 Introductory of Twelve Good Musicians from John Bowle to Henry Purcell. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Twelve Good Musicians from John Bowle to Henry Purcell by Frederick Bridge. Introductory. In the preface of his admirable contribution to the Oxford History of Music, Volume 3, the late Sir Hubert Perry writes, The 17th 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'm inclined to think it is a little severe on us. I've always found that great interest is taken in the 17th century and musicians of England. Surely the century, which began with a great madrical school at its highest point, which saw the mask at its best in Milton's Comus, which witnessed the supercession of the vial by the violin, in 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 3 of the Oxford History, so full of the author's admirable criticisms and so amply 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 from 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 Groves' Dictionary and in the Dictionary of National Biography, which I beg to acknowledge. To Mr. Barkley Squire, I am deeply indebted for much information. His work and musical history is most valuable and deserves the best thanks of all students. To my brother Professor J. C. Bridge, M.A., Muse 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, West Mr. Abbey, October 1920. End of introductory. Chapter 1 of 12 Good Musicians, from John Bull to Henry Purcell. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. 12 Good Musicians, from John Bull to Henry Purcell by Frederick Bridge. Chapter 1. Dr. John Bull, 1563 to 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 honor to be the first musical professor in the University of London, I think there is a justification for beginning this course in the University with the 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 Somerset Sher 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 Leith Mann, who, we are told, spared neither time nor labor to advance his natural gifts. Organist of Heerford 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 master, Leith Mann. 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 practiced the Faculty of Music for fourteen 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 gentle man extraordinary in the Chapel Royal. In 1592, our indeed fatigable musician took another degree, out 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 our church music. The next important step in his very career was his appointment as first Gresham Professor of Music. His lectures could 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 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 Majesty's Royal Chapel, as he pronounced the same before diverse worshipful persons, the aldermen and commoners of the City of London, with a great multitude of other people the sixth 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 music, imprinted at London by Thomas Estee, 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 as we use upon music in general, of one thing we may be certain. He must have given his audience a real treat by his laver 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 and audience gains 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, namely the theoretique part of 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. So far there seems no proof of it. We know, however, that he was honored 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 Tailors Company in 1606, and in 1607 he played before the King Bull, Doctor of Music. One of the organists of his majesties, Chapel Royal, and Free of the Merchant Tailors, being in a citizen's goon, Cap and Hood, played most excellent melody upon a small pair of organs placed there for that purpose only. The musical arrangements for this great city company's feast were on a very elaborate scale, besides Bull's performance, which was apparently for the King only, who dined alone in a separate chamber where Doctor 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 Co-Pirario from a ship which was suspended in the Great Hall. Besides all this, the choir of St. Paul sang songs, the words of which were by Ben Johnson. The King must have had a pretty good program of music to listen to, unless he spent the evening in his own room where he dined alone, with Doctor 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 Giles, 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 Great Hall exacted unreasonable sums of the company for the same. During an absence abroad in 1601, his deputy at Gresham College was Thomas Bird, son of the composer W. Bird. Bull's fame had so spread 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, age about 24, daughter of Walter, citizen of London. Nothing much is chronicled of him for the next four years, but in 1611 his name hence the list of the Prince of Wales's musicians at a salary of 40 pounds a year, and another mention is made of him in connection with Princess Elizabeth's marriage, on which occasion, February 14th, 1613, of an addiction, 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 Soulsbury. Sir, I have been many times to have spoken with you, to desire your favor to my Lord and Mr. Chancellor, to grant me their favors to change my name and put in my child's, leaving out my own. It is but 40 pounds by year for my service here to four. The matter is not great, yet it will be some relief for my poor child, having nothing else to leave. 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 Checkbook, rather, supports the supposition, John Bull, Doctor of Music, went beyond the seas without license, and was admitted into the Archduke's service, and was admitted into the Archduke's service, and entered into, hey there about, Michael Moss. Peter Hopkins filled his place and his quarters' salary. Michael Moss, 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 and the organ that many thought there was more than man in him, Wood puts it down to his being possessed with crutches, 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 and engaging Bull, and in the letter announcing the fulfillment of his mission the minister says, and I told him plainly that it was notorious to all the world that said John Bull did not leave your Majesty's service for any wrong done unto him, or for matter of religion, under which feigned 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 Bird, a papist at heart. In 1617 he succeeded oil-raunt 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 a swelink, 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 a swelink. Bull is most favorably 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 Bird and Gibbons in contributing to the celebrated collection Parthenia. The first music for the Virginals ever published in England. There are examples of his church music and voices 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 Layton's Tears and Lamentations of a Sorrowful Soul, 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 favorably 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 and field doth reign, but Bull by skill good will doth gain. A copy of this portrait is prefixed to this book. End of chapter 1 Chapter 2 of 12 Good Musicians From John Bull to Henry Purcell. