Ralph Vaughan Williams

I gained first awareness of the composer Vaughan Williams as a child. Aged 9, (in what would now be school Year 5) I was chosen to sing the opening verse of "Linden Lea" to open a whole school concert. Bearing in mind this was a school which went from ages 3-18, and could summon a large audience of parents and governors, I should have been somewhat daunted at the prospect. (I certainly would be now.) But children either possess an uncanny self confidence or are completely oblivious of occasion,  which keep nerves completely at bay and I don't remember being remotely nervous. I knew the song and enjoyed singing - so what was the problem?! (I do however remember wondering how the composer's name was pronounced and being rather grateful I was not called upon to read any introduction!)

Biography
Born 12 October 1872 Ralph Vaughan Williams was an English composer whose works include operas, ballets, chamber music, secular and religious vocal pieces and orchestral compositions written over sixty years. Strongly influenced by Tudor music and English folk-song, his work marked a "clear break in British music from its German-dominated style of the 19th century." (Wikipedia)

A student at Charterhouse, he entered the Royal College of Music rather than completing his education, briefly transferring to Trinity College, Cambridge to study music. Vaughan Williams' first composition teacher at the RCM was Hubert Parry, whom he idolised. In his "Musical Autobiography" of 1950 Vaughan Williams describes a quote from Parry which gives perspective to his choral work.

Parry once said to me: "Write choral music as befits an Englishman and a democrat". We pupils of Parry have, if we have been wise, inherited from him the great English choral tradition, which Tallis passed on to Byrd, Byrd to Gibbons, Gibbons to Purcell, Purcell to Battishill and Greene, and they in their turn through the Wesleys, to Parry. He has passed on the torch to us and it is our duty to keep it alight."

At Cambridge Vaughan Williams studied composition with Charles Wood, and after graduating in 1894 he returned to the RCM to find Charles Villiers Stanford as his new professor of composition. Once a maverick who blazed a trail, Stanford had become musically deeply conservative and the two clashed frequently, although it's acknowledged Stanford held Vaughan Williams in deep affection, recognising his talent. Vaughan Williams became a friend and fellow critic of Gustav Holst, a fellow student who became a lifelong friend.

Initially Vaughan Williams focussed on collecting folk songs, building on his passion for Tudor music and tight modal style. His mature style developed as he produced choral music, orchestral works and chamber music. Born into a family with a strong morality and progressive social outlook his aim was to make music accessible, rather than focus on the ornate and challenging.

Despite being forty one in 1914 Vaughan Williams volunteered for active service in the Great War, and stopped composing during the war years. Older than most the war took a huge emotional toll on him and contributed to deafness which he suffered in later years. By 1936 the shadow of war was looming again and he was compelled to write Dona nobis pacem as a plea for peace.

He died suddenly, (in rude health despite reaching the age of 85) on 26th August 1958. His ashes were interred near the burial plots of Purcell and Stanford in the north choir aisle of Westminster Abbey.

Music
At the turn of the century Vaughan Williams was among the first to travel into the countryside to collect folk songs and carols from singers, preserving them for future generations to enjoy. As musical editor of The English Hymnal he composed several hymn tunes that remain popular (including Sine Nomine, “For all the Saints” and Down Ampney, “Come down O love Divine”). But is perhaps as a composer of symphonies that he is best known. Although Vaughan Williams did not complete the first of them until he was thirty-eight years old, the nine symphonies span nearly half a century of his creative life.

"Ave Maria" Robert Parsons

The world of Choral Evensong has perhaps never enjoyed such an exciting, high profile, edge-of-seat week since the Reformation; or since Thomas Tomkins was fined for urinating on the Dean of the Chapel Royal. As the final few anthems competed for the increasingly coveted top spot to win the "Evensong Anthem World Cup" title, even Radio 3 got involved! The final resulted in a draw between Harris' "Faire is the heaven" and Bainton's And I saw a new heaven"; an incredibly appropriate result since Harris and Bainton were reputed to be friends. (And let's face it, most of us were just grateful we didn't break Twitter all over again with the 48:52 result which looked likely a few hours previously!)

