Unfortunately, they do not go back beyond 1570. I
searched through a volume in hopes that Mr. Milton or the organist
might be among the signatories. The singing-men and even the
choristers are there. But apparently at that time there was no
organist, and certainly there is no allusion to Milton or any names
such as you want, I think. It is a great pity we have not got the
books from the beginning: the first 23 years would have been very
{67} useful. Also, my matriculation book, which is in this house,
is very inaccurate and incomplete for the earlier years. I am
afraid, therefore, I cannot help you as regards Mr. Milton. You
will understand how very interesting these signatures are when I
say that in the volumes I looked at the other day I found a whole
series of signatures of Richard Hakluyt the geographer, who was a
student of the House.
Yours very sincerely,
THOMAS B. STRONG.
It is very unfortunate that the records in Christ Church do not exist
before 1570. But it may be remarked, if Milton the elder was born in
1553, he would be seventeen in 1570, and would therefore certainly have
left the choir of Christ Church, if he ever belonged to it; and this,
of course, before the entries began. As to this matter, there are one
or two facts brought out in _Notes and Queries_ some years since which
bear upon it.
Richard Milton, the grandfather of the poet, although a Roman Catholic,
appears to have been Churchwarden of the Parish (Stanton St John) in
1552. Mr Allnutt, of Oxford, who contributed this bit of historical
knowledge, writes: "Does this render it less probable that the Poet's
grandfather was Richard Milton of Stanton, or are other instances known
of Roman Catholics serving the office of Churchwarden under the {68}
Protestant regime of the period?" (_N. & Q._, Feby. 1880; W. H.
Allnutt, Oxford.)
In the same paper, a little later, Mr Hyde Clarke writes on the subject
of Milton's father being a choir-boy at Christ Church: "My Oxford and
other correspondents, including Mr Mark Pattison, the eloquent critic
of the Poet, who has laboured in this investigation have looked
unfavourably on my proposition (_i.e._ that he was a Chorister of
Christ Church), because they consider the Roman Catholic _recusant_ can
never have sent his son to any heretical school. An answer is now
given in my favour by Mr. Allnutt, because if in 1552 Richard Milton
could serve as Churchwarden, the other matter of providing a
scholarship for his son was but a small one. It is further probable
that Richard Milton became a confirmed Roman Catholic only in his later
years."--Hyde Clarke.
I think it is quite possible and even very probable that Milton's
father learnt his music at Christ Church. Then who taught him?
Whoever it was, he turned out a thoroughly good musician. Milton's own
compositions prove it, and, as we have seen, he is associated with all
the best English composers of the period in more than one work. Coming
to London, we are told he had an organ and other instruments in his
house and {69} to the practice of music he devoted his leisure. Masson
says: "His special faculty was music, and it is possible on his first
coming to London he had taught or practised music professionally." He
was evidently in the musical world of London, and his house was
probably the resort of many of the best musicians of the time.
The short Motet for _Teares and Lamentations_ is in a good contrapuntal
style, with many devices which a man would use if he had been educated
in a Cathedral Choir. The style had "eaten into his marrow," as old
Sir John Goss once said to me, in reference to a Chorister's daily
musical work.
Another interesting matter is Milton's contribution to Ravenscroft's
_Whole Book of Psalms_, published in 1621. Here are found two tunes
credited to John Milton, but I think there is no doubt they were merely
harmonized by him. The best one is a tune still often sung in our
Churches--entitled _York_: this seems to be an old Scottish tune; it
was published in Edinburgh in 1615. It appears three times in
Ravenscroft's book and with different harmonies, two of them being by
the elder Milton. The melody in this tune is, of course, given to the
tenor, as was the custom at this time. The tune has always been a
favourite, and an old author says that "it {70} was so well known that
half the nurses in England used to sing the tenor part as a lullaby."
This sounds rather startling! One would not believe that any baby
could be put to sleep by hearing the tenor part of any hymn-tune. But
the tenor part here is the melody, and really it has a gentle, swaying
style about it, so that I, for one, believe the story of the Nurses and
the Babies!
The melody is given in _English Country Songs_ edited by Miss Broadwood
and Mr Fuller Maitland, allied to some amusing words.
Although we cannot claim the elder Milton as a musician who did much to
advance the art, I think I may be forgiven for having included his name
in my list. So little is said about him in musical histories, and I
have been able, I think, to get together some comparatively unknown
matter regarding him, that I hope I have done right in giving a place
among my Twelve Good Musicians to John Milton the elder.
{71}
VIII. HENRY LAWES
1595--1662
In Henry Lawes we have a subject of particular interest. No musician
of the 17th or probably of any century, has been so praised by the
poets, and few musicians of reputation have been so disdainfully
treated by the old musical historians. I think we shall find Henry
Lawes worthy of inclusion amongst the Twelve Good Musicians with whom I
am dealing. His life was a chequered one. He lived in troublous days,
and in an era of great changes in the political and musical worlds.
Born in 1595, at Dinton, in Wiltshire, he became a pupil of Giovanni
Coperario (or John Cooper, to give him his English name), and I think
this had a considerable influence on the direction which his
compositions took, and about which I shall say more later. We find him
a Gentleman of the Chapel Royal in 1625, and later on a Gentleman of
the Private Music to King Charles the First. On the breaking out of
the Rebellion, he lost his {72} posts, and employed himself principally
in teaching singing. He lived a long life; long enough to see the
Restoration, and to compose the Coronation Anthem for King Charles the
Second, dying in 1662.
Lawes' contributions to English music begin with the Masque. The
earliest date seems to be 1633-4, when he set the songs in a Masque
written by Thomas Carew, entitled _Coelum Britannicum_. This was
written at the particular invitation of the King, and performed for the
first time at Whitehall.
The poem was published in 1634 and was wrongly attributed to Sir
William Davenant. Another Masque, by James Shirley, _The Triumph of
Peace_, was produced in the same year, Lawes and another well-known
musician, Simon Ives, writing the music, for which they received the
sum of £100. The following year saw the production of _Comus_, the
greatest of Masques. It will be seen that Lawes differed from most of
our English Composers in devoting himself, at the outset of his career,
almost exclusively to the stage. I cannot help thinking this is to be
explained by the fact that he was not educated in a Cathedral Choir,
but was a pupil of Giovanni Coperario. Now this musician had an
experience which few of his contemporaries enjoyed. He {73} studied in
Italy--going there as plain John Cooper and returning to his native
country as Giovanni Coperario. His sojourn in Italy was at a
remarkable time; the time when the first Opera and the first Oratorio
were given. It is very interesting to be told--and I have been told on
the authority of my friend Rev. Spooner Lillingston--that among the
names given in a certain record of the performance of the first Opera
was found that of the Englishman, Giovanni Coperario. This seems to me
to be an important fact. Lawes would come under the influence of
Coperario, who, with his love for Italian music and experience of the
beginning of Opera would, no doubt, help Lawes to take up the music of
the stage, instead of the music of the Church.
Our composer was not, however, long before he embarked on some Church
music by setting _A Paraphrase upon the Psalms of David_ by George
Sandys, and also contributing another volume of tunes to _Church
Psalms_, in which he was joined by his clever brother William, who was,
later on, killed at the siege of Chester.
Among the commendatory poems prefixed to this volume was the well-known
sonnet by Milton addressed to Lawes, beginning:
{74}
Harry, whose tuneful and well measured Song
First taught our English musick how to span
Words with just note and accent----
He was a prolific writer of songs and Masque-music, but his great
opportunity was in writing the music and producing Milton's _Masque of
Comus_, at Ludlow, in 1634. Milton was a friend, and I think there is
no doubt a pupil in music of Lawes. Milton's father had much music in
his house in Bread Street, and no doubt, Lawes was among the eminent
musicians who gathered there. When Milton's father removed to Horton,
in Buckinghamshire, we are told that the young Milton came up to London
to receive instruction in music, as well as in other things. It was
Lawes who apparently got Milton to write the Masque, which he desired
to produce at Ludlow Castle in September 1634. The story of Comus and
its origin is so well known that I need not dwell upon it. The music
of the Masque was not published in the composer's life-time, but,
curiously enough, it was Lawes who edited Milton's Poem in 1637. This
was published without the name of the poet appearing[1], and was
dedicated to Viscount Brackly, one of those who took part in the
performance at Ludlow. In the dedication Lawes says: "Although not
openly {75} acknowledged by the Author, yet it is legitimate offspring,
so lovely, and so much to be desired, that the often copying of it hath
tired my pen to give my several friends satisfaction, and brought me to
the necessity of producing it to the public view."
Unfortunately we have only five songs of the original music. There are
a great number of places in the Masque for which Milton desires
music--and many directions for instrumental movements particularly.
What these were we do not know. The merits of Lawes' music have been
decried, but having edited the _Comus_ music, after careful correction
from Lawes' original MS., which I was fortunate enough to be able to
see[2], I am confident that all who hear it will find the songs full of
beauty and expression, and well worthy of the words to which they were
so admirably fitted.
I must not dwell longer upon _Comus_, for there is much to be said
about Lawes' other work.
Playford was a great patron and admirer of Lawes. He published no
fewer than three books of _Ayres and Dialogues_, which contain some
charming settings of excellent poetry. The first book of _Ayres_ was
dedicated to his {76} pupils, Lady Alice Egerton and her sister,
daughters of Lord Bridgwater, and in it he says: "No sooner had I
thought of making these public than I resolved upon inscribing them to
your Ladyships; most of them being composed when I was employed by your
ever honoured Parents to attend your Ladyships' education in music."
Lawes is often said to have "introduced the Italian style of music into
this kingdom," but this is hardly correct. That he admired and
understood the Italian style is quite certain. His studies with
Coperario would have influenced him in that direction, and he himself,
in one of his numerous Prefaces (and he was a great writer of
Prefaces), speaks of the Italians as being great masters of music, but
at the same time he contends "that our own nation has produced as many
able musicians as any in Europe." He laughs at the partiality of the
age for songs sung in a foreign language. In one of the prefaces to
his _Book of Ayres_ he says: "This present generation is so sated with
what's native, that nothing takes their ears but what's sung in a
Language which (commonly) they understand as little as they do the
music. And to make them a little sensible of this ridiculous humour I
took a Table or Index of old Italian Songs (for one, two, and three
voyces), and this Index (which {77} read together made a strange medley
of nonsense) I set to a varyed Ayre, and gave out that it came from
Italy, whereby it hath passed for a _rare Italian song_. This very
song I have since printed."
This shows him a real humorist, and it is, I should suppose, the first
real Comic Song! It is set quite in the style of an Italian song, with
much declamation and with some charming melodious phrases. I have
often had it performed at my Lectures, and when sung in Italian it is
listened to very stolidly, but when the English translation is given it
creates much hilarity. I give the English translation, whereby it will
be seen it is indeed "a strange medley of nonsense."
The title is given in Lawes' book as _Tavola_ (i.e. a Table or Index):
_Tavola._
In that frozen heart .... (for one voice)
Weep, my lady, weep, and if your eyes .... (for two voices)
'Tis ever thus, ev'n when you seem to sive me,
Truly you scorn me.