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. 12 Good Musicians From Henry Bull to Henry Purcell Chapter 2 of 1542 A great contemporary of John Bull comes next for consideration. William Bird 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 Orianna. There may be a reason of which more unknown. Anthony Wood tells us he was bred up to music under Thomas Tallis, and the eminent church musician was Godfather to Bird's son, Thomas. Bird was also Tallis's 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 to 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 Bird kept up some kind of connection with 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 Bird. 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 21 years. And all other printers were forbidden to infringe this license under penalty of 40 shillings, a petition from some printers having reference to this license shows it was not altogether a popular privilege. The complainants say, Bird and Tallis, Her Majesties, Servants, have music books with note which the complainants confess they would not print nor be furnished to print, though 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 Bird was not slow in taking advantage of it. In 1575 appeared his first published work as a set of cantiones in four, five and six parts. Some of the compositions were by Tallis and some by Bird, 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 of bounding an interesting and clever imitation. I have been able to publish this fine example of early church music and it has been well received in choirs 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 chase expression. It shows Bird'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 Bird alone and he made very good use of it. One of his first publications was entitled Songs, Sonnets, and Songs of Sadness and Piety, made into music of five parts, where of some of them going abroad among divers in untrue copies are here truly corrected and the other being songs very rare and newly composed are here published for the recreation of all such as delight and music, 1588. At the back of the title page of this work are the following eight reasons briefly set down by the author to persuade everyone to learn to sing. One, first it is a knowledge easily taught and quickly learned where there is a good master and an apt scholar. Two, the exercise of singing is delightful to nature and good to preserve the health of man. Three, it death strengthen all parts of the breast and death open the pipes. Four, it is a singular good remedy for studying. A footnote, that is, stuttering. Originally stot, from the German stotterin to stut is still used in Cheshire dialect. Will Brahem's clossery of Cheshire words end footnote, end footnote. And stammering in the speech. Five, it is the best means to procure a perfect pronunciation and to make a good orator. Six, 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. Seven, there is not any music 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. Eight, the better the voice is the meter it is to honor and serve God therewith. And the voice of man is chiefly to be employed to that end. To the above is added the following couplet. Since singing is so good a thing, I wish all men would learn to sing. In the same year appear to work which was destined to wield tremendous influence upon English musical art. This was a collection of Madrigals called Musica Transalpina. Madrigals translated out of four, five and six parts chosen out of divers excellent authors with the first and second parts of La Virginella made by Master Bird upon two stances of Ariostos and brought to speak English with the rest. The inclusion of his name in this connection gives Bird 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 Bird with the greatest respect and even affection, footnote. It may have been because he was a Roman Catholic and his name would not have been welcomed to Elizabeth and footnote. Two years later he wrote two settings of this sweet and merry month of May for Watson's first set of Italian Madrigals Englished. Among his other vocal composition are Psalms, songs and sonnets, some solemn, other joyful framed to the life of the words fit for voices or vials. He also was a contributor to Leighton's tears 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 Bird reason to be grateful to that noble man, 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 Bird's works were not published, and this is particularly the case with his compositions for the Virginals. Many are in the Fitzwilliam virginal book, footnote now published, edited by Mr. Fuller Maitland and Mr. Barclay Squire and footnote, and also in Leighton Neville's book, which is a collection of virginal lessons copied by a singing man of Windsor named John Baldwin. Before leaving Bird's professional life it is interesting to note his connection with another musical worthy contemporary, Alfonso Verabasco. A joint publication of theirs will show this. It was entitled Madula Music Sucked out of the sap of two of the most famous musicians that ever lived Master William Bird and Master Alfonso Verabasco, either of whom having made forty several ways, without contention shooing most rare and intricate skill parts in one upon the plain 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 said plain song forty different ways. In private life Bird'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 Bird family were Hephaestical 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 a better of those beyond the sea, and is said to be living with Mr. Lister over against St. Dunstan's or at the Lord Patchett's house at Drayton. 