The English Reformation and its impact on liturgy and music

A brief discussion on the impact of religious change in sixteenth century England on church music and liturgy, from a layman's 21st Century perspective!

The Reformation is a hugely misunderstood and underestimated period of flux in Europe and beyond over the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. I have long been intrigued by the way religion not only underpinned society at every level during the Early Modern period, but how those influences are still relevant today. Having studied this period of history in depth at university I believe there are two significant themes of the English Reformation and its impact on liturgy and music:-

1) The Reformation was not an event which occurred at a single point in time.

The Reformation was not an event, it was more an evolutionary phase which spread out from Henry's break with Rome in 1530 like a mycelium which infiltrated every aspect of English life - and then re-wove itself through again and again creating a vast web of differing experiences, opinions and outcomes. It was the all and everything for the English people for almost 200 years, whether they participated religiously or not. In religious life it encompassed "English Catholics" with their highly latinised services, and Quakers who worshipped in words and silences only.

Henry VIII lived and died a Catholic, his break with Rome was a matter of convenience only. Whilst the establishment of the Church of England was hugely significant nationally and internationally, the average parishioner would have noticed very little difference in daily worship during Henry's reign. For the common people, the dissolution of the monasteries would have had a far greater impact on their lives, since these institutions helped the poor and sick and were paid to sing masses for the souls of the dead. (i-see below)

Henry VIII

Whilst Henry VIII did indeed break with Rome in 1530 and become Head of the Church of England via the Act of Supremacy in 1534; Henry he remained a Catholic, taking the last rites on his deathbed. Indeed, on 11 October 1521 Pope Leo X granted Henry and his descendants the title "Defender of the Faith" in recognition of Henry's book "Assertio Septem Sacramentorum" (Defense of the Seven Sacraments), which defended the sacramental nature of marriage and the supremacy of the pope in defence of the ideas of Martin Luther. (ii)

Music and Liturgy after the dissolution
Most parish churches had been endowed with chantries, each maintaining a stipended priest to say Mass for the souls of their donors, and these continued unaffected under Henry. In addition there remained over a hundred collegiate churches in England, whose endowments maintained regular choral worship through a body of canons, prebends or priests. All these survived the reign of Henry VIII largely intact, only to be dissolved under the Chantries Act 1547, by Henry's son Edward VI.

Edward, Mary and Elizabeth
After the death of Henry VIII in 1547, the new king Edward VI advanced the Reformation in England, introducing major changes to the liturgy of the Church of England. Thomas Cranmer had significantly greater freedom under Edward and in 1549, Cranmer's new Book of Common Prayer swept away the old Latin liturgy and replaced it with prayers in English. Church choirs began singing some songs in English, eg Westminster Abbey and St. Paul’s.  This brand new liturgy suddenly demanded that new music should be written for the church in English, and musicians of the Chapel Royal such as Thomas Tallis, John Sheppard, and Robert Parsons were called upon to demonstrate that the new Protestantism was no less splendid than the old Catholic religion. Some composers also began writing in a more chordal style because it was argued that the words were easier to hear and understand that way.

Now the Green Blade Riseth

Now the green blade riseth, from the buried grain,

Wheat that in the dark earth many days has lain;

Love lives again, that with the dead has been:

Love is come again, like wheat that springeth green.

John MacLeod Campbell Crum (1872-1958) wrote this text to be paired with the popular French carol melody "Noël Nouvelet", sometimes referred to as "French Carol".

During his life, Crum was highly active in the Church of England. After his education at Eton and New College in Oxford, he took Holy Orders becoming Deacon in 1897. He held various positions including chaplain to the Bishop of Oxford, Francis Paget (1901-1910), assistant curate at Windsor, vicar of Mentmore at Ledburn (1910-1921), and finally canon at Canterbury (1928-1943).

While serving the church, Crum worked in a variety of theological areas and wrote on biblical and architectural topics, as well as studying historical works, and writing children's books. He wrote many hymns which ranged from translation of Latin hymns by the fourth-century poet Aurelius Clemens Prudentius to children's hymns. He published a "Songs of Praise for Boys and Girls" in 1929 and a play (The Play of St. George in 1911), and a pageant, (Children's Missionary Pageant in 1910) with musical score.

This hymn text first appeared in the 1928 edition of the Oxford Book of Carols. For those in the northern hemisphere who live in areas where springtime usually coincides with Easter, the image of growing plants and vegetation speaks clearly as a metaphor for Jesus' resurrection.

The vivid imagery of the hymn is biblically based on selected verses. 1 Corinthians 15:37-38 connects the image with the resurrection: "And that which sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain: But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body." (KJV)

Notably, in the fourth verse, Crum emphasises that no matter what we are going through, "Jesus' touch can call us back to life again."

Our choir have recorded a multi-tracked version of "Now the Green Blade Riseth" arranged by Terry.

Singing at Home opportunities

My inbox has been flooded with opportunities to sing at home during the lockdown. Granted, it's absolutely not the same singing alone in front of your computer, and my heart yearns to sing with my choir here in church again, but in the current situation I have found them a reasonably good alternative!