Unhappy, unbelieving,
Alas! of splendour yet!
But why, oh why? from the pallid lips
And so my life .... (for three voices).
There is no doubt Lawes was a well-educated man, and it was certainly
one of the reasons {78} why he set words with "just note and accent,"
and obtained the great praise of so many contemporary poets. It is
said he never set bad poetry[3]; and he set songs to Italian, to
Spanish, and even to Greek words. An interesting fact in connection
with his love for good poetry is given in J. P. Collier's _Catalogue of
Early English Literature in the Bridgwater House Library_, 1837.
Amongst the books catalogued is a volume of poems by Francis Beaumont,
which was presented to the Earl of Bridgwater by Henry Lawes. The
following inscription is found fastened to the cover:
For the Right Honble. John, Earl of Bridgwater, my most honoured
Lord, from his Lordship's most humble servant
Henry Lawes.
The Earl of Bridgwater is the Nobleman for whom _Comus_ was produced.
Lawes was a real champion of English music and English musicians, and
certainly understood {79} what he was writing about. Although somewhat
lengthy, I really cannot refrain from giving the Preface to one of his
_Books of Ayres_, which goes into this subject. It is both amusing and
improving, and deserves to be read by all.
To all Understanders or Lovers of Musick.
In my former you saw what temptations I had to publish my
Compositions: and now I had not repeated that Error (if it prove to
be one) but upon the same grounds, back'd with a promise I made to
the World.
Though the civill Reception my last Book found were sufficient
invitation, for which I gladly here offer my Thanks, especially to
those worthy and grateful Strangers, who are far more candid and
equall in their Censures than some new Judges of our own Country,
who (in spite of their starrs) will sit and pronounce upon things
they understand not.
But this is the Fate of all mankind, to be render'd less at home
than abroad. For my part I can say (and there are will believe me)
that if any man have low thoughts of mee, hee is of my opinion.
Yet the way of Composition I chiefly possess (which is to shape
Notes to the Words and Sense) is not hit by too many: and I have
been often sad to observe some (otherwise able Musicians) guilty of
such Lapses and mistakes this way. And possibly this is it makes
many of us hear so ill abroad; which works a Beleefe amongst
ourselves, that English words will not run well in Musick: This I
have said, and must ever avow, is one of the Errors of this
Generation.
I confess I could wish that some of our words could spare a
Consonant (which must not be slur'd, for fear of removing those
Landmarks in spelling {80} which tell their Originall); but those
are very few, and seldom occur; and when they do, are manageable
enough by giving each syllable its particular humour; provided the
breath of the sense be observed. And (I speak it freely once for
all) that if English words which are fitted for song do not run
smooth enough 'tis the fault either of the Composer or Singer.
Our English is so stor'd with plenty of Monosyllables (which, like
small stones, fill up the chinks) that it hath great priviledge
over divers of its neighbours, and in some particulars (with
reverence be it spoken) above the very Latin, which Language we
find overcharg'd with the letter (S) especially in (bus) and such
hissing Terminations. But our new Criticks lodge not the fault in
our words only; 'tis the Artist they tax as a man unspirited for
forraign delights: which vanity so spreads, that those our
productions they please to like must be born beyond the Alpes, and
father'd upon Strangers. And this is so notorious, that not long
since some young Gentlemen, who were not untravell'd, hearing some
Songs I had set to Italian words (publickly sung by excellent
voyces) concluded those songs were begotten in Italy, and said (too
loud) "they would faine heare such songs to be made by an
Englishman." Had they layd their sceane a little nearer home,
there had been more colour; for, a short Ayre of mine (neare 20
years old) was lately reviv'd in our neighbour Nation, and
publickly sung to words of their own as a new borne piece, without
alteration of any one Note: Tis the Ayre to those words, "Old Poets
Hippocrene admire etc." a sorry trifle (a man would think) to be
rais'd from the dead after 18 years burial. But (to meet with this
humour of lusting after Novelties) a friend of mine told some of
that company, that a rare new Book was come from Italy, which
taught the reason why an Eighth was the {81} sweetest of all notes
in Musick; because (said he) Jubal who was Founder of Musick was
the eighth man from Adam; and this went down as current as my songs
came from Italy. I beg your pardon for instancing such
particulars. But there are knowing persons, who have been long
bred in those worthily admired parts of Europe, who ascribe more to
us than we to ourselves; and able Musicians returning from Travaill
doe wonder to see us so thirsty after Forraigners.
For they can tell us (if we knew it not) that Musick is the same in
England as in Italy; the Concords and Discords, the Passions,
Spirits, Majesty and Humours, are all the same they are in England;
their manner of composing is sufficiently known to us, their best
Compositions being brought over hither by those who are able enough
to choose.
But we must not here expect to find Music at the highest, when all
Arts and Sciences are at so low an ebbe. As for myself, although I
have lost my Fortunes with my Master (of ever blessed Memory) I am
not so low to bow for a subsistence to the follies of this Age; and
to humour such as wil seem to understand our Art, better than we
that have spent our lives in it.
If anything here bring you benefit or delight, I have my design. I
have printed the Greek in a Roman Character for the ease of
Musicians of both sexes.
Farewell,
H. L.
This is in the Second Book of _Ayres and Dialogues. Dedicated to the
Hon. the Lady Dering, wife to Sir Edward Dering, Bart_.
During the Civil War he appears to have lived in London, composing and
teaching. His {82} compositions for the Church in the way of Anthems
were but few. As we have seen in his early days, he preferred the
stage, and during the Commonwealth there was no inducement to write
Cathedral music. But the words of several of his Anthems are to be
found in Clifford's _Divine Services and Anthems_, published in 1666.
In 1656 he joined Captain Cooke and others in writing music for
Davenant's _First Day's Entertainment at Rutland House_, e.g.,
declamation and music. A little later he assisted in the production of
_The Siege of Rhodes_, which Roger North calls a semi-opera.
This was produced during the Commonwealth, and is of particular
interest from the fact that Purcell's father, Henry Purcell the elder,
took part in the performance. This is the first notice we get of the
Purcell family, about whom I hope to say more in a later Lecture. It
is an interesting fact that the composer of the music to the last
important Masque (Milton's _Comus_) should have helped also in what was
apparently the first English Opera.[4]
Lawes at the Restoration was re-appointed to his Chapel Royal post, and
composed the {83} Anthem _Zadok the Priest_ for the Coronation of
Charles II. He did not long survive the revival of his fortunes. He
lived in the little Almonry at Westminster, the block of ancient
buildings in which the Purcell family lived. He probably knew the
young Henry Purcell, then a child of tender years, and one wonders if
he detected the musical genius of the little boy.
We get a glimpse of him in his last days from the _Diary_ of Samuel
Pepys, who, on December 30th, 1660, makes the following entry:
Mr. Child and I spent some time at the Lute, and so promising to prick
me some lessons to my theorbo he went away to see Henry Lawes who lies
very sick.... I to the Abbey, and walked there, seeing the great
companies of people that come there to hear the organs.
The Coronation was in April, 1661, so Lawes recovered from his illness,
though he died the following year. He was buried in the Cloisters of
Westminster Abbey though unfortunately there is nothing to mark the
spot of his interment. I think it is probably in the "Little Cloister"
as Dr Wilson, a brother musician, was interred there a few years later.
In Henry and William Lawes we have "two noble brothers" who deserve to
be remembered with affectionate respect. The portraits of both are
preserved at Oxford.
[1] The Author's name first appeared in the 1645 edition.
[2] It is in the possession of the Rev. Dr Cooper Smith, and is
contained in a large volume of songs, all in the handwriting of Lawes.
[3] One of his most beautiful songs, _The Lark_, contained a curious
misprint which I have been able to correct. The song was printed by
Playford, after Lawes' death, so he could not correct the proofs. The
second line stands
"While nights _shall be_ shades abide."
This always struck me as odd, and when I saw the original in Dr Cooper
Smith's book I looked for this line. It reads:
"While night's _sable_ shades abide."
It has been reprinted many times with the typographical error, but I
hope it is now put right.
[4] It was in this performance that a woman (Mrs Coleman) first
appeared upon the dramatic stage in this country.
{84}
IX. MATTHEW LOCKE
1630 (?)--1677
A prominent personage in the seventeenth-century musical world was
Matthew Locke. The exact date of his birth is not known, but it was
approximately 1630. Matthew Locke laid the foundation of his art as a
chorister in an English Cathedral, and at Exeter there is evidence that
he occupied that position in 1638. The evidence cannot be disputed, as
it is graven in the very fabric of the old Cathedral. The embryo
musician took the trouble, upon two occasions, to inscribe his name
upon the walls of the Cathedral, together with the dates. Upon the
inner side of the old organ screen runs the legend "Matthew Lock,
1638," and in a more abbreviated form at a later date "M. L., 1641." As
a boy he seems to have been content with a name of four letters _Lock_;
in his later years he always attached a final "e" to his patronymic.
At Exeter he had the advantage of being trained by Edward Gibbons,
brother of the great Orlando, and, in addition to Gibbons' share in
{85} his training, he owed much to William Wake, Organist, for whom he
wrote one of his first published works.
The period following Locke's later inscription--1641--was one not
calculated to encourage or foster the art of music; the country was in
a state of civil war, the soldiers of Cromwell wrought sad havoc in the
Cathedrals, and the musical portions of those establishments came in
for no small share of their destroying wrath.
At Westminster Abbey we are told "the soldiers brake down the organs
for pots of ale," and the Cathedral at which Locke served his pupilage
fared very badly at the hands of the Roundheads.
It is natural, then, that during the stormy times which marked that
period we have little intelligence concerning the doings of Locke. We
have the dates of some of his compositions, one as early as 1651. The
chief interest, however, which attaches to his work between 1650 and
1660 is that it is so much connected with the stage, and in that way
marks the progress towards the Opera, of the English form of which
Locke is sometimes credited with being the originator. As instances of
this kind of work we might, perhaps, draw attention to his association
with Christopher Gibbons in Shirley's {86} Masque _Cupid and Death_
(1653), and the music he wrote in 1656 for Davenant's _Siege of
Rhodes_, in the production of which he himself shared--playing the part
of the Admiral. Henry Lawes wrote some of the music of this Opera, and
Purcell's father was one of the actors.
The next item of importance that we have concerning him is in the
_Diary_ of Samuel Pepys; there, under date February 21st, 1659/60, we
read:
"After dinner I back to Westminster Hall. Here met with Mr. Lock
and Pursell, Master of Musique, and with them to the Coffee House,
into a room next the Water by ourselves. Here we had a variety of
brave Italian and Spanish Songs, and a Canon of eight voices which
Mr. Locke had lately made on these words 'Domine Salvum fac Regem,'
an admirable thing."