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, Stundan 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 lawsuit in connection with it. One Pateaver submitted the said Bird to give him vile and bitter words. That when told he had no right to the property replied that if he could not hood it by right, he would hood it by might. Bird lived a long life and died on July 4, 1623. The exact entry recording this fact in the Chapel Royal Checkbook runs 1623. William Bird, a father of music, died the 4th of July, and John Crocker, a countertenor of Westminster, was admitted for a year of probation of his good behavior and civil carriage. Mr. Barkley Squire has discovered much of interest concerning Bird, notably his will. In this he expresses a hope that he may live and die 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 honorably buried in that parish or place where it shall please God to take me out of this life, which I humbly desire if it shall please God, may be in the parish of Stundan where my dwelling is, and this to be buried near unto the place where my wife Lyoth buried. Of lay ear as much attention has been devoted to Bird's sacred music, which includes some remarkably fine masses, some of which have been reprinted and used in the Roman Catholic Church, but Bird has never been forgotten in the cathedrals of England for his anthem. Bow thine ear as I was found a place in the lists of the daily musical surfaces. There is also a fine 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 Bird's Latin motets and now is described to the rightful owner. An interesting specimen of his clever compositions is to be found in the Fitzwilliam volume being an arrangement of the air, oh mistress mine. This is one of the few pieces of Shakespearean music which was published in the poet's lifetime. It is charmingly treated by Bird. The same air appeared in a work by Morley, an arrangement of various airs for a small band consisting of the treble, viol, flute, citron, 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 Willow, Willow took the old words which were said to the melody and incorporated them in his play. A contemporary opinion of Bird can be gathered from Peach Ham's estimate of him in the complete Gentleman writing in 1622. He says, In motets and music, society, and devotion, as well as for the honor of our nation as the merit of the man, I prefer above all other our phoenix, Mr. William Bird, whom in that kind, I know not whether any may equal. I am sure none excel even by the judgment of France and Italy, his Cantillon's Sacre, and also his Gradual the Armier Angelical, and Divine and being himself naturally disposed to gravity and pity. His vein is not so much for light, madrigals, and cansonettes, but his Virginella and some others in his first set cannot be mended by the best Italian of them all, and morally speaks of him as my loving master, never without re-earned to be named of musicians. His name has always been associated with the canon non-nobus Domini, but it would be very difficult to establish his claim to the authorship. All together the own musician has a remarkable list of varied compositions to his credit. Besides those already mentioned, he wrote some excellent fancies, and in nominees for strings, making a real advance upon the somewhat stilted specimens of instrumental music then in vogue, and helping to free fancies and in nominees I shall speak up in detail in a later lecture. William Byrd had a long and honorable 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 P. H. Ham's verdict that his music cannot be mended by the best Italian of them all. End of chapter 2. Chapter 3 of 12 Good Musicians from John Bull to Henry Purcell. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. 12 Good Musicians from John Bull to Henry Purcell by Frederick Bridge. Chapter 3. Thomas Morley. 1557 to 1603. The next of our 12 musicians is in chronological order a birth as 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 with a bachelor music 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 license which had previously been held by Talus 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 Estie, 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 from the introduction to his plain and easy 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 Bernie 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 his composition much of his fame rests upon his authorship of the first really satisfactory treatise on music the plain and easy introduction already referred to. This work is full of interest and has been a book of reference and a 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. Martins Halbergstad. It is interesting to observe that more of his books was translated into German, e.g. the Kansenets or Little Short Songs to Three Voices published here first in 1593 was translated into German and issued at Kassel in 1612 and at Rostock in 1624 and the Ballets for Five Voices of 1595 was issued at Nürnberg in 1609. This is a striking testimony to his merits but most celebrated of his publications was the great edition of Madrigals called the Triumphs of Orianna. 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 26 Madrigals composed by many of the most 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 a few programs of Madrigal music are ever issued without some specimen taken from this splendid collection. And it is to morally we owe a delightful contemporary setting of words by Shakespeare, the beautiful lyric it was a lover and his lass from Lincoln. This is one of the very few things which we possess with the words by Shakespeare and the music by a contemporary 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 the instance of the original publication formally in the Hollowell Phillips collection and have so been able 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 proceeds the song is very amusing and rather suggests that Shakespeare had some little experience of the peculiar weaknesses of singers who are amateur and professional. The following is the little episode in question. Enter two pages. First page. Well met, honest gentlemen. Touch tone. By my trough well met come sit, sit in a song. Second page. We are for you. Sit in the middle. First page. Shall we clap into roundly without hawking or spitting or saying we are prologues to a bad voice. Second page. In faith in faith in both in a tune like two gypsies on a horse. This from as you like it. Act five, scene three. The words two gypsies on a horse have been taken to suggest that as the two gypsies must have ridden one behind the other, the two pages should sing not 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. 