Most of these options are linked from the home page of this blog, but to update you all on some exciting new opportunities I have included the following update:-

There is a Green Hill Far Away

"There is a green hill far away" is an Anglican hymn. The words are by Cecil Frances Alexander; and the most popular tune by William Horsley. It was written to create a musical version of the words from the creed 'Suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried.’"

It is a hugely evocative hymn for me, one I have loved since school assembly days; and the words are particularly pertinent right now. Our "green hill" is currently beyond the horizon, hidden from view as we all stay at home during the Covid-19 enforced lockdown. We must trust in God as we approach Holy Week; remembering Jesus' suffering and perhaps using this time away from the rollercoaster of our busy lives to consider our own faith. This period of "lockdown" is useful for contemplation, a gift of time during turbulent world events. One day soon we can emerge from our isolation and celebrate Christ's resurrection with perhaps a more enlightened understanding of his Passion and the Easter story.




Cecil Frances Alexander lived 1818-1895 in Dublin, Ireland. She also wrote "All things Bright and Beautiful", and "Once in Royal David's City" amongst many others. She was a prolific verse writer, her hymns heavily influenced first by Dr. Walter Hook, Dean of Chichester, and later her connections within the Oxford Movement.

Whilst many of us are unfamiliar with the controversies surrounding both the Movement and Alexander's endorsement of the class system, her hymns are known and loved by Christians the world over. Alexander also published poetry in english and french, for adults and children.


Below is a recording of the hymn by Kings' College Choir, my friend's son is a current chorister and will miss his first Easter with the choir.

1. There is a green hill far away, 

outside a city wall, 

where the dear Lord was crucified, 

who died to save us all. 

2. We may not know, 

we cannot tell what pains he had to bear; 

but we believe it was for us 

he hung and suffered there. 

3. He died that we might be forgiven, 

he died to make us good, 

that we might go at last to heaven, 

saved by his precious blood. 

4. There was no other good enough, 

to pay the price of sin; 

he only could unlock the gate 

of heaven and let us in. 

5. O dearly, dearly has he loved, 

and we must love him too; 

and trust in his redeeming blood, 

and try his works to do. 

 Cecil Alexander

Tell all the World of Jesus - James Seddon

James Seddon was born in Scarisbrick in 1915, between Ormskirk and Southport. He is of interest to me since my Grandfather (also James) was born in Ormskirk some 9 years earlier, and I am familiar with the area. James Seddon was ordained in 1939 to be a curate in Everton, then in Toxteth and Southport.

He worked as a missionary from 1945-1955 in Africa with the Churchmen's Missionary Society, and on returning to England he became the society's Home Secretary. From 1967 to 1974 he was Rector of Hawkwell, then of Peldon and two of its Essex neighbours until his retirement to Colchester in 1980. My mum took the same geographical route from Lancashire to Colchester.

Seddon saw the need to supplement the older 'missionary' hymns with fresher and more relevant texts which still conveyed the essential truth and worldwide urgency of the Christian gospel. His hymns and songs were born from his Moroccan experiences, some of the first were in Arabic; some English ones were issued in booklet form before appearing in the best-selling 'Youth Praise' in 1966, he also served on the more traditional committee for the 'Anglican Hymn Book' of 1965. He wrote some 30 hymns in all.

"Tell all the world of Jesus" is also a popular hymn amongst Methodists, my paternal grandmother was a Methodist living in the Fens in Cambridgeshire during the time Seddon was composing. This hymn is a favourite of mine, I've taken the liberty of attaching a recording of my youngest son singing it as part of his "Chorister of the Year" entry two years ago. Fond memories, he's a tenor now!

1 Tell all the world of Jesus,

our Saviour, Lord and King;

and let the whole creation

of his salvation sing:

proclaim his glorious greatness,

in nature and in grace,

creator and redeemer,

the Lord of time and space.

2 Tell all the world of Jesus,

that everyone may find

the joy of his forgiveness

true peace of heart and mind.

Proclaim his perfect goodness,

his deep, unfailing care,

his love so rich in mercy,

a love beyond compare

3 Tell all the world of Jesus,

that everyone may know

of his almighty triumph

defeating every foe.

Proclaim his coming glory,

when sin is overthrown,

and he shall reign in splendour

the King upon his throne!

James Edward Seddon (1915 - 1983)

Let All the World in E'vry Corner Sing

A difficult 24 hours for us here. My eighteen year old is really unwell with COVID-19 and we are praying his improvement today is sustained. he's showing signs of early stage pneumonia but is in relatively good spirits compared to last night. We are so grateful for the prayers and support from all our friends and having this Blog as a distraction is going to be a blessing over the weeks to come.

So today I'm just going to share this Facebook post from @OrganistWilliam who played my request in Bury Cathedral yesterday.

Let All the World in E'vry Corner Sing - I can't wait until it does once again. Stay well friends.