This is a very interesting entry. It shows Locke associated with
Purcell's father; it gives another instance of Mr Pepys never missing
the opportunity of cultivating the friendship of good musicians, and,
apart from the musical side, as an historical matter of interest the
words of the Canon _Domine Salvum fac Regem_ show the feeling of
loyalty towards the Crown which ended in the Restoration; words which
ten years before it would have been a heresy to utter. It may be
pointed out that the entry February, 1659, by the old way of reckoning,
{87} was really February, 1660, and therefore the year of the
Restoration. In the Ceremonies connected with that great event Locke
played an important part; it was to his music for _Sagbutts and
Cornets_ that the Royal Progress was made, from the Tower to Whitehall,
the day before the Coronation 1661. As a reward he was made "Composer
in ordinary to His Majesty," and "One of the Gentlemen of His Majesty's
Private Musick."
For the next year or two he appears to have been engaged in
composition, both for Church and stage; amongst the former may be
mentioned some Anthems, whilst his music for Stapylton's _Stepmother_
presents another instance of his association with dramatic music. This
dramatic side of his nature may have been the cause of Roger North's
complaint that "he sacrificed the 'old Style' for the modes of his
time" and of "his theatrical way."
The year 1666, the year of the Fire of London, is rather an important
one in the consideration of Locke's life. It introduces us to him in
another character, and that of a literary type. As will be seen later,
he was a scathing and bitter critic of his detractors, and first gave
evidence of this quality in the year now under notice. The cause of
this outpouring of his wrath was {88} the treatment a Kyrie of his
composition had received at the hands of the Chapel Royal choir. It
would appear that he had set the Kyrie in an original way, giving
different music to each response; such an innovation did not meet with
the approval of the Choir, and they seem to have given it rather a
rough time. The result was that Locke published it, and supplied a
Preface entitled "Modern Church Music; Pre-Accused, Censured, and
obstructed in its performance before His Majesty, 1st of April, 1666.
Vindicated by its Author, Matthew Locke." Some of his observations are
very severe and abusive. I give a small portion of the somewhat long
and windy preface.
"He is a slender observer of human actions who finds not pride
generally accompanied with ignorance and malice, in what habit
soever it wears. In my case zeal was its vizor and innovation the
crime. The fact, changing the custom of the Church by varying that
which was ever sung in one tune, and occasioning confusion in the
Service by its ill performance. That such defects should take
their rise from the difficulty or novelty of the composition I
utterly deny, the whole being a kind of counterpoint, and no one
change from the beginning to the end but what naturally flows from,
and returns to the proper centre, the key".
With regard to the Vindication, however convincing it might be, I
believe the Kyrie was not performed again at the Royal Chapel.
{89}
Pepys refers to the incident in his _Diary_ of September 2nd, 1667, in
which he says: "Spent all the afternoon, Pelling, Howe and I and my
boy, singing of Locke's response to the ten commandments, which he hath
set very finely, and was a good while since sung before the King, and
spoiled in the performance which occasioned the printing them, and are
excellent good." Mr Pepys evidently sympathized with the lacerated
feelings of the injured author.
I may say that some little time ago I edited these _Kyries_ and the
_Creed_, and they have been sung in the Abbey and in various
Cathedrals. The _Kyries_ are, many of them, very tuneful, and the
whole setting of _Kyrie_ and _Creed_ does Locke great credit.
I have not space to dwell longer upon his Church music, of which we
have some excellent specimens in the way of Anthems.
Somewhat later he was appointed Organist of the Chapel at Somerset
House; this Chapel was part of the establishment of Queen Catherine,
the Queen of Charles II, who throughout her life remained a Roman
Catholic. It would appear from Roger North that Locke was not
altogether a success in this position. He says: "Locke was organist of
Somerset House Chapel as long as he lived, but the Italian Masters that
{90} served there did not approve of his manner of play; but must be
attended by more polite hands, and one while, one Signor Baptista
Sabancino, and afterwards Signor Baptista Draghi used the Great Organ,
and Locke (who must not be turned out of his place, nor the execution)
had a small Chamber Organ by, on which he performed with them the same
Services." This seems a somewhat humbling position for such a man--and
one wonders what he said about it!
Another sharp controversy he took part in was in answer to Mr Thomas
Salmon, M.A., of Trinity College, Oxford, who had written and published
_An Essay to the Advancement of Music by casting away the perplexity of
different cliffs and writing all sorts of music in one universal
character_.
The desire to simplify musical signs seems to have been an old theme
and one that gave rise to a fierce controversy between Matthew Locke
and Mr Salmon. It is only fair to say that Mr Salmon was not over
judicious in his method of recommending his scheme. He seems to have
purposely hit out at music masters (of whom Locke was one of the most
eminent), and suggested that their opposition to his ideas sprang from
the sordid desire to make as much as they {91} could out of their
pupils, by keeping them as long as possible under tuition.
Matthew Locke replied to this in a treatise entitled _The Present
Practice of Musick vindicated against the exceptions and new way of
attaining music lately published by Thomas Salmon, M.A_. The
controversy was very warm. You shall hear a short address "To the
Reader" which will give some idea of the style of discussion Locke
adopted.
Though I may without scruple aver that nothing has done Mr. Salmon
more kindness than that his books have had the honour to be
answered, yet I have been forced to afford him this favour rather
to chastise the Reproaches which he hath thrown upon the most
eminent Professors of Musick than for anything of learning that I
found in him. Those gentlemen he accused of ignorance for not
embracing his illiterate absurdities for which it was necessary to
bring him to the "Bar of Reason" to do him that justice which his
follies merited. Though for the fame he gets by this, I shall not
much envy him, with whom it will fare as with common criminals, who
are seldom talked of above two or three days after execution.
A little farther on he gets angry and says:
Had I been "purblind," "copper-nosed," "sparrow-mouthed,"
"goggle-eyed," "hunch-backed" or the like (ornaments which the best
of my antagonists are adorned with) what work would there have been
with me?
Attention has already been directed to Locke's {92} association with
dramatic music, and so it would be well to glance briefly at the claim
he possesses to be considered the "Father of English Opera." The work
which entitles him to be ranked as the writer of the first English
Opera is Shadwell's _Psyche_; this, with the music to _The Tempest_,
was produced in 1673, with the title of _The English Opera_. It
contained a Preface, setting forth Locke's opinions on real Opera.
North calls his works in this branch of Art "semi-Operas," but from the
title just quoted it may be inferred that Locke, at any rate,
considered them full-grown specimens. It should be added that the Act
tunes in _Psyche_ were written by Draghi. The writer on Opera in
Grove's _Dictionary_ marks Purcell as the originator of English Opera.
"Henry Purcell (he says) transformed the Masque into the Opera, or
rather annihilated the one and introduced the other." Perhaps Roger
North's term "semi-Opera" is the best expression for Locke's essays in
this connection.
With regard to Locke's other dramatic music, reference must be made to
the _Macbeth_ music, which has for so many years been associated with
his name. For long the matter has been the subject of conjecture as to
whether he was really the author of it or not.
{93}
The music of _Psyche_ is so good that there is no ground for saying he
could not have written the _Macbeth_ music. He was exceedingly
dramatic and also melodious. There is a beautiful Dialogue on the
death of Lord Sandwich, the great patron of Samuel Pepys, which is to
be found in the Pepys Library of Magdalene College, Cambridge. No
doubt this was written at the suggestion of Pepys. And there is a
remarkable setting of Hamlet's soliloquy, also in MS., in Pepys' book,
which I firmly believe is by Locke.
As usual Locke wrote an aggressive Preface to _Psyche_. It begins:
That Poetry and Musick, the chief manifestives of Harmonical
Phancy, should provoke such discordant effects in many is more to
be pityed than wondered at: it having become a fashionable art to
peck and carp at other men's conceptions, how mean soever their own
are. Expecting, therefore, to fall under the lash of some
soft-headed or hard-hearted composers (for there are too many
better at finding of faults than mending them) I shall endeavour to
remove these few blocks which perhaps they may take occasion to
stumble at.
He goes on to say the title Opera is of the Italian, and claims that as
far as his ability could reach, he had written agreeably to the design
of the author, and that the variety of his setting was never in Court
or Theatre till now presented to {94} the nation, "though I must
confess there has been something done, and more by me than any other of
this kind."
Locke evidently considered _Psyche_ as a real Opera and a novelty in
this country. The work was dedicated to James, Duke of Monmouth, who
(the composer says) "gave this life by your often hearing this
practised and encouraged and heartened the almost heartless undertakers
and performers."
Amongst his other works was one called _Melothesia, or Certain general
Rules for playing upon a continued Bass_. This is said to be the first
book of its kind, and he contributed to many other works. Roger North
tells us "Locke set most of the Psalms to music in parts for the use of
some vertuoso ladyes in the City, and he composed a magnifick Consort
of four parts after the old style which is the last that hath been
made."
His life was not long, but it was important, and perhaps the greatest
tribute to his memory was that Henry Purcell wrote an ode commemorative
of his decease "On the death of his worthy friend Mr Matthew Locke,
Music Composer in Ordinary to _His_ Majesty, and Organist of _Her_
Majesty's Chappell, who dyed in August, 1677."
{95}
X. PELHAM HUMFREY
1647--1674
We have all heard of "Single-speech Hamilton," a Member of Parliament,
who, it is said, made a "single speech," and by it achieved lasting
fame. As a matter of history, Hamilton made other speeches, but it was
by the first that he earned his well-known cognomen. And we have a
somewhat similar example in connection with a celebrated musician, John
Jenkins. Born in 1592, he lived until 1678, and wrote, as North
expresses it, "horse-loads of music." He was most prolific and most
celebrated, and yet until a few years ago, when I revived many of his
compositions--_Dialogues, Fancies for Strings_, and _Latin Motets_--not
a note of his music was heard anywhere, save one little piece. But
this was sung in every school where vocal music was taught--it is the
charming little round _A boat, a boat, haste to the ferry_.
The subject of our present consideration is another example of the same
fate. "Pelham Humfrey, Composer of the Grand Chant" is about all
people know of him. This so-called {96} Grand Chant is known and sung
in every Protestant Church in the world. Humfrey is, however, a worthy
member of the band of musicians whose work I am following, and we will
see what else he did besides writing the Grand Chant.
Born in 1647, he is said to have been a nephew of Colonel John
Humphrey, Bradshaw's sword-bearer.
From the arms which were on his tomb we can learn a little of his
family and forbears--these arms, I regret to say, have long since been
obliterated, in fact they had gone in Sir John Hawkins' time, together
with the epitaph; and at the present time the exact position of the
grave can be only a matter of conjecture.[1] But what was on it has
been preserved to us in a valuable old work, _Keepe's Monumenta
Westmonasteriensia_, 1682. In this work a description is given of the
armorial bearings, and by them we can trace him to an old
Northamptonshire stock. The family is mentioned as being settled in
the County in _The Visitation of Northampton_ of 1564, but had
disappeared from it before the next Visitation some years later.