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 Forester'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 Concert Lessons for Six Instruments, Lute, Pandora Cistern, Bass Veal, Flute and Trouble Veal. Writing on this collection, Dr. Bernie does not take a very high estimate of its musical value. They seem to have been intended for civic feasts, he says. And master morally supposing perhaps that 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, not be very accurate or refined was not very nice in setting parts to these tunes, which is so far from correct that almost any one of the city waits would have vamped as good in accompaniment on the spot. I question if Dr. Bernie is justified in this scathing criticism. I do not suppose he had ever heard them perform 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 veal and flute parts could be found. Later on I was fortunate enough to cover a sit-turn part in the Bodleian Library, and later still a part for the Pandora has been found in the Christchurch Library. We still want the parts for a lute and bass veal but with these four we get a very good representation of the original and at the exhibition initiate it by the worshipful company of musicians. We had one of these little tunes played by the six instruments under the direction of Reverend Galpin. We had to supply parts for lute and bass veal but as we had the original harmony supplied by the flute i.e. a small recorder which was an inner part and by the sit-turn and Pandora both of which played chords we could not go far wrong. The effect was both interesting and charming and altogether discounted Bernie'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 Bernard's collection and a setting of the burial service which appears in Boyce's collection. There are also examples and manuscripts amongst the Harleyan manuscripts in the Christchurch 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 talus or so noble as that of bird but he had a great influence upon the art. His own compositions include examples of his talus in many directions. As a theoretical writer he is really distinguished by all of his contemporaries and contributed to the stores of sacred, secular and instrumental music besides writing for the stage. 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 Wilkes himself a distinguished composer whom we shall consider 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 lifetime and may be given here it is supposed to be by Michael Drayton Such was old Orpheus's 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 needest not fear him draw thou the shepherd still and Bonnie Lassus and envy him not stock stones oxen asses. End of Chapter 3 Chapter 4 of 12 Good Musicians From John Bull to Henry Purcell This is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org 12 Good Musicians From John Bull to Henry Purcell by Frederick Bridge Chapter 4 Thomas Wilkes In the previous lecture I have mentioned Thomas Wilkes and now turned 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 the short series of lectures and Wilkes 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 magical school of this I must speak later as a magical 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 Chis Chester 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 two pieces to Leighton's tears 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 veals was the usual title page that 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 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 Wilkes 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 cries which were then common to the streets of London he did not as has so often been wrongly stated set the cries 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 morally did the same thing but I have so far failed to find any example of it Raven's Croft took many of these same old cries 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 humor is fancy by Wilkes 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 cries of London but treated in a more elaborate manner Wilkes' example is very charming and although his string parts are somewhat stilted yet there is always life in them he makes one point which shows he was not altogether able to forget his magicals 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 twinkle down to view it is as if the vendors of fish fruit and vegetables met in the street and had a bit of a frolic together the fancies resumed with the cries of the chimney sweep bellows mender etc and later on a beautiful song for the cellar of Broom is introduced the words of this song date back before Wilkes 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 Wilkes is the original one the conclusion of this fancy is very charming and rather like an anthem let us sing and so we will make an end with alleluia there are two nss of this work in the British Museum I have followed the shorter version 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 Wilkes instead of Wilby one of his great contemporaries and I think all lovers of Shakespeare will be glad to make acquaintance with the music of cries of London which saluted the poet's ears and his daily walks Wilkes paid a loving tribute to his dearest friend Morley on the latter's death 1623 and other particulars have been brought to light by the investigations of Reverend Dr. Fellows whose devotion to the magical school is so well known and appreciated his paper on Wilkes musical association May 1916 is an eloquent testimony to the worth of this composer to whose magical writing I have not space quite to do justice the humorous fancy however in a new and interesting light End of Chapter 4 Thomas Wilkes Chapter 5 of 12 Good Musicians from John Bull to Henry Purcell This is a LibriVox recording While LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org 12 Good Musicians from John Bull to Henry Purcell by Frederick Bridge Chapter 5 Orlando Gibbons 1583 through 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 greatest possessions of our cathedral school and their presence and service-less has been an adventure 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 waists of Cambridge, William Gibbons and was born in 1583 Placed in the choir of King's College he is mentioned amongst the worsters during the years 1596 through 1597 at which time his elder brother Edward Gibbons was organist of a college it might be noted in passing that this Edward Gibbons was himself a bachelor of music of both 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 two shillings to two shillings six pence paid to Gibbons were Gibbons and 1603 as it is there spelt for music composed in Festo Domini Regine and also in the two latter years for music for the purification no Christian name is given but there is little doubt that it was Orlando Gibbons who was placed in an important and honorable 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 Bird and Bull in a work called Parthenia the 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 Salisbury for a lease in reversion of 40 