During the competition intense discussion proliferated on the specific criteria for an evensong "anthem", although the definition is fairly broad:

a musical composition for a choir, usually set to words from the Bible, sung as part of a church service. a religious chant sung antiphonally.

Or from Wikipedia:-

An anthem is a piece of music written for a choir to sing at an Anglican church service. The difference between an anthem and a motet is that an anthem is sung in English. Also most anthems are accompanied by an organ.

The best description I have found is from John Ewington (General Secretary, Guild of Church Musicians):-

In origin, an anthem was written especially for a choir to sing during Anglican services, usually matins or evensong, when, after the third collect, the rubric states: "In Quires and Places where they sing here followeth the Anthem." It was normally sung in English. A motet is a piece that was sung at mass and was usually in Latin. At various times, anthems have also been composed with Latin words, and motets have similarly been composed with English words. These days, they seem to be interchangeable. 

This obviously leaves the floor pretty open and the competition had ten minute pieces such as Howells' (incredible) "Take Him Earth for Cherishing" which is not only challenging to sing but pretty long for your average evensong service; and the equally long (and amazing) "The Deer's Cry" by Arvo Pärt. The firm favourites were there too, you can check out the full list on my earlier post here. (There is also a link to the Spotify playlist I created which is a fantastic way of enjoying familiar pieces again and discovering some fabulous new ones!)

So with 128 anthems from 100 composers there was something for everyone. Until there wasn't. In the preliminary rounds alone 89 942 votes were cast and as voters' favourites left the competition the visceral attachment we have to our choral music became all too apparent. Deprived of all opportunities to sing these wonderful anthems during the pandemic our only option was to fight their corner at every turn...

My personal favourite is "Ave Maria", by Robert Parsons.
Born around 1535, little is known about Parson's early life but it is likely that he was a choir boy. He was an assistant to Richard Bower, Master of the Children of the Chapel Royal and was later appointed as a Gentleman of the Chapel Royal. Parsons is especially noted for his choral motets, of which "Ave Maria" is the best known after its inclusion in the Oxford Book of Tudor Anthems in 1978. Recognised as a master of polyphonic writing for choirs, Parsons was composing during the religious upheaval of the Reformation. He is thought to have collaborated with John Sheppard in the 1550s (or at least been influenced by him) and Richard Farrant in the early 1560s. It is believed he taught William Byrd at Lincoln Cathedral. He died prematurely from drowning in the Trent River.

Parson's "Ave Maria" ("Hail Mary") was likely written in the 1550's under Queen Mary 1; it's a Catholic prayer which would have found little favour later in Elizabethan England and it's also likely he was a Catholic sympathiser, like Sheppard, Tallis and others. Parsons' "Ave Maria" is a truly magical setting of the text with *the* most exquisitely beautiful Amen coda. It encapsulates the very essence of early english choral music, combining scripture with music to capture the hearts and minds of both choir and congregation. It sends our prayers soaring, surely elevating our worship.

So for me, this post should really be titled "The anthem which *should* have won the Evensong Anthem World Cup on Twitter", because of every anthem on the list, the one piece which will have me crying with total happiness and contentment when I'm back in the choir stalls is Robert Parsons' "Ave Maria".

Amen.

Florence Price

It would seem that Florence Price was just waiting for me to discover her.

On the RSCM Facebook group I am a member of I saw a post on the fundamentally important theme of #BlackLivesMatter linking to a performance of Price's "Adoration", in memory of George Floyd. I had already searched for a black composer of anglican music to include here, in some small way offering my own contribution to such an important movement - to no avail. But here I was being offered a perfect example, which has also proved wonderfully coincidental as well.