We know nothing of Pelham Humfrey's life {97} until 1660, the year of
the Restoration, when we find him, at the age of thirteen, entered as
one of the first set of children of the reconstructed Chapel Royal
Choir, under Henry Cooke, generally known as Captain Cooke, who having
fought in the Civil War, obtained his Captain's Commission as early in
the struggle as 1642; and retained his military title for the rest of
his life.
While at the Chapel Royal, Humfrey displayed signs of that precocity
which so often shows itself in the musical genius. He began
composition while yet a boy, and in 1664 we find the words of no fewer
than five of his Anthems published in Clifford's _Divine Services and
Anthems_.
A reference to one of these Anthems is in the _Diary_ of Samuel Pepys,
which contains, by the way, several interesting references to Humfrey's
career. Under date November 22nd, 1663, we find:
At Chapel: I had room in the Privy Seale pew with other gentlemen,
and there heard Dr. Lilligrew preach. The Anthem was good after
Sermon, being the 51st Psalm made for five voices by one of Captain
Cooke's boys, a pretty boy. And they say there are four or five of
them that can do as much. And here I first perceived that the King
is a little Musical and kept good time with his hand all along the
Anthem.
Now that Anthem was written by a Choir-boy {98} in the Royal Chapel,
but it is a remarkable fact, as Pepys says, that he was not the only
boy-composer in the same choir and at the same time. Captain Cooke
appears to have been rarely fortunate in having in his newly-formed
choral body a set of phenomenally gifted boys, and doubtless no small
credit is due to the loyal and gallant musician for the skill and care
he must have devoted to their training.
Captain Cooke must have been a clever teacher and a still cleverer
selector of boys for his choir; and this brilliant little school he
gathered round him (including such names as Humfrey, Blow, and Purcell)
shines out like a beacon light in our musical world. A curious and
interesting fact bearing upon this came to my knowledge quite lately.
A Thesis for a Doctor's degree in the University of Paris (in 1912) was
on the subject of _Captain Cooke's Choir Boys_, and it was a clever yet
concise account of the work done by these three pupils of
Cooke--Humfrey, Blow, and Purcell. English music seems to be looking
up when we find a period of our musical history and three of our past
great musicians taken as the subject for a thesis in a foreign
University!
The same year that witnessed the production of this Anthem was an
all-important one, not only for Humfrey but also for English art. On
{99} leaving the Royal Choir, Charles II sent him abroad to continue
his musical studies; the cost of the trip was paid out of the Secret
Service Fund, and was expended in the following way:
1664. "To defray the charge of his journey into France and Italy
£200." In the two following years also he was granted £100 and £150
respectively.
Most of the time Humfrey spent abroad was passed in Paris with J. B.
Lully, an Italian by birth but a Frenchman by adoption, the most
celebrated dramatic musical composer of his day. He wrote many Operas
in the most varied styles, both grave and gay, was the composer of a
good deal of sacred music, and was also a reformer in Opera-writing; he
introduced the accompanied recitative in place of the Italian
_Recitative secco_, making many changes in the ballets. Of still more
importance was his development of the Overture, for which service he
cannot be too highly valued.
It is very probable that the instruction given by Lully to Humfrey was
less by precept than by example. The pupil listened with eager ears to
his master's music and doubtless often took part in the performance of
it. Under this influence--the influence of the greatest master of
dramatic music of his time--it is not surprising that the already
precocious genius of the young {100} Englishman quickened, and that he
returned to his native country with a different conception of his art.
Another world had been opened up to him whose earliest instruction had,
necessarily, been chiefly confined to the ecclesiastical side of it.
Before his return to England he had been appointed a Gentleman of the
Chapel Royal, in the place of one Thomas Hazard, January, 1667, and he
was duly sworn in the October following. A glance at Pepys' _Diary_
under dates November 1st and 15th, 1667, gives us that shrewd
observer's opinion of our hero as he appears fresh from his Continental
trip.
November 1st, 1667. To Chapel, and heard a fine Anthem made by
Pelham, who is come over.
The entry, however, of a fortnight later is of more interest, as
apparently being Mr Pepys' first personal encounter with him since his
return.
November 15th, 1667. Home, and there I find, as I expected, Mr.
Caesar and little Pelham Humfrey lately returned from France, and
is an absolute Monsieur as full of form and confidence and vanity,
and disparages everything and everybody's skill but his own. But
to hear how he laughs at all the King's Musick here, as Blagrave
and others, that they cannot keep time nor tune nor understand
anything; and that Grebus, the Frenchman, the King's Master of the
Music, how he understands {101} nothing nor can play on any
instrument and so cannot compose; and that he will give him a lift
out of his place; and that he and the King are mighty great. I had
a good dinner for them, a venison pasty and some fowl, and after
dinner we did play, he on the Theorbo, Mr. Caesar on his French
lute, and I on the viol, but made but mean Musique, nor do I see
that this Frenchman do so much wonders on the Theorbo, but without
question, he is a good musician, but his vanity do offend me.
Grebus (or rather Grabu) was the King's Master of the Music. He
displaced Bannister, who was dismissed, according to the historians,
because he championed English violinists and said he preferred them to
Frenchmen. He may have said this, but the real cause of his dismissal
was that he kept back the money which he ought to have paid to the
Private Band! King Charles has often been blamed for dismissing
Bannister on account of his patriotic sentiments and defence of English
players, but this charge is not true.
Returning to Mr Pepys for a record of his next day's doings, November
16, 1667, we find a very interesting reference to Humfrey and a
somewhat scathing criticism from the Diarist:
1667, November 16th. To White Hall, where there is to be a
performance of Music of Pelham's before the King. The company not
come; but I did go into the Music Room where Captain Cooke and many
others, and here I did hear the best and the smallest Organ go that
ever I saw in my life {102} and such a one as by the grace of God I
will have the next year, if I continue in this Condition, whatever
it cost me.
Mr Pepys then records a short walk and talk with Mr Gregory, returning
to Whitehall:
And there got into the theatre room and there heard both the vocall
and instrumentall Music, where the little fellow (Pelham Humfrey)
stood keeping time, but for my part I see no great matter, but
quite the contrary, in both sorts of Music. The composition, I
believe, is very good, but no more of delightfulness to the eare or
understanding, but what is very ordinary.
In addition to being a composer, Humfrey was an accomplished lutenist,
and in the State Papers for the year 1668, under date January 20th, we
find a promotion of his in the Royal Service; the record runs as
follows:
January 20th, 1668. Warrant to pay Pelham Humfreys, Musician in
Ordinary on the Lute, in place of Nich. Sawyer deceased £40 yearly,
and £16 2s. 6d. for Livery.
On May 29th of this same year Mr Pepys again refers to him:
May 29th, 1668. Home, whither by agreement by and by comes Mercer
and Gayet and two gentlemen with them, Mr. Monteith and Pelham, the
{103} former a swaggering young handsome gentleman, the latter a
sober citizen merchant.[2] Both sing, and the latter with great
skill, the other no skill, but a good voice and a good basse, but
used only to tavern tunes; and so I spent all this evening till
eleven at night, singing with them till I was tired of them,
because of the swaggering fellow, tho' the girl Mercer did mightily
commend him before me.
Later in the year (July) another reference is made in the _Diary_:
July 11th, 1668. So home, it being almost night (Mr. Pepys had
been after an espinette at Deptford), and there find in the garden
Pelling, who hath brought Tempest, Wallington, and Pelham to sing,
and there had most excellent Musick late, in the dark with great
pleasure.
Humfrey's Sacred music is a clear evidence of his French experience.
He puts symphonies for strings and is dramatic at times and often
somewhat light. An Anthem _O Praise the Lord_ is a good example of the
latter tendency. There are two short Bass solos, one to the words
_Sing praises lustily_, which is almost like the song of a jovial
sailor! It is in triple time, and is the sort of thing King Charles
would certainly have beaten time to with his hand "all along the
Anthem," in Pepys' words. The Bass solo in the Anthem he {104} wrote
when a boy and before his French training is in a quite different
style, and might have been written by any of our good Cathedral
writers, such as Locke, or Blow, or even Purcell.
In addition to his Sacred works Humfrey wrote three Odes and many
songs. These latter fall under the critical notice of Dr Burney, who
refers to them, I think, rather unfairly and harshly. Speaking of a
collection called _Choice Songs and Aires_, Burney says: "Among these
songs, to the number of near fifty, there is not one air that is either
ingenious, graceful, cheerful or solemn: an insipid languor or vulgar
pertness pervades the whole. From Pelham Humphry, whose Church Music
is so excellent, I own I expected to find originality, or merit of some
kind or other; but his songs are quite on a level with the rest."
Burney's remarks are not only spiteful, but untrue. To mention only
one song, Humfrey's setting of _Where the Bee Sucks_, which he wrote
for Dryden and Davenant's altered version of _The Tempest_ (the oldest
setting but one which we possess), is charming, both as regards melody
and harmony. The first part is in the minor key, for which Humfrey
seems--like Purcell--to have a weakness. There is an effective change
to the Tonic Major at _Merrily, merrily shall I live now_, with a most
striking and delicious drop of a {105} 7th (I expect Burney regarded
this as a crudity), To me the song seems one of the best of the time.
Humfrey went on adding rapidly to his honours. On January 24th, 1672,
he was elected one of the wardens of "the Corporation for regulating
the Art and Science of Musick," and in July of the same year his old
master, Captain Cooke, died; his death being accelerated--so Antony
Wood tells us--by chagrin at finding himself getting supplanted by his
old pupil. This I do not believe: Cooke would have had a soul above
such foibles, and had too many successful pupils to be jealous of poor
little Humfrey.
However this may be, Humfrey succeeded him as Master of the Children of
the Chapel Royal, and later, jointly with Thomas Purcell, he was
appointed Composer in Ordinary for the Violins to His Majesty.
It was in this year, 1672, that he wrote a charming little song called
_Wherever I am and Whatever I do_. It was written for Dryden's
_Conquest of Granada_, produced in that year.
Nothing of any importance is chronicled of him for the last two years
of his all too short life. He died at Windsor on July 13th, 1674, and
was buried in the Cloisters of Westminster Abbey, near the south east
door. His last will and {106} testament, witnessed by his old
schoolfellow, Dr Blow, is interesting:
Aprill ye 23rd, 74.
Bee itt knowne to all people whomsoever itt may Concerne that I
leave my deare wife my sole executrix and Mrs. of all I have in the
world after those few debts I owe are payd:
I only desire that 3 Legacyes may bee given that is to say to my
cousin Betty Jelfe: to Mr. Blow ad to Besse Gill each of them
twenty shillings to buy them Rings.
Pell. Humfrey.
30 July, 1674.
Which day appeared personally John Blow of Westminster and made
oath that he was present when Mr. Pelham Humfrey wrote the above
written writing containing his last will and testament and he the
sd Mr. Pelham Humfrey being of perfect mind and sound memory
published and declared the same for his last will and testament.
John Blow.
30 July, 74.
(Proved 30 July 1674 by Catherine Humfrey Relict and sole
executrix).