marks per annum of Dutchie lands without fines promised him by the Queen the year 1612 sees the publication of his first set of madrigals and motets of five parts apt for vials or voices newly composed by Orlando Gibbons bachelor of music organist of his Majesty's Chapel in Ordinary the work is dedicated to Sir Christopher Hatton and the dedication runs thus they were most of them composed in your own house and do 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 in a piece in Ben Cousin's Virginal book where Gibbons is represented by a Hatton's Galleon the collection madrigals and motets is rather misleading as to title for there is not one motet in it though there are 13 madrigals some divided into two three and four sections each as long as an ordinary madrigal one of the set is the silver swan it has been stated that besides the published madrigals no secular or vocal compositions exist in manuscript except a kind of burlesque madrigal called the cries of London for six voices this statement is altogether incorrect to 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 madrigal is truly absurd it is curious that the music historians have as in Bernie's case either neglected to notice the existence of the work on the cries of London or have incorrectly called it a madrigal it is a particularly interesting form of composition like welks humorous fancy it has parts for vials in a superimposed vocal score for soprano alto tenor and bass not six voices consisting of the old cries of London but it differs in one respect from welks for it is in nomenay or strings this is an older form of the fancy and has the peculiarity of one part for the vial and inner part being allotted a well-known old ecclesiastical melody this plain song melody is to be found in the sara missile to the words gloria tippy trinitas and curiously enough the same plain song is used by many composers of in nomenis Burt and Ferebosco among 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 cries somewhat humorous words examples of the introduction of secular tunes into the sacred works by 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 given skill that he is able to write very effective and flowing vial parts into introduce so many examples of the old cries quite untrammeled by the plain song persistently played by one of the vials the copy from which this interesting work is taken is a manuscript written by Thomas Muriel 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 Walbrook the church adjoining the mansion house between 1612 and 1622 must have been published in known fantasies by Gibbons for the collection is dedicated to Edward Ray as one of the grooms of the bed chamber and Ray was dismissed in 1622 fantasies of three parts composed by Orlando Gibbons bachelor of music and late organist to his majesty's royal chapel in ordinary cut and copper the like not here to for exton the word late exton when he is not recorded to have resigned his position at the chapel royal who was appointed organist of Westminster Abbey in 1623 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 century they are undoubtedly somewhat dull when placed by the side of fantasies by Burd and others no doubt the veneration for Gibbons in the rightful appreciation of his fine cathedral music made the members of the old invaluable musical antiquarian society more ready to edit his fantasies than to select from less eminent church writers but one cannot have much respect for Bernie's judgment when he pronounces an 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 17th century his instrumental music is characteristic of the 16th 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 vials were later in forsaking the vocal polyphonic style than the keyed 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 so in the 18th century. Out of six pieces by Gibbons in Parthenia three are dances of Pavein and two Galiards one Queen's command is in air with variations and the other two are the Pelluteum a piece of very simple harmonic design with floor infiguration like the early organ preludes and a quite remarkable Fantasia and four parts remarkable because rather exceptional as a clavier and also because of its protracted and serious working in the cansona style in the Fitzwilliam collection the only pieces by Gibbons are in air with variations who would so wild and a Pavein the latter however being identical with the Lord of Salisbury is Pavan which is found also in Parthenia with regard to the fancies written for bass vial mean vial and treble vial after the manner of the period these were published absolutely devoid of any indications of pace or phrasing or of expression this fact is probably due some of their loss of popularity they require artists to interpret them and in good hands are capable of considerable effect in the old Queen's 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 vial tone is obtainable one may mention another fancy written this time for two treble vials in a bass 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 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 vial 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 entrepreneurial 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 blended service and F was always an item to which we looked forward and he has left us almost as great a collection of anthems as Purcell did in later years many of them were composed for special occasions this was a wedding anthem for my lord Somerset another made for the kings 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 recognized Abbey Amen the anthem this is the record of John has a string accompaniment for vials this was made for a lord president of St. John's Oxford for St. John Baptist day another behold thou hast made my days was composed at the entreaty of Dr. Maxie Dean of Windsor the same days and night before his death mention must also be made of O'Clape your hands which has always had a suspicion attached to it of having played the part of Dr. Hathers doctors exercise this suspicion is deepened by the fact that Dr. Cummings possessed a manuscript of it with a following inscription upon it Dr. Hathers commencement song composed by Dr. Orlando Gibbons they both took their degrees at Oxford on the same occasion he's the foundation of the Camden history professorship Hathers 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 three pounds 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 Wither himself pays him the following tribute he had chosen to make his music agreeable to the matter and what the common apprehension can best admit rather than be curious fancies of the time which path both of us could