Florence Price was born in Little Rock, Arkansas, USA on April 9th 1887, one of three children in a mixed race family. She had her first piano performance at the age of four and had her first composition published at the age of 11. by the time she was 14 she had graduated as top of her class, and went on to study music at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, majoring in piano and organ. She achieved a level of renown which defied all expectations for an African-American woman in her day. Acutely aware of her heritage, initially Florence identified as Mexican to avoid prejudice for being African American.

William Byrd

Written by Kitty Thompson

As a Renaissance composer in England during the sixteenth century William Byrd achieved what few other of a similarly high profile did, namely to remain in favour no matter which way the religious wind prevailed in England. Like Thomas Tallis (who is believed to have been his teacher at the Chapel Royal) Byrd managed to navigate the fall out of the Reformation in Elizabethan England and remained popular and published. More than that, sometime during the 1570s he became a Roman Catholic and wrote Catholic sacred music later in his life, whilst keeping his job, and his head!

Byrd's early years
In his will of 15 November 1622, Byrd described himself as "in the 80th year of [his] age", suggesting a birthdate of 1542 or 1543. However a document dated 2 October 1598 written in his own hand states that he is "58 yeares or ther abouts", indicating an earlier birthdate of 1539 or 1540.

There is no documentary evidence on his early musical training. His two brothers were choristers at St. Paul's Cathedral, although evidence suggests William was a chorister with the Chapel Royal where he was a pupil of Thomas Tallis. His first known professional employment was his appointment in 1563 as organist and master of the choristers at Lincoln Cathedral. Lincoln had a strong Puritan influence and in both 1569 Byrd was in trouble for both over-elaborate choral polyphony and organ playing during the liturgy. Perhaps then he realised there was a fine line to tread within the bounds of acceptability?

The Chapel Royal
Byrd obtained the prestigious post of Gentleman of the Chapel Royal in 1572 following the death of Robert Parsons. Byrd was listed as "organist" but this was not a specific role in the Chapel at that time, he was merely most capable of playing it.

Queen Elizabeth (1558-1603) was no Puritan, and retained a fondness for elaborate ritual. Many still presume Elizabeth held a "laissez faire" attitude to religious practise in her country but this was far from the truth. Whatever her personal preferences, she expected compliance and insisted upon it.

In 1559, Queen Elizabeth I of England issued a set of solemn Injunctions to strengthen the nation's Oath of Supremacy and its worship by the Book of Common Prayer. They specified that services should contain a hymn or song of praise to God, "in the best sort of music that may be conveniently devised." This phrase firmly ensconced choral music within the English church service and it helped establish the genre that would later be known as the anthem.

Franz Joseph Haydn

Franz Joseph Haydn (born 31/03/1732 in Rohrau, Austria - died 31/05/1809 Vienna) was an Austrian composer who was one of the most important figures in the development of the Classical style in music during the 18th century. Haydn helped establish the forms and styles for both the string quartet and the symphony and is often referred to as the "Father" of both. He was also instrumental in the development of chamber music such as the piano trio. He was the principal engineer of the classical style.

Portrait of Joseph Haydn by Thomas Hardy (1791)

Biography
Having exhibited an unusual talent for music at an early age, Haydn left home at 5 years old to live with his cousin who was principal of a school in Hainburg and a choirmaster there. He was never to return to his home except for rare brief visits.

Haydn's life changed decisively when he was eight years old and the musical director of St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna invited him to serve as chorister in 1740, an offer which his parents accepted. He stayed at the choir school for nine years, acquiring an enormous practical knowledge of music by constant performances but to his disappointment he received little instruction in music theory. When his voice changed, he was expelled from both the cathedral choir and the choir school.

J.S. Bach - Cantatas for Eastertide

Johann Sebastian Bach (March 1685 – 28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the Baroque period. He is known for instrumental compositions such as the Brandenburg Concertos and the Goldberg Variations, and for vocal music such as the St Matthew Passion and the Mass in B minor. Since the 19th-century Bach Revival he is generally regarded as one of the greatest composers of all time.