Humfrey's life, brief though it was, must be regarded as a turning
point in our art's history--not alone by his own compositions, but by
the infusion of his influence into the greater Purcell. He was not
only Purcell's master at the Chapel Royal, but actually composed an
Anthem jointly with Purcell, called _By the Waters of Babylon_. In
Boyce's opinion "he was the first of our ecclesiastical {107} composers
who had the least idea of musical pathos and expression of the words,"
but this is an exaggeration.
This great advance in our music was carried on by the immortal Purcell,
who, as a choir-boy under Humfrey, was, no doubt, an eager listener to
the "new effects" which his master introduced. The pupil is so great,
one is in danger of forgetting the master. At least here we have
endeavoured to do some justice to the short-lived genius Pelham Humfrey.
[1] I have lately identified the spot. Keepe was for eighteen years a
member of the Abbey Choir, and probably sang at Humfrey's funeral.
[2] I cannot help thinking Pepys meant Pelham as the swaggering young
handsome gentleman, and Monteith as the sober citizen merchant.
{108}
XI. DR JOHN BLOW
1648--1708
If there is one name among the Twelve Musicians with whom I am dealing
in this course of Lectures to which I desire specially to do justice,
it is that of Dr. John Blow. As a child I sang his Anthems in
Rochester Cathedral, and I well remember the delight with which I
listened to, and took part in, his beautiful and expressive _I beheld,
and lo a great multitude_, and _I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day_.
In those days the great masterpieces of the English Cathedral School
were constantly done, and very well done, at Rochester, and none of the
Anthems except I may say, perhaps, Purcell's great Anthem _O Sing unto
the Lord_, touched me and thrilled me as did that of Blow. And as long
as I played in Manchester Cathedral and Westminster Abbey, so long did
I feel the power and religious impressions of these splendid specimens
of Blow's genius. Of course there are many Anthems and Services by
this master, but none, to me at least, ever spoke so eloquently as did
the two I have mentioned. This is one reason {109} why I approach the
subject of Blow's career with such a desire to do him justice. Another
is the strange neglect of most of his secular music, and lastly the
absurd and ignorant criticism of Dr Burney, as displayed in his
_History_, when he talks of "Blow's crudities."
Without further delay let us proceed to trace his musical life. I
refrain, on account of time, from dwelling much on biographical details
in these Lectures. So I will merely state that it seems pretty certain
that Blow was born at North Collingham, in Nottinghamshire, and
baptised in the Parish Church of Newark in February 1648-9. Let us
begin with recording his admission as a Chorister to the Chapel
Royal--one of the "clever boys" whom Captain Cooke got together and
taught. Of his school-fellow, Pelham Humfrey, I have already spoken,
and, like Humfrey, Blow composed Anthems while in the choir. It is
possible--or rather, I think, probable--that an entry in Pepys' _Diary_
refers to him. Under the head of August 21, 1667, we read:
This morning come two of Captain Cooke's boys, whose voices are
broke, and are gone from the Chappell, but have extraordinary
skill, and they and my boy, with his broken voice, did sing three
parts: their names were Blaew and Loggings, but notwithstanding
their skill, yet to hear them sing with their {110} broken voices,
which they could not command to keep in tune, would make a man mad,
so bad it was.
If this refers to Blow he would be about nineteen years old, and could
have had but a very broken voice. But it is not impossible, as many
boys retain their voices until a good age, and continue singing "alto"
in a moderate sort of style. It is hardly likely there would be a boy
named Blaew and one named Blow. And there was some arrangement whereby
boys who had left the Choir continued to reside with the Masters,
possibly to study.[1]
At the early age of twenty-one, in 1669, he became Organist of
Westminster Abbey, and the appointment, apparently, was not enough for
his ambition (or, more probably, for his needs!), for in 1674 he
succeeded Humfrey as Master of the Children of the Chapel Royal,
becoming Organist also (while still holding Westminster Abbey) in 1676.
As regards his degree of Mus. Doc. I have (on the authority of the late
Dr Southgate) to make a little correction of former statements. It has
generally been said the degree was conferred upon Blow by Archbishop
Sancroft, but {111} Dr Southgate told me in a note, when I was about to
lecture on Blow, some years ago, that the degree was granted by
Bancroft's _representative_ the Dean of Canterbury--the Archbishop
being dead. It is marked in the Lambeth Register "_Sede vacante_": it
was thus bestowed when the "See was vacant." It is a curious fact that
Blow gave up his Abbey post in 1680, being succeeded by Purcell; and on
Purcell's death, in 1695, he was again appointed organist of the Abbey,
and held that post until his death.
But I have to record yet another important Cathedral appointment which
our indefatigable musician held. He was Almoner and Master of the
Choristers in St Paul's Cathedral, holding those offices for six years,
from 1687 to 1693. Again he seems to have resigned in favour of a
pupil, Mr Jeremiah Clarke. It is a remarkable testimony to the esteem
in which he was held that he should have filled posts at the Chapel
Royal, St Paul's Cathedral, and Westminster Abbey, all at the same
time. Bishops, in the old days, often presided over a Diocese, filled
a Canonry or directed a College and occupied a "Living" or two,
simultaneously; but Blow seems to me to have been the greatest Organist
pluralist on record!
But this is a testimony to his worth, and in {112} following up our
investigation of his contributions to music I will not dwell longer
upon his Church music, except to mention that he wrote an Anthem _I was
glad_, for the opening of St Paul's Cathedral in 1697, and to tell the
story of the composition of the Anthem which I mentioned in the early
part of my lecture, _I beheld and Lo_! When it was performed in the
Chapel Royal, the King (who had asked him to compose it) sent Father
Petre to say he was greatly pleased with it; "but (added Petre) I
myself think it too long!" "That (answered Blow) is the opinion of but
one fool--I heed it not." The Priest was greatly incensed at this
remark, and it is said that, had not James II lost his place by his
sudden flight to France, Dr Blow would have lost _his_!
Among the Anthems of this composer may be mentioned two which he wrote
for the Coronation of James II, and he also took part in the funeral of
William III in the Abbey, receiving, according to an Abbey record, the
very large fee of 7s. 10d. for the latter. He does not seem to have
directed the music at the Coronation, but took part in the choir. On
the death of his pupil, Purcell, he wrote an ode, the words by Dryden,
beginning _Mark how the lark and linnet sing_.
I must not omit to mention that he and Purcell were the Organists
selected by Father Smith to {113} display the organ of the Temple
Church at the memorable competition between Smith and Harris, the two
rival organ-builders. Smith won the day, and showed his wisdom in
getting the best men to preside at his instrument. It was the custom
for many years to have an _Ode for St Cecilia's Day_ composed for and
performed in Stationers Hall on the Saint's Day. Blow wrote the second
of these _Odes_ in 1684--the year of the Temple Church competition. He
published, in 1700, a great collection of his secular vocal music,
under the title of _Amphion Anglicus_, and in his dedication to the
Princess Anne of Denmark he announces that he is preparing "as fast as
I can a second musical Present, my Church Services and Divine
composition." He gives his sentiments with regard to Sacred
composition in the same dedication, which are worth repeating:
To those in truth I have ever more especially consecrated the
thoughts of my whole life. All the rest I consider but the
blossoms or rather the leaves those I only esteem as the Fruits of
all my labours in this kind. With them I began my first Raptures
in this Art, with them I hope calmly and comfortably to finish my
days.
The composer did not carry out his design, though he lived about eight
years after this.
A very interesting work, which has only of late {114} years been made
known, is a Masque entitled _Venus and Adonis_. Some years ago I
noticed it among the music in the Chapter Library at Westminster. It
has since been edited by Mr Arkwright, and, quite lately, produced upon
the stage at Glastonbury. It is very interesting, as it shows that
Blow, like Purcell, had a leaning to dramatic music and this Masque is
specially noticeable as it consists of musical dialogue--not
spoken--thus coming very near to a little Opera.
Blow also contributed to some _Choice Lessons for the Harpsichord_, a
collection published by Playford, to which also Henry Purcell
contributed. There are also interesting specimens of organ music,
among which is a curious arrangement of the _Hundredth Psalm Tune_ "as
they are played in Churches and Chapels." I have also a copy of a MS.
_Lesson on the Hundredth Psalm_. It would now be called a Choral
Prelude for the Organ. After a short introduction, the whole tune
appears at intervals in the Bass, with very florid upper counterpoint.
It is evidence of Blow's knowledge of organ effects and of his ability
as a player.
A writer in 1711, three years after Blow's death, tells us "he was
reckoned the greatest Master in the world for playing most gravely and
{115} serenely in his Voluntaries", and we have Purcell's testimony to
him as "one of the greatest masters in the world". With this testimony
before him it seems incredible that Dr Burney should have made such a
fierce onslaught upon this really excellent man and versatile musician,
on account of what he calls his "crudities." He has actually given
four pages of music type in his History, full of quotations of Blow's
misdeeds. I have examined these carefully, and in many cases the
examples are really a remarkable testimony to Blow's advanced ideas,
and his feeling for pathetic and expressive harmony. In some specimens
there are obvious mis-prints, accidentals omitted, etc., which Burney,
had he not been prejudiced, would certainly have perceived. But it is
not worth while to follow up this matter, although I am sorry to say
Sir Frederick Ouseley took rather the same line when commenting on
Blow's music. He really pays Blow a compliment when he says that "he
always appears to have been trying experiments in harmony or
introducing new combinations and discords". This was what was said of
another great musician, Monteverde, to whom we owe so much, and such
criticisms only bring discredit upon the writers who failed to see the
value behind the novelty. Sir Hubert Parry, in speaking of these {116}
"crudities" says "they do Blow, for the most part, great credit, for
they show that he adventured beyond the range of the mere conventional,
and often with the success that betokens genuine musical insight."
I have already commented upon his greatest Anthems _I beheld and lo!_
and _I was in the Spirit_. They are full of examples of Blow's
melodious power, and this also comes out in some of his secular airs.
Perhaps one of the best is his beautiful song which is to be found in
_Amphion Anglicus_ entitled _The Self Banished_ beginning "It is not
that I love you less"; the words are by Waller, and the music is worthy
of them.
Blow, as described by Sir John Hawkins, was "a very handsome man in his
person, and remarkable for a gravity and decency in his deportment,
suited to his station".
This worthy musician died in 1708, aged 60, and is buried in
Westminster Abbey, near the old entrance to the organ-loft and in close
proximity to Purcell. A fine monument is erected near the spot, and a
specimen of his composition, in the form of a _Gloria_ from one of his
services is engraved thereupon. This _Gloria_ is said to have been
sung at St Peter's at Rome. I remember an interesting matter in
connection with this monument. In my early days at the Abbey (during
{117} Dean Stanley's time) the Emperor of Brazil paid a visit and was
shown round the Abbey by the Dean. The only thing he specially asked
to be shown was "Dr. Blow's monument"! The Dean told me His Majesty
inspected it very closely and seemed to be reading the music. He
probably knew more about Blow's music than Burney's _History_!