more easily have trodden Gibbons appears to have had a sense of humor judging from a letter which we found in the Westminster Abbey Uniment Room some years ago I believe this is the only letter of Gibbons that is known it is addressed to the treasure of the Abbey asking that the organ tuner one Burrard might be paid it runs as follows I know this bill to be very reasonable for I have already cut him off ten shillings therefore I pray dispatch him for he hath dealt honestly with the church so shall I rest your servant Orlando Gibbons the whole bill was very small and by cutting him off ten shillings I think old Orlando was rather hard we get a glimpse of Orlando Gibbons organ playing in the Abbey from the life of March Bishop 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 were told the ambassadors with the nobles and gentlemen in their company were brought in at the north gate of the Abbey which was stuck everywhere that strangers might cast their eyes upon the stateliness of the church at the door of the choir 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 ambassadors in their great train took up all the stalls where they continued about half an hour while the choirmen vested in their rich copes sang three several anthems with most exquisite voices before them the steam 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 Halke Bishop of Litchfield in Coventry he procured the sweetest music both for the organ and for the 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 choices 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 madricles and motets including the very rare available books of gearing 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 Earl 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 Givens Earl was not Dean of Westminster until more than 30 years later the book is entitled microcosmography a piece of the world discovered in essays and characters and was first published anonymously I hope this description of what the writer calls a merry crew the common singing men in cathedral churches is not a true description of a great body of such choirs at the time but it is worth quoting the common singing men in cathedral churches are a bad society yet a company of good fellows that roar deep in the choir deeper in the tavern they are the eight parts of speech which go to the syntax of service and are distinguished by their noises their bells for they make not a consort but a peal their pastime or recreation is prayers their exercise drinking yet herein so religiously addicted that they serve God oftenness when they are drunk their humanity is a leg that is consists in a bow to the Residencer they are learning a chapter for they learn it commonly before they are read it yet the old Hebrew names are a little beholden to them they call them worse than one another they never expound the Scripture they handle it much and pollute the Gospel with two things their conversation and their thumbs upon work days they behave themselves in prayers as at their pots for they swallow them down in an instant their gowns are lacked that is streaked commonly with streamings of ale the superfluities of a cup or throat above measure makes them the better companions abroad and their anthems abler to sing catches long lived for the most part they are not especially the base they overflow their banks so often to drown the organs briefly if they escape arresting they die constantly in God's service and to take their death with more patients they have wine and cakes at their funeral and now they keep the church a great deal better bones as before with their noise this quotation must not be taken too seriously Earl's book was written when he was a young man probably under the inspiration of Castlebones translation of the fourth century theophrostesis characters published in 1592 it consists of 77 characters some of them serious studies and others such as the above or satirical sketches not intended to be true representations yet containing a basis of truth Richard Baxter writing to Earl says in charity and gentleness and peace of boldness of mind you are very eminent very unusual adventure is chronicled as having taken place on St. Peter's day 1620 Eve seed gentlemen of the chapel roiled and violently and suddenly without cause run 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 with all he tear the band from his neck to his prejudice and disgrace in 1625 Gibbons had to compose and direct the music with a reception at Canterbury of Henrietta Maria on the occasion of her marriage with Charles I on the last commission for he died on Witt Sunday June 5 with regard to his death we have always been led to believe that he died of smallpox all the histories including the admirable grove's dictionary have taught us so Mr. W. Barkley Squire of the British Museum has however shown this to be incorrect in a letter which he found among the state papers of Secretary Morton touching the musician that died at Canterbury and supposed to have died of the plague a medical certificate is enclosed signed by doctors Poe and Domingo stating that his sickness was at first lethargic followed by confulsions he grew apolitical and so died thus refuting the smallpox theory in favor of epilepsy his portrait is in the collection at Oxford 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 in a beautiful replica in black marble of the bust of the composer which is in Canterbury Cathedral was unveiled it seemed to me a reflection upon the abbey that no memorial to the greatest of its organists say Purcell should be found there this festival created very great interest and brought a munificent offer from Mr. Cruz a well known amateur and master of the worshipful company of musicians to defray the expense of the bust of the celebrated organist it is well placed in close proximity to the memorials of his worthy successors Blow, Purcell and Croft End of Chapter 5 Chapter 6 of 12 Good Musicians from John Bull to Henry Purcell this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org 12 Good Musicians from John Bull to Henry Purcell by Frederick Bridge Chapter 6 Richard Deering approximately 1580 to 1630 in considering the careers and works of the first five musicians on my list of 12 I have it is true been treating a man 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 a new ground there is nothing so surprising to me as the universal neglect nay I may even say the word disdain with which musical historians of many periods have treated the name of Richard Deering in common with most people of my 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 five and six parts by Richard Deering they were bound up in covers