Below is a whistle-stop-tour of Bach Cantatas, of which I'm no expert! I've thoroughly enjoyed my research for this post however and have listened to some beautiful music in the process.

Cantatas
Cantata means "sung" or "to sing". It is a vocal composition with an instrumental accompaniment, typically in several movements, often involving a choir. The meaning of the term changed over time, from the simple single voice madrigal of the early 17th century. Cantatas for use in the liturgy of church services are called church cantata or sacred cantata; other cantatas can be indicated as secular cantata. Several cantatas were, and still are, written for special occasions, such as Christmas cantatas.

The Bach Cantatas are a body of work consisting of over 200 surviving independent works, and at least several dozen that are considered lost. J. S. Bach composed cantatas for both secular and sacred use, his church cantatas composed for use in the Lutheran church, mainly intended for the occasions of the liturgical year.

Bach started composing cantatas around 1707, when he was still an organist in Arnstadt. Bach's early cantatas are "Choralkonzerte" (chorale concertos) in the style of the 17th century, different from the recitative and aria cantata format that he began to use for church cantatas in 1714 when in Weimar.
The texts for the early cantatas were drawn mostly from biblical passages and hymns. These early cantatas include 17th-century elements such as motets and chorale concertos. Recitatives and arias on contemporary poetry were not yet present, although Bach may have heard them in oratorios by Buxtehude who was his teacher, or even earlier.  His early cantatas often begin with an instrumental sinfonia or sonata. Bach worked at the ducal court in Weimar from 1708 to 1717 and from 1714-1717 he was commissioned to compose one church cantata a month. In the course of almost four years there he thus covered most occasions of the liturgical year. These cantatas have become known as the "Weimar Cycle".

Bach was appointed Thomaskantor, (director of music) in Leipzig 1723, and was responsible for the Thomasschule and the church music at these main churches. A cantata was required for the service on Sundays and additional church holidays of the liturgical year, and Bach composed many, preserved in five annual cycles. The Lutheran church of Bach's time prescribed the same readings every year, a Gospel passage and, recited before this, a corresponding section from an Epistle. A connection between the cantata text and the readings (or at least one of the prescribed hymns for the occasion) was the aim, facilitated by repetition and prescription with readings and hymns linked to the church cantata for each occasion.

A typical Bach cantata from his time in Leipzig follows the pattern below:

• Opening chorus 
• Recitative 
• Aria 
• Recitative (or Arioso) 
• Aria 
• Chorale

The opening chorus is usually a polyphonic setting, with the orchestra presenting the themes or contrasting material first. Most arias follow the form of a da capo aria, repeating the first part after a middle section. The final chorale is typically a homophonic setting of a traditional melody.

Eastertide
Eastertide is the period of 50 days, spanning from Easter Sunday to Pentecost Sunday, celebrated as one great event. Each Sunday of the season is treated as a Sunday of Easter. Following the Sunday of the Resurrection, they are named Second Sunday of Easter, Third Sunday of Easter, etc. up to the Seventh Sunday of Easter, concluding with Pentecost Sunday. Bach wrote cantatas each year for each of these Sundays whilst in Leipzig. Our girl choristers recorded "Den Tod niemand zwingen kunnt" (BWV 4) for the first Sunday after Easter, embedded below:-




Misericordias Domini 
This Sunday (26th April) is the Third Sunday of Easter, known as Misericordias Domini Sunday.

The gospel readings for Misericordias Domini is Luke 24:13-35 (Walk to Emmaus) and a suggested Bach Cantata for this reading is Cantata 66, "Erfreut euch, ihr Herzen" (Rejoice, you hearts)

Bach composed this cantata for the Second Day of Easter in Leipzig and first performed it on 10 April 1724. The cantata was Bach's first composition for Easter as Thomaskantor in Leipzig, first performed in Köthen on 10 December 1718. You can read more about it here and listen below! A translation is available here.



If you enjoyed reading this post, then you can read part 2 here!