[1] There is an account preserved in the Bodleian Library of Blow being
paid £40 a year for "keeping and teaching two boys" but this was in
1685. It shows that it was usual for boys whose voices were gone, to
be kept on for tuition.
{118}
XII. HENRY PURCELL
1658--1695
In Henry Purcell I reach the last and the greatest of my Twelve Good
Musicians. And to attempt to consider and discuss completely his life
and work in the short space of a University Lecture, would be an absurd
effort. But, as I have before pointed out, my object has been to
endeavour to interest the musical student--amateur and professional--in
certain prominent masters of music, and in the remarkable progress made
in our own country by their aid in the seventeenth century. I can do
little more than arouse interest, and I cannot pretend to write a
complete history, but I trust the Lectures will have helped to fill up
the "blank" which Sir Hubert Parry declared existed in many minds as
regards the music of this period.
[Illustration: Henry Purcell]
In the consideration of the various musicians of whom I have already
treated I have avoided biographical detail. As a rule information in
these matters may be gleaned from the well-known books of reference.
But in the case of {119} Purcell I am obliged to enlarge a little on
his life, in the hope that I may be able to contribute a few
interesting facts with regard to his family that are not generally
known.
Let me begin, then, with Purcell's father. It is an extraordinary
thing that we know nothing whatever of him until we find his name among
distinguished musicians, such as Captain Cooke, Locke, and Lawes, as
one of the performers in the _Siege of Rhodes_, in 1656. In the
Preface to this publication it is claimed that "The Musick was composed
and both the Vocal and Instrumental is exercised by the most
transcendent of England in that Art."
What did the elder Purcell do before he attained to such a position?
We know absolutely nothing as regards his origin, his training, or his
career up to this. I have made diligent search in the archives of
Westminster to see if there were anything to be learned there, and have
gleaned a few small facts.
The name of Roger Pursell occurs in a bill for bringing timber to the
College--in August 1628. The items of the bill include Carriage by
land 1s. 6d., for watching 6d., for helping to land ye timber 6d. This
would seem to apply to a load of timber brought from a distance for the
use of the carpenters of the College. Roger Pursell {120} may have
come up with the timber or he may have been one of the carpenters. He
was paid 3s. for two days' work. The name appears again in 1659 when
we find in a page of accounts "Expended by George Blackborn and Joseph
Hobbes for the travelling charges about the Colledge affaires at
Offord, in the County of Huntingdon" the following note: "In the Bonds
taken from Mr Throgmorton and _Roger Pursell_ there is included £4
towards travelling charges." Then Roger Pursell is spoken of as "the
'Bayliffe' of Mr Giles." It is rather curious that the name of Roger
Pursell should occur at such a wide interval, 1628 and again in 1659.
One wonders if Roger's connection with the Abbey and its property was
the beginning of the musical members of the family coming to
Westminster.
There was a Shropshire Purcell family of some standing, and in the
_Herald's Visitation of Shropshire_ in 1623 it was given as of Onslow,
and Shrewsbury; and there were many distinguished Purcells in Ireland.
We know and hear nothing more of the elder Purcell after the production
of the _Siege of Rhodes_ in 1656 until his name appears in a book in
the Library at Westminster. This book records the admission of one or
two Petty Canons {121} in 1660, and the payment by them of 5s. for the
entry. Mr Henry Purcell's name is also entered with the note "instead
of 5s. _this book_."
Here, then, we have the great musician's father installed in the Abbey
as Master of the Choristers (not organist also) and Copyist. He was
also a Gentleman of the Chapel Royal and a Singing Man of Westminster.
Later on we find him a member of the Royal Band (1663). All these
important appointments testify to his leading musical position.
We have a glimpse of him in Pepys' _Diary_, under date February 21st,
1660.
"After dinner I back to Westminster Hall. Here I met with Mr. Lock
and Pursell, Master of Music, and with them to the Coffee House
into a room next the Water by ourselves. Here we had variety of
brave Italian and Spanish songs and a Canon for eight voices which
Mr. Locke had lately made on these words '_Domine Salvum fac
Regem_.'"
Another small fact of interest in connection with the elder Purcell is
furnished me by my brother of Chester. He finds in the Chirk Castle
accounts, by the steward of Sir Thomas Myddelton, an allusion to Mr
Purcell, who is, no doubt, our elder Purcell. Dr. Bridge writes as
follows:
"In 1661 the family had gone up to London and we find the Steward
there and recording
Dec. 24, Paid for a quart of
Purle with Mr. Purcell .... 2d.
{122}
As a rule only the names of important personages are put in the
accounts. As the Steward did not _live_ in London, it looks as if
Mr. Purcell was a former acquaintance from somewhere near Chirk.
This place is on the borders of three Counties of which Shropshire
is one, and as the Purcells probably came from Salop, their
birth-place or place of residence, may have been at the Chirk end
of the County. Possibly Mr. Purcell was an old friend of the
Steward's."
There is no doubt the elder Purcell lived in the place called the
Almonry, where the "Singing Men" had houses. These stood where the
well-known Westminster Palace Hotel now stands. And here his
distinguished son was born.[1]
It is generally stated that he was born in 1658. It seems, however,
just as likely--or even more likely--the date should be 1659.
Unfortunately it has been impossible to find the record of his baptism.
The Register at St Margaret's Church, Westminster, for this period
(which was then very carefully kept) does not show Henry Purcell's
name. The approximate date is fixed fairly well for us by the fact
that in June, 1683, Purcell published some Sonatas to which his
portrait was prefixed. On this portrait he is {123} said to be
"_aetat: suae_ 24," i.e. in the twenty-fourth year of his age. Again
on his monument in the Abbey we find "_Anno Aetatis suae 37_," i.e., in
the thirty-seventh year of his age. Therefore, if he was in his
thirty-seventh year on November 21, 1695 (the date of his death), he
must have been born between November 21st, 1658, and November 20th,
1659.
Not only is his baptism during these years not recorded at St
Margaret's, but the _Rate Books_ of St Margaret's for 1658 and 1659 _do
not contain the name of Purcell_, as they certainly would have had his
father had a house in the parish.
A friend has made most careful enquiries for me on this point. I
expect the Almonry was in the precincts of Westminster Abbey, and so
would not be "in the parish," and it is quite reasonable to suppose the
child born in the Almonry was christened in the Abbey: but I have never
yet found any record of this. Purcell's own son, Edward, was
christened in the Abbey in 1689.
It is interesting to know that Henry Lawes lived also in the Almonry,
and so must have known the little boy Purcell; but, as Lawes died in
1662, the child could not have given any great proof of his future
genius. The elder Purcell died in 1664, and the young boy was {124}
placed in the Chapel Royal Choir at the early age of six years.
Thomas Purcell, brother of the elder Purcell, was a distinguished
musician also and a member of the Chapel Royal, besides holding other
important posts. He looked after his clever little nephew, and was a
real father to him. As in the case of Henry Purcell, Senior, we know
nothing of the previous history of Thomas Purcell until we find him in
his high position. Who trained him and his brother Henry we know not.
Henry Purcell was thus one of the remarkable set of boys to which I
have often alluded in these Lectures, among his fellow choristers being
Pelham Humfrey and Blow. Like the other boys, he began to compose, and
the first reliable composition we have was the _Address of the Children
of the Chapel Royal to the King and their Master, Captain Cooke, on His
Majestie's Birthday A.D. 1670, composed by MASTER PURCELL, one of the
Children of the said Chapel_.
Purcell, no doubt, owed much to Captain Cooke, but it is also certain
that the influence of Pelham Humfrey, with the experience he gained by
his studies with Lully, must have made a deep impression. As we know,
Humfrey died at the early age of twenty-seven, and Purcell continued
his studies with Blow, whose monument in the {125} Abbey records he was
"Master to the famous Henry Purcell."
The first appointment Purcell held was that of copyist to Westminster
Abbey (1676), a post which his father had held before him. We know
little for certain as to his compositions for the Church in his early
days. As a matter of fact, he seems to have been drawn (like Henry
Lawes) more to the secular side, writing for the theatre. It has been
suggested that he was introduced to this kind of work by Locke, who we
know was a prominent composer for the stage. We must also remember
that Humfrey would, very likely, have helped to influence the mind of
the young Purcell in that direction. On Locke's death in 1677 Purcell
wrote an ode _On the death of his worthy friend, Matthew Locke_.
In 1680 Dr Blow resigned his position as Organist of Westminster Abbey,
and Purcell succeeded him. There is no record of Blow resigning or the
cause of it in the Chapter Books; one simply finds in the Treasurer's
accounts that Purcell drew the salary as Organist instead of Blow.
Probably his appointment to Westminster turned his mind more towards
Church than stage.
The composition of the Opera _Dido and Æneas_ is, I think, proved by Mr
Barclay Squire's {126} clever article on Purcell's dramatic music not
to be a composition of his early years. It is not possible for me to
go minutely into the subject of Purcell's many compositions, but I will
for a few moments call attention to what I consider almost his
master-piece. I allude to the splendid and original set of Sonatas
which he issued in 1683.[2] This was Purcell's first publication, and
it was issued from St Ann's Lane, beyond Westminster Abbey, where the
composer resided--having been married in 1681. (It should be added
that he was made Organist of the Chapel Royal in 1682, holding that
post at the same time as the Abbey.)
These Sonatas are a very interesting study in Purcell's career. Like
many of the composers mentioned in these Lectures, Purcell wrote
Fancies; but the Sonatas are a very different thing. Written for Two
Violins 'Cello and Basso Continuo, and consisting of three or four
movements of differing character, they are a wonderful advance on
anything previously done in this direction, either in England or abroad.
Corelli issued his Sonatas in the same year that Purcell's appeared.
But Corelli's--although beautiful--have not the depth or originality of
{127} Purcell's, which are admirably written for the strings and abound
in clever devices, but are in no way dull or suggestive of vocal
writing. The three strings are often complete without the Continuo,
but occasionally there is an extra part for this. My own experience of
them in performance is that the least possible accompaniment is best,
and it should be remembered that the Continuo is not written for a
modern pianoforte with its powerful tone, but for the Harpsichord or
Organ.
Purcell in his Preface says: "for its Author he has faithfully
endeavoured a just imitation of the most favour'd Italian Masters". He
goes on to explain the meaning of certain Italian "terms of Art perhaps
unusual," such as _Adagio, Grave, Presto, Largo_, etc., and concludes
with a wish that his book may fall into no other hands but those who
carry musical souls about them; for he is willing to flatter himself
into a belief that with such his labours will seem neither unpleasant
nor unprofitable."
The question of the models that Purcell had in writing these fine
Sonatas and what famous Italian Masters he imitated has been often
debated. For myself I cannot but believe that Purcell owed much to a
remarkable Neapolitan violinist, Nicola Matteis.
