GENTLEMEN OF THE CHAPEL ROYAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22819, 28 August 1937, Page 1 (Supplement)

GENTLEMEN OF THE CHAPEL ROYAL

'pHE King, like the lady famous in nursery rhyme, shall have music wherever he goes: whether it be trumpet or pipes in battle to fire the blood to victory; shalms, cymbals or perhaps saxophones for the subsequent celebrations ; the solemn in worship or the soft music of strings in his hours of retrospection. It may be that Alfred, leaving his ships and burnt cakes to take his harp to the camp of the Danes, or Coeur de Lion singing in his captivity, sowed the seeds of royal patronage which has meant so much to English music; The King's music is English music. The Chapel Royal, a body of com-poser-singers formed to provide music for the Roval Court, is first heard of in Henry IV.'s reign. Its influence on the music of the English nation has been of the greatest. Ihe famous "Agincourt Song" dates from shortly after this. This song is probably the sincerest, most vital song of victory over sung—it is too spontaneous in feeling to have been composed—the paean of ft humble, thankful people not yet conscious of their strength. First Musicians' Union Music at this time was still regarded as half-utilitarian,- undebased as .yet by a self-conscious preciousness. Although Henrv V. took the members of the Chapel Royal with him to France, lie did so with no sense of artiness, but simply as he took his.sword and bowmen, as essential to victory. Indeed it h evident that the members of tho Chapel themselves were under no illusions as to music being their job, for it is recorded that long after Henry s death thev were still claiming twelve pence a day for their services at Agincourt. . An attempt to overcome tins difficulty of remuneration which has troubled even the most idealistic of musicians of all ages was made by 11 formation of what was apparently the first musicians' union in England. We are apt to regard compulsory unionism as a by-product of modern indus'trialism, but we find Edward IV. in 1469 issuing letters patent for a peipetual CU'ild of musicians, the fraternity and Sisterhood of Minstrels, a body that everv professional musician was compelled to join and to which each had to nav three-and-fourpence on admission. ' Richard TIT. went, even further than this and granted powers, for the pressing into the service of tho Chapel Iloyal anv competent singers, boys or men.

The Golden Age The Reformation, resulting in the dissolution of six hundred monasteries and nunneries and the consequent dispersing of their musical establishments, served, however, to strengthen tne Chapel Royal. I'll ere were now one hundred and fourteen in the Chapel, and the annual cost ran to over two thousand pounds. Its supreme triumphs were achieved in this period. A list ol the names of the Tudor Chapel Royal is truly a royal list of English musicians —John Bull, Christopher Tve, Thomas Morley, Tallis, Farrant, Merbecke, and the great William Byrd, remembered alike for his anthems, madrigals and instrumental music. The Puritans have been much maligned for their restrictions on inusicmaking. Actually these restraints were exercised in regard to church music and involved the destruction of organs and the disbanding of choirs. Cromwell himself was very fond of music, and appointed 0110, John Hingston,

The Kind's Musiek

By OWEN JENSEN

Master of his Private Music. There is ample record to show that, while music under the Commonwealth did not reproduce the giants of the Tudor period, it had many competent devotees. Cromwell was the first English ruler to inaugurate State concerts, the first public concerts of music to be held in England. The Restoration At his Restoration, Charles It. brought many new-fangled notions back with him from the Continent, among them the replacement of tho organ by a band "of twenty-four violins is accompaniment to the services. Both Pcpys and Evelyn were .shocked at this pandering to popular taste. With the introduction of a band tho appointment of "Master of the King's Musick was made, and Davis Mell was the first to, hold this office. Ho is described as the "finest violinist in all England," his tone and technique surpassing even those of the Continental fiddlers brought over by Charles. Tho Restoration period brought forth the choicest flower of English music, Henry Purccll. Purccll came of n musical family,- his uncle being Master of the King's Musiek and his father a Gentleman of the Chapel Royal. His music, whether for the cathedral, tho theatre or the family circle, is unsurpassed in England's history and unique in his time. At eleven years of age ho had tho honour of setting the ode for the King's birthday, and subsequently composed anthems for and officiated at the coronations of both James 11. and William 111. it has been suggested by one writer that Purcell may have been the composer of "God Save the King." It was said to have been sung in Latin to

James If., in the Chapel Royal on the landing of the Prince of Orange in England. It was not generally known, however, until about 1745. Tho tune has been attributed to Henry Caroy, who lived in tho first half of the 18th century, but it is thought now that he may have been responsible only for the translation of tho words. Yesterday and To-day After Purcell's death English music suffered an eclipse. It became, almost fashionable to d?cry the nation.'s music in favour of that written and performed by foreign musicians. Ono lias a slinking feeling that the phrase "British composer, 110 composer," attributed to a somewhat ironic German composer, may have been invented by an English musician with a foreign name anxious to justify tho prevailing fashion. Suffice it to say that for more than a hundred years the English musician was content to imitate his Continental superiors, and tho English muse slept. With the accession of Victoria tlio muse woke, rubbed her eyes and stretched herself, but she cannot bo said to have fully awakened until the turn of the century. The Victorian era gave us Stanford, Parry, McKcnzio, Goss, S. S. Wesley and tho saving wit of Sullivan. Tho office of Master of the King's Musick, from being an executive one, had become a reward for outstanding work in music. Sir W. Parratt, a very fine organist, was appointed to the office in 1893. On Parratt's death (1924) Edward Elgar came to the post. The very names of his works arc a history of England—"Pomp and Circumstance,""Land of Hope and Glory," "Caractacus," "Falstaff," "Cockaigne." On the other hand, wo have composers like Vaughan Williams, Delius, and Ireland whose music breathes tho Spirit of the countryside, and Bax, imbiisd with Irish mysticism. The present Master of the King's Musick is Walford Davies, and it is interesting to note that ho'is chiefly "known for his popularisation of the best music by his inspiring talks over tho air. Music nurtured in the .Royal Court has como to tho people.