made out of an illuminated manuscript 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 14th 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 on earth 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 migration lectures and with as little delay as possible edited it 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 must 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 pass between the owners of copies of these fine things and Mr. Sail of Westminster Abbey the owner was the Reverend Thomas Straitfield, vicar of Charthedge 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. Sail 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 Sail's daughter apologizes for delay and says her father does not think it will be worthwhile 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 cursely enough a few bars in score of one of the most beautiful motets was enclosed with a note from a copy 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. Sail was the music instructor to Queen Victoria when she was a child Mr. Straitfield's copies of the 1617 motets uncut were sold at his death by auction and fetched £4.16 shillings the neglect of Deering is certainly extraordinary he was as usual absurdly criticized by Dr. Bernie who spoke of his music as very sober innocent 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 and Sir Frederick Ausley actually writes of his style as severe and correct but very dry these verdicts amazement they are absolutely untrue at least as regards Deering's great works his motets a question of Bernie or Ausley ever heard one of them they may have found it 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 Bernie or Ausley 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 by the way in which Peacham his complete gentleman 1622 couples his names 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 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 music's monument 1676 mentions Deering's Gloria Patre and other of his Latin settings I must now turn to the personal history of this good musician Richard Deering was descendant from an ancient family the Deerings of the County of Kent the branch from which Richard Deering Mace's his descent was the one headed by William Deering of Petworth in County 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 Gray 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 practices faculty for some time in England where his name being highly cried up became after many entreaties, organists to the English nuns living at Brussels it is not easy to discover anything about Deering's Italian life or work my friend the Reverend Dr. Spooner Lillingston 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 in this family half a century before seemed to have intermarried with certain of the Italian mobility Lady Elizabeth Gray does not appear in any record of the Grays of Kent may not Deering's mother have been of Italian extraction hence his Catholic religion and Italian training as to his Italian soldier 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 10 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 Deering's mother that Deering studied hard and composed while in Italy seems pretty certain judged by 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 city of the world to Deering the Catholic was Rome the fact of which we have very certain knowledge and 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 archive 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 8 parts for the next act Dr. Scott the learned custodian of our Abbey Munimans for many years made some inquiries for me on this matter and gives the following note which he had apparently received from Oxford supplicated in like manner Richard Deering a scholar most highly trained in music of Christ Church for as much as he spent 10 years in the study in practice of music that this may suffice for him to be admitted to the lectures of the music of Bothias the statement by Deering that he spent 10 years in the study in practice of music absolutely disposes of the legend so often repeated that Deering published a set of 5 part motets in Antwerp in 1597 I've always entirely doubted that this had any foundation in fact I believe it is a misprint for 1617 and it was not likely 20 years would elapsed between the publication of two sets of motets by so prolific a composer 10 years makes the date of Deering's studies to begin in 1600 so he could not have published in 1597 I'm 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 copied from one another the most untrue statements about Deering Bernie Hawkins and Mr. Husk in the first edition of Groves Dictionary all give 1597 instead of 1617 and Bernie and Hawkins say he was forced to leave England when the troubles of Charles the first began Hawkins says he was organist to Henrietta Maria until she was compelled to leave England the fact is I'm glad before all of 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 contributions to our musical treasures I leave for a time further comment upon his work in England and proceed to consider his work. It appears that on the 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 Cantione Sacre for five voices this was issued from the press of Peter Feliz in Antwerp there are 18 motets all to Latin words for five voices baso continuo for organ I've 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 image, Sir William Stanley and the preface is so interesting I feel justified in giving it with the tattle page the original dedication is in Latin but I give it in a translation Cantione Sacre for five voices with baso 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 Feliz 1617 Dedication to Sir William Stanley Knight renewed at home in military life counselor 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 but she is modest for it is customary with new men especially those who are bashful not to bring their offspring however excellent to the light until they find some distinguished man who's 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 for military cares you think no delight no pleasure greater than music to music you give the chief place after war in which none suppress you therefore let my child go forth with you for its patron if you are the first smile upon it as it takes its first modest steps you will give it a wonderful courage for greater things live flourish and conquer in war we long for peace peace and death wars music makes jacquard peace to no no jars your most obedient servant are dirren in the second set published in 1618 dirren claims to have written in the mad regalian 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 saint 