{128}
This Italian violinist and composer came to London about 1672, and
resided there till after Purcell's death. The date of Matteis's birth
is not known, but the accounts of his playing given from personal
observation by such authorities as John Evelyn in his contemporary
_Diary_, and Roger North in his _Memoirs of Musick_, show that he came
here as a mature artist. Purcell was then fifteen years old, and
during the eleven years which elapsed till the publication of the 1683
Purcell Sonatas, Matteis was much the most prominent foreign musician,
and the only Italian musician of any rank resident in London. The
propagation of musical styles from one country to another was carried
out in those days very little by the dissemination of copies, whether
manuscript or printed, and much more by the activity of persons who
went here and there giving performances and concerts. And Roger North
says specifically: "But as yet wee have given no account of the
decadence of the French musick, and the Italian coming in its room.
This happened by degrees, and the overture was by accident, for the
coming over of Sig. Nicolai Matteis gave the first start. He was an
excellent musician, &c., &c., &c." Purcell, the Organist of
Westminster Abbey, must of course have known Matteis, as he directed
the concerts of Chief {129} Justice Francis North (Roger North's
brother) in Queen Street, and it is evident from the writings of Roger
that the Norths were supporters of Matteis. In the Bodleian Library I
have found Chief Justice North's name inscribed as the owner on one of
the volumes of Matteis's _Aires for the Violin_. Then as to the
explanation of Italian terms in Purcell's Preface, it is a little
singular that much the same sort of information is found prefixed to
Matteis's second volume of Violin Pieces. Again I have discovered in
MS. parts in the Bodleian Library, and had performed at a Lecture at
the Royal Institution, a Sonata in A by Matteis, in the exact Sonata
form used by Purcell in 1683; and, though the date of this MS.
composition cannot be traced, it is at least as likely to have been
composed before 1683 as after. However, I am not asserting that a
composer like Purcell copied Matteis's works. I am only saying that it
was Matteis who made the Italian chamber-music prevalent in London, and
that but for him Purcell would possibly never have thought or written
in that style. And I cannot better conclude than by quoting from one
of North's voluminous manuscripts, _Essay of Musical Ayre_ (Brit.
Museum, _Addit._ MSS., 32, 536, folio 78):
{130}
The poor man (Matteis) as a grateful legacy to the English nation,
left with them a generall savour for the Itallian manner of
Harmony, and after him the French was wholly layd aside, and
nothing in towne had a relish without a spice of Itally, and the
masters here began to imitate them, _wittness Mr. H. Purcell, in
his noble set of Sonnatas_.
Purcell composed another set of Sonatas, which was published after his
death. One of them, generally called _The Golden Sonata_, is, perhaps,
the best known of any in either of the issues. But it is inferior to
others, particularly No. 4 of the first set, and altogether I do not
think the second is at all on a level with the first. I may add that I
have in my library the parts of the original publication of the first
set. The Continuo contains an immense number of additional figures,
and there are a few corrections in the other parts, which I have never
found in any other copy. It would appear almost as if Purcell had
himself made the corrections, and, indeed, Sir Hubert Parry was of
opinion this was so. I hope I may be able shortly to print these
Sonatas in separate parts so that they may be accessible to lovers of
Purcell.
I cannot linger now over these interesting Sonatas, but must glance at
Purcell's further activities. He wrote an _Ode for St Cecilia's Day_
in this year (1683) and many Anthems about this {131} time. In 1686 he
took part in the competition of Organ-Builders at the Temple Church,
already spoken of in my Lecture on Dr Blow.
In 1685 he produced music for the Coronation of James II, himself
singing in the choir with Blow, Child, and others. Who directed the
music, i.e., played the organ, as was customary, we are not told. I
possess a very rare engraving of this great ceremony, and one of the
Choir seems certainly to hold a baton in his hand, but it was not usual
to have a Conductor.
A second Coronation in which Purcell took part had a rather serious
turn. It was that of William and Mary, and Purcell admitted persons to
the organ-loft to see the Ceremony, for which they evidently paid
pretty well. Purcell thought it was a "perquisite" (I do not suppose
he was paid for his extra work on the occasion); but the Dean and
Chapter claimed the money and passed the following Chapter Order:
April 18, 1689. It is ordered that Mr. Purcell, organist to ye
Dean and Chapter of Westminster, do pay to the hand of Mr. John
Needham, Receiver of the College, all such moneys as was received
by him for places in the Organ Loft at ye Coronation of King
William and Queen Mary, by or before Saturday next, being ye 20th
day of this instant {132} Aprill. And in default thereof his place
is ordered to be null and void. And it is further ordered that his
stipend or salary due at our Lady Day past be detayned in the hands
of the Treasurer until further order.
(_Entry in Chapter Book_)
Poor Purcell paid up, as an entry in the Treasurer's book states:
"Received of Mr. Purcell (his poundage and charges being deducted)
£78 4s. 6d."
The visitors to the organ-loft could not have been many, as it was but
small, so they paid pretty well for their seats, and Purcell seems to
have had some sort of commission in the way of "poundage and other
charges."
The Opera of _Dido and Æneas_ has often been quoted as a marvellous
effort of Purcell's early days. Being a complete Opera without spoken
Dialogue, it is a most interesting example of Purcell's advanced views,
and, had he written it in 1675 (when only seventeen years of age), it
would indeed have been a marvel. But I feel sure Mr Barclay Squire is
right in putting it much later--in 1689. Although a splendid piece of
work it is that of a man of experience and not of a youth.
One of the composer's best Operas is _Dioclesian_, an adaption from
Beaumont and Fletcher by {133} Betterton. It is scored for strings,
flutes, hautboys (3), bassoons and trumpets. It is very interesting
music, and there is a "Masque" included in it, containing some of the
host of Purcell's operatic work. Purcell corrected the copies of the
first issue by his own hand.
I possess one of these scarce books. He tells us a little of his
troubles with the printer in an advertisement at the end of the book.
"In order to the speedier publication of the Book I employed two
several printers, but one of them falling into some trouble and the
volume swelling to a bulk beyond my expectations have been the occasion
of this delay." The music to _Dioclesian_ and to _Amphitryon_ (a play
by Dryden), added greatly to Purcell's fame; and Dryden who at one time
thought Grabu, the French master of the King's Music, to be far
superior to any English composer, now mentions Purcell as one "in whose
Person we have at length found an Englishman equal with the best
abroad. At least my opinion of him has been such since his happy and
judicious performances in the last Opera." (Dryden's.)
Dryden wrote another Opera in 1691, _King Arthur_, which Purcell set to
music. This is, I think, the best (excepting _Dido and Æneas_) of
Purcell's dramatic works, containing as it does the {134} celebrated
Air _Come if you dare_ and the Frost Scene.
I cannot dwell longer on Purcell's dramatic music, but will turn for a
moment to the music for _St Cecilia's Day_ in 1692. This was
performed, as usual, in Stationers Hall (the Hall still stands at the
bottom of Paternoster Row), and _The Gentleman's Magazine_ of the time
mentions the performance and tells us the interesting fact that the
second stanza was sung with incredible graces by Mr. Purcell himself.
So it seems that Purcell had an alto voice; and it is pleasant to go
into the very Hall, with the Musicians Company of the present day, and
think of the old building echoing, years ago, to the strains of
Purcell's voice.
And now I must turn to one of the finest of Purcell's contributions to
the Services of the Church. In 1694 he wrote an elaborate _Te Deum_
and _Jubilate_ with orchestral accompaniment: this is the first of its
kind by an English composer. It was written for the festival of _St
Cecilia's Day_, 1694, but was not published until after the composer's
death. The _Te Deum_ was performed in St Paul's at the Annual Festival
Service of the Sons of the Clergy until 1713, when Handel's _Te Deum_,
composed for the Peace of Utrecht, took its place. From that time for
some years the {135} two rival _Te Deums_ were performed alternately.
There are some points of resemblance. Handel must have heard Purcell's
setting, but the version of it which, until lately, was known--and
sometimes performed--was a sad corruption of the original. Boyce, with
the intention no doubt of helping Purcell's _Te Deum_ to compete with
Handel's, broke it up into various movements, made some alterations in
the harmony, and added many dull symphonies. The original Purcell
score consisted of 325 bars and Boyce added 149 more! The result was
disastrous and practically killed the Purcell setting. A performance
of it was given in 1829, again at the Festival of the Sons of the
Clergy. A very interesting letter from M. Fétis, the great French
writer, is preserved in a musical paper of June 1829, which I will
quote:
I must confess that my curiosity was considerable to hear the music
of Purcell, whom the English proudly cite as being worthy of being
placed in the same rank with the greatest composers of Germany and
Italy. I was in a perfectly admiring disposition of mind when the
Te Deum of this giant began; but what was my disappointment upon
hearing, instead of the masterpiece which they had promised me, a
long succession of insignificant phrases, ill-connected modulations
and incorrect, albeit pretending harmonies. At first I imagined
myself deceived, and that I ought to doubt my judgment on a style
of music to which I was unaccustomed {136} but M. Felix
Mendelssohn, a young and highly distinguished German composer, who
stood beside me, received precisely the same impressions. Such
indeed was the inconvenience felt by him that he would not prolong
it, but escaped, leaving me to encounter Purcell alone during the
performance of the Jubilate[3], which appeared to me no way
superior.
It was a great anxiety to me to know what to do about introducing
this _Te Deum_ in the music of the Abbey Purcell Celebration. I
consulted Sir Hubert Parry, who said it was "long-winded and dull"!
And so I had always found it, and the result was I gave up the
idea. But--most providentially--the MS. score of this work was
brought to me one day in the Cloisters of the Abbey; the
announcement of the coming celebration had called the owner's
attention to it. He sold it to me--and when I looked it over I
found out what was the real reason of its failure. It was Boyce's
edition and not Purcell's music. A new edition was prepared and
the _Te Deum_ again restored to life!
In another direction Purcell showed his remarkable versatility. He
corrected and amended Playford's Introduction to the Skill of
Musick, a book of great interest. Purcell's observations on Canon
are particularly good and valuable.
In 1695 the funeral of Queen Mary took place {137} in the Abbey,
Purcell contributing an Anthem and other music. The solemn March
for "flat mournful trumpets" has lately been recovered and
published; this is a beautiful specimen of Purcell's art, and, it
is said, was played at his own funeral.
Purcell died on November 21st, 1695, and Dr Cummings, in his _Life
of Purcell_, draws a moving picture of the death of the composer
"in a house on the west side of Dean's Yard." But--Purcell never
lived in Dean's Yard. Rate Books are not romantic, but generally
trustworthy. The Rate Books of Westminster show that in 1682
Purcell paid rates for a house in Great St Ann's Lane, in 1686 for
a house in Bowling Alley East, and in 1693, 1694, and 1695 (the
year of his death) for a house in Marsham Street. All these houses
are now demolished, but the one in Bowling Alley existed until
lately, and I possess cupboards made from the mantelpieces and
balusters of the staircase of Purcell's house.
Further proof that he rented houses lies in the fact that he was
allowed £8 a year in lieu of a house, and this same payment
continued up to the time of my predecessor, who had no house for
the early years of his organistship.
The death of this great man was a grievous loss to English music.
