England: Notable Musicians and Musical Developments

1240 - “Sumer is icumen in” (All Facts)

• English song of astonishing form, it was the first recorded canon

• It is a four-part round over a two-part repeated pattern in the bass parts

1440 - Main Events

• The use of the interval of a third, long established in England up to this point, standardized harmony in polyphony but the increasing preoccupation with harmony itself led to dull and static rhythms

1490 - 1545 - John Taverner (All Facts)

• English Composer and Organist

• He is regarded as one of the most important English composers of his era

• His music has a festal quality to it

• He worked at the new Cardinal College (Christ Church) in Oxford

1505 - 1573 - Christopher Tye (All Facts)

• English Composer and Organist

  • He was organist to the Royal Chapel

  • He composed church music

• His music was newer at the time compared to some of his more old-fashioned contemporaries

1538 - 1574 - Robert White (All Facts)

• English Composer

  • He composed High Renaissance Music

1505 - 1585 - Thomas Tallis (All Facts)

• English Composer

  • He mentored William

  • He sought out a royal license from Queen Elizabeth to published music

  • He was the most influential English composer in his day

  • He was a Gentleman of London’s Royal Chapel

• His early work was more old-fashioned than that of some of his contemporaries

• His work was mature and he was a master of most forms and styles, from masses and other church music in Latin and English to small-scale instrumental works

• He was a member of Queen Elizabeth’s royal household

• He was one of the first composers to write music for the (new) Anglican liturgy of 1547-1553

• He composed for the Catholic Queen Mary of England as well

1570 - Thomas Tallis: Spem in Alium (All Facts)

• 40-part Renaissance motet composed for eight choirs of five voices each

• It is considered the namesake’s greatest work and the greatest work of early English music

1567 - 1620 - Thomas Campion (All Facts)

• English Composer and Musician

• He set Latin and English poems to music

• He created several books of “Ayres” for the voice, with lute accompaniment

1540 - 1623 - William Byrd (All Facts)

• English Composer

  • He was mentored by Thomas Tallis

  • He was a Gentleman of London’s Royal Chapel, where he served as its organist alongside his mentor

• He composed many works including madrigals, pieces for keyboard, songs, and three masses

  • His output ranged from music for both the Anglican and Catholic churches to songs and instrumental music

  • His masses, written for three, four, or five voices; demonstrated the vitality of the art of counterpoint

  • He was particularly renown for his masses and madrigals, which demonstrated a mastery of polyphony which gave him an unsurpassed reputation at home and abroad

• Some called him the “Father of English Music”

• He died at his Essex home

1576 - 1623 - Thomas Weelkes (All Facts)

• English Composer and Organist

• He was famous for his madrigals

1583 - 1625 - Orlando Gibbons (All Facts)

• English Composer and Keyboardist

• He was famous for his madrigals and anthems

1563 - 1626 - John Dowland (All Facts)

• English Composter and Lutenist

• His early career was overshadowed by his failure to obtain a position in Queen Elizabeth’s “Musick”

• He was appointed court lutenist to King Christian IV of Denmark

• He eventually gained a position in the English court during the reign of King James