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 spaced to chronicle all dirren's musical works but I must conclude this by some account of a secular music and more particularly is remarkable humorous fancy the cries of london this is the third of these interesting fancies which I have had the opportunity of recovering from oblivion I have already in the case of wilks and gibbons explained the circumstances attending this recovery dirren's fancy is the most elaborate of the three in besides a number of cries the other musicians admitted he has preserved to us some most interesting and charming tradesmen songs those of the sweep the blacking cellar the vendor of garland the rat catcher and the tooth drawer the whole fancy is full of life and shows dirren to be both dramatic and humorous this work in a similar one on country cries was written before he left England the British Museum was made 1616 there are a few anthems scattered about various libraries but as a Catholic his contributions to English cathedral music would no doubt be few some are found in Durham Cathedral Library on the merits of Charles I he was pointed organist to the Queen Henrietta Maria on July 11 1628 his name appears in a list 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 there are other statements concerning dirren and his music I've devoted much time to the elucidation of the history and the reproduction of his work in feeling doing this I have helped restore to his rightful place one of the greatest English musicians of the 17th or indeed of any century end of chapter 6 chapter 7 of 12 Good Musicians from John Bull to Henry Purcell this is a LibriVox recording while LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org 12 Good Musicians from John Bull to Henry Purcell by Frederick Bridge Chapter 7 John Milton 1553 through 1646 or perhaps 47 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. Bernie gives a very good and concise account of him upon which I cannot improve which I venture to quote Bernie, volume 8, page 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 old will-buy in the triumphs of Oriana published by Morley in Ravenscroft Psalms in the Lamentations published by Sir William Layton and in manuscript collections still in the possession of the Curious Mr. Wharton in his notes upon Milton's poems on several occasions tells us from the manuscript Life of the Poet by Aubrey antiquary that Milton's father though a scrivener was not apprentice to that trade having been bred as scholar and of Christ's church Oxford and that he took to trade in consequence of being disinherited his son celebrates his musical abilities in an admirable Latin poem, Abpatrim where alluding to his father's musical science he says that Apollo had divided his favors in the sister arts between them giving music to the father and poetry to the son nor blame all much love at sire the sacred nine who thee have honored with such gifts divine who taught thee how to charm the listening frong with all the sweetness of a siren's song blending such tunes as every breast in flame and made the air to great Orion's fame by blood united by kindred arts when each Apollo his reflugin starts to thee points out the magic power of sound to me the maze is a poetic ground and fostered thus by his parental care we equal seem divinity to share this is a translation the elder Milton was born in 1553 and is said to have been in the choir of Christ's church Oxford his father was a Roman Catholic and it is said that he disinherited his son for abjuring the Catholic faith the son went to London and became a member of the Scrivener's company in 1599 or perhaps 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 Tears and Lamentations 1614 and tunes to Ravencroft's Salter there are various anthems and fancies in five and six parts and manuscript 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 Christchurch Oxford we should know where he probably got his musical knowledge and his proficiency in Latin but this information seems to be impossible of proof for the purpose of these lectures I have devoted a good deal of time to this subject Dr. Strahm the Dean of Christchurch now Bishop of Rippon has been kind enough to look into the matter very carefully and he writes me the following interesting letter Christchurch Oxford my dear bridge I'm sorry to say that I cannot discover anything about Mr. John Milton Sr. 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 receive their payments through the treasure inside 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 name 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 useful also my matriculation book which is in this house is very incomplete for the earlier years I'm afraid therefore I cannot help you as to regards Mr. Milton you all 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 Hackluck the geographer who was a student of the house yours very sincerely Thomas B. Strong it is very unfortunate that the records in Christ's church do not exist before 1570 but it may be remarked if Milton the elder was born in 1553 he would be 17 in 1570 and would therefore certainly have left the choir of Christ's 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 church warden of the parish Stanton St. John in 1552 Mr. Allnut 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 church warden under the Protestant regime of the period in the same paper a little later Mr. Hyde Clark writes on the subject of Milton's father being a choir boy at Christ's church my Oxford and other correspondence including Mr. Mark Patterson the eloquent critic of the poet who is labored in this investigation have looked unfavorably on my proposition i.e. that he was a chorister of Christ's church because they considered the Roman Catholic recusant can never have sent his son to any heretical school an answer is now given in my favor by Mr. Allnut because if in 1552 Richard Milton could serve as church warden 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 Clark i think it is quite possible and even very probable that Milton's father learnt his music at Christ's church then who taught him whoever it was it 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 into 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 practiced 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 quartet for tears and lamentations is in a good contrapunctal 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 1821 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 favorite and an old author says it 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 giving a place among my twelve good musicians to John Milton the elder End of chapter 7