Although he had worthy {138} pupils in Dr Croft and others, yet he
had no real successor; and the arrival of Handel and the musical
domination which he exercised did much to cause Purcell's name to
sink somewhat into oblivion. But it was only for a time--and now
there is no English musician whose name and fame is more assured.
A Purcell Society is gradually publishing all his works and making
them more accessible. His Operas of _Dido and Æneas_ and _The
Fairy Queen_ have been performed with great success, and his Church
music is still constantly on the lists of our Cathedrals.
It has not been possible for me to notice all his work as I would
wish to have done, but we must all feel that, not only was he the
last of my _Twelve Good Musicians_, but by far the greatest.
A translation of the lines upon his gravestone in Westminster Abbey
may fitly close this chapter.
Applaud so great a guest, celestial powers,
Who now resides with you but once was ours,
Yet let invidious earth no more reclaim
Her short-lived fav'rite and her chiefest fame,
Complaining that so prematurely died
Good-natured pleasure and devotion's pride.
Died? no, he lives while yonder Organs sound
And sacred echoes to the Choir rebound.
{139}
NOTE
Since the preceding pages were written I have been in
correspondence with Dr W. H. Grattan-Flood, of Enniscorthy, with
reference to the Irish Purcells mentioned on p. 120. Dr
Grattan-Flood claims to have proved Henry Purcell to be descended
from a distinguished Irish family. Before quoting from his kind
communication, I may say it seems to me very probable the Purcells
were of good family. Both the elder Henry and his brother Thomas,
were musicians of note when we first hear of them, and at the
Restoration were members of the King's Band, Henry being also
"Master of the Choristers" of Westminster Abbey. Edward Purcell,
an elder brother of the composer, was a distinguished officer, who
took part in the Siege of Gibraltar, and ended his days in
honourable retirement at the seat of the Earl of Abingdon, at
Wytham, near Oxford, in the chancel of which Church he is interred.
Another small point is the fact that Purcell's first published
work, the Sonatas, was issued with a portrait of the composer and
with a coat-of-arms. All this looks as if "Roger Purcell, the
'Bayliffe' of Mr. Giles," (see p. 120) is not so likely to have
been an ancestor of the musician as one of the Irish Purcells.
I am not able to give all the matter kindly sent to me--which I
hope Dr Grattan-Flood will make public--but append his observations
on the most important points:--
"Henry Purcell, the composer, was the younger son of Henry Purcell
the Elder; and was adopted at the age of six by his uncle Thomas.
The puzzle, then, is: Who was the father of Henry Purcell the Elder
and of Thomas Purcell?
{140}
"In order to answer this, I have made a systematic search in the
_Fiants_ of Elizabeth and James I, in the _Calendars of State
Papers, Ireland_, 1623-1670, in the _Inquisitions, Funeral Entries
in the Office of Arms_, etc., and have succeeded in tracing the
father and grandfather of Henry Purcell the Elder. I had unusual
opportunities of making this investigation inasmuch as I assisted
Capt R. P. Mahaffy, B.L., in the editing of the _Irish State Papers
of Charles I and Charles II_.
"Henry Purcell the Elder was the son of Thomas Purcell of Gortanny
and Ballycross, Co. Tipperary, the son of Thomas Fitz Piers
Purcell, cousin of the Baron of Loughmoe, and cousin of the
Purcells of Croagh, Co. Limerick. Both Henry and Thomas Purcell
were brought when quite young to England by their aunt, and placed
in the Chapel Royal. Their aunt was a blood-relation of the
Marquis of Ormonde, who was on intimate terms with King Charles I.
Mrs James Purcell, their aunt, took for her second husband Colonel
John Fitzpatrick, who was also a personal friend of Charles I and
of Charles II. This lady was Elizabeth Butler, 4th daughter of
Thomas, Viscount Thurles; her marriage jointure is dated 11
February, 1639. She returned from London in 1643.
At the Restoration, through the influence of the Marquis of
Ormonde, who was created Duke of Ormonde on March 30, 1661, both
Henry Purcell the Elder and his brother Thomas were given posts as
Gentlemen in the Chapel Royal, and were in the immediate entourage
of the Court, and not unregarded by the observant Pepys. Henry
married _circa_ 1651, and his eldest son, Edward, called after an
uncle of the same name, was born in 1653."
"W. H. GRATTAN-FLOOD."
It will be seen Dr Grattan-Flood gives interesting particulars of
the Irish family. On one point the {141} suggestion that the elder
Purcell and his brother Thomas were "placed in the Chapel Royal," I
wish he could give some real proof, for it would, I think, explain
all the ensuing musical success of Purcell's father, his Uncle
Thomas, and himself. But I can only hope that Dr Grattan-Flood's
further researches may end in completely clearing up the mystery of
the ancestry of Henry Purcell.
J.F.B.
[1] Mr Hooper, the Organist, and Mr John Parsons, the Master of the
Choristers, both had houses in the Little Almonry in 1616. Their
names appear on a document of that time, a lease from Dr Montaigne
and the Chapter.
[2] The portrait which was issued with these sonatas has been
reproduced for this volume.
[3] The _Jubilate_ was also "improved" by Boyce.
{143}
INDEX
_Abbey Amen_, The, 42
Allnutt (Mr), 67
_Amphion Anglicus_, 113
Anne of Denmark (Princess), 113
Bach Choir, 51
Bannister, 101
_Beaumont and Fletcher_, 132
Bleaw, 110
Blow (Dr John), 108-117
Bodleian Library, 26
Boethius, 56
Boyce's _Cathedral Music_, 10
Brackly (Viscount), 74
Brazil (Emperor of), Visit to Westminster Abbey, 117
Bridgewater (Lord), 76
Bull (Dr John), 1-10
_Burlesque Madrigal_, 36
Byrd (Wm.), 11-20
Camden History Professorship, 42
Campion, 31
Canterbury Cathedral, 48
_Cantiones_ (Byrd), 13
Casaubon, 47
Clarke (Hyde), 68
Clarke (Jeremiah), 111
Coleman (Mrs), 82 (note)
Collier (J. P.), _Catalogues of Early English Literature_, 78
Comic Song, The First Real, 77
_Comus_ (Milton), 72
Coperario (Giovanni), 71, 72
Corelli, 126
Coszyn's (Ben), _Virginal Book_, 36
Crews (Mr), 49
Cromwell (Oliver), 53
_Cryes of London_, 31, 36, 60
Davenant's _First Day's Entertainment_, 82
Deering (Richard), 50-62
Deering (Henry), 54
Deering (William), 54
_Dido and Æneas_, 125, 132
_Dioclesian_, 132
Drayton (Michael), 28
Dyke (Eleanor), 54
Earle's _Microcosmographie_, 45-47
Egerton (Lady Alice), 76
_English Country Songs_, 70
_Fairy Queen_ (_The_), 138
_Fancies_ (Byrd), 20
Fawkes (Guy), 59
Fellowes (Rev Dr), 33
Ferabosco, 37
Fétis (M), 135
_Fitzwilliam Virginal Book_, 9, 16, 25
Forster's _Virginal Book_, 25
Gibbons (Christopher), 85
Gibbons (Edward), 34-35
Gibbons (Orlando), 34-49
_Gloria Tibi Trinitas_, 37
Grabu (Grebus), 101
Gresham Lectures, 1
Grey (Lady Elizabeth), 54
Hamilton ("Single-speech"), 95
Hamlet's Soliloquy, 93
"Hatten's" Galliard, 36
Hatton (Sir Christopher), 36
Hawkins (Sir John), 116
Heyther (Dr), _Doctor's Exercise_, 42
_Humorous Fancy_, 31, 33, 37, 60
Humfrey (Pelham), 95-107
Humfrey (Col. John), 96
_In Nomines_ (Byrd), 20, 37
_It was a Lover and His Lass_ (Morley), 23
James II, Coronation of, 131
Jenkins (John), 95
Jerusalem Chamber, 44
Jonson (Ben), 6
Keepe's _Monumenta Westmonasteriensia_, 96
_Lady Nevill's Booke_, 16
Lambeth Register, 111
Lawes (Henry), 71-83
Lawes (William), 83
_Life of Archbishop Williams_, 44
Locke (Matthew), 84-94
Locke's Response to the Ten Commandments, 89
London University, 1
Ludlow Castle, 74
Lully (J. B.), 99
_Macbeth_, 92
Mace's _Musick's Monument_, 54
_Madrigals and Mottets_, 36
Matteis (Nicola), 127-130
_Medulla Musicke_, 16
Merchant Taylors' Company, 5
Milton (John), 63-70
Morley (Thomas), 21-28
_Musica Transalpina_, 14
Musical Antiquarian Soc., 39
Musicians, Worshipful Company of, 26
Myriell (Thomas), 38
_Non nobis Domine_ (Byrd), 20
North (Francis), 129
North (Roger), 82, 89, 92, 129
_Notes and Queries_, 67
_O Mistress Mine_ (Byrd), 19
Ouseley (Sir Frederick), 53, 115
Overture, Development of, 99
Oxford University, 10, 48, 83
Paris University, 98
Parry (Sir Hubert), 115, 136
_Parthenia_, 10, 35
Peacham's _Compleat Gentleman_, 19, 53
Pepys (Samuel), _Diary_, 83
Petre (Father), 112
Playford, 75
Purcell (Henry, the Elder), 82
Purcell (Henry), 118-141
Purcell (Roger), 119, 120
Purcell (Thomas), 105, 124, 139, 140, 141
Purcell Family, 120
Purcell Society, 138
Ravenscroft, 31
Ripon, Bishop of, 66
Robinson (Dr Armitage), 51
Rochester Cathedral, 108
_Sagbutts and Cornets_, 87
St Paul's Choir, 6
Salmon (Thomas), 90
Sancroft (Archbishop), 110
Sandwich (Lord), 93
Sandys (George), 73
Scott (Dr), 56
Scrivener's Company, 65
"Semi-operas," 92
Shakespeare (W.), 25 (note)
_Siege of Rhodes_, 82, 119
Smith (Dr Cooper), 75
Somerset House Chapel, 89
Southgate (Dr), in
Stanley (Dean), 117
Stanley (Sir William), 58
Stondon, 18
Sweelinck, 9
Tallis (Thomas), 11
_Tavola_ (Lawes), 77
_Teares and Lamentations_ (Leighton), 10
Tewkesbury, 3
_Three Ladies of London_, 32
_Triumphs of Oriana_, 11, 23
_Twincledowne Tavye_, 32
_Venus and Adonis_, 114
Waelrant, 9
Weelkes (Thomas), 28-33
Westminster Abbey, Gibbons' Festival (1907), 48
Westminster Abbey, Chapter Library, 50
_Where the Bee Sucks_, 104
Wilbye, 33
Wilson (Dr), 83
Wither's _Hymns and Songs of the Church_, 43
Wood (Anthony), 11, 54
_York_, 69
PRINTED AT THE DEVONSHIRE PRESS, TORQUAY, ENGLAND.
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