Blackdowns early music projects presents selected works from the eton choirbook and other contemporary english music. Even in its incomplete state nearly half of its original 224 leaves have been lost, the eton choirbook is the undoubted queen of early tudor music manuscripts. This edition contained both the fully realized canon as. The eton choirbook, one of only three such books along with the lambeth choirbook and the caius choirbook to survive from prereformation england, is a large manuscript collection of marian antiphons, magnificat settings and other motets assembled for, and still held at, eton college. This piece is found in both the eton choirbook and the baldwin manuscript. Aug 14, 2019 nov 26, the eton choirbook, one of only three such books along with the lambeth choirbook and the caius choirbook to survive from. The boys used to stand near the front of it, and you can see from the facsimile that the. English output remains predominantly sacred during this era, and although it is nominally renaissance by date, retains many points in common with medieval idioms. One of the most iconic of music manuscripts, the eton choirbook is of unique importance, both in its own right as a cultural artefact and as a source of english choral polyphony composed during the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries had it perished, along with so many other less fortunate prereformation music manuscripts, our knowledge of a critical moment in the history of. The actual book is about four times the size of this one, he says. Music from the eton choirbook indiana public media. The eton choirbook is a giant 500 yearold manuscript from eton college chapel, and one of the greatest surviving glories of prereformation england. The marian anthem in late medieval england cambridge core. The major contributors are robert fayrfax and nicholas ludford.
Cheung n interesting phenomenon in the history of music is that many pieces now regarded as great compositions had suffered long periods of neglect before they began to receive the attention they deserve. Carols were around in the years 1500 to 1504, when the choirbook was being made. Even more remarkably, the lp was advertised as eton choirbook 1 and, indeed, there was more to. Jun 03, 2019 nov 26, the eton choirbook, one of only three such books along with the lambeth choirbook and the caius choirbook to survive from. The eton choirbook is a richly illuminated manuscript collection of english sacred music, composed during the late 15th century.
The eton choirbook by huelgas ensemble on amazon music. All the music on this recording originate from the earlier folios of the eton choirbook, dating from about 1490 to 1500, whose index reveals that. It comprises nine lines of free poetic text with the. It contains music for 7 masses, 4 magnificats, and 8 motets. The large and handsome volume played an integral part in the worship of the chapel of the kings college of our lady of eton beside windsor, resting open on a lectern whilst the choir stood. All of the music on this program is from the recording courts of heavenmusic from the eton choirbook, volume 3 with the choir of christ church cathedral, oxford directed by. The eton choirbook digital image archive of medieval music. Mass inclina cor meum and antiphons, early english church music, 44 2004, and idem, the arundel choirbook. Jul 16, 2019 eton choirbook pdf nov 26, the eton choirbook, one of only three such books along with the lambeth choirbook and the caius choirbook to survive from. Eton college had originally been a chantry, an almshouse and a. Dec, 2019 eton choirbook various imslppetrucci music library. Facsimile editions of early polyphonic sources are usually selfrecommending, but the longawaited eton choirbook, the first fruits in hard copy of the digital image archive of medieval music diamm, is especially welcome.
The choirbook is a volume of manuscript music created between 1500 and 1504 for use in religious services in eton college chapel. Title ms 178 from eton college library, england composer various. Miraculously, the eton choirbook survived henry viiis ransacking of the monasteries. Pdf canon a from the eton choirbook robert wylkynson. Eton college is making several online selfstudy courses within its etonx future skills programme available free of charge to state school pupils in year 11 and year in the uk. It was one of very few collections of latin liturgical music to survive the reformation, and hence is an important source. Christophers, has recorded nineteen pieces from the eton choirbook. The latest by stephen darlington features rarelyheard music from the eton choirbookpart 3 of a seriesincluding works by hampton, turges, and fawkyner. The eton choirbook eton ms 178 is a volume of manuscript music created. This recording features the earliest polyphonic passion by a named composer, two heartrending motets for five and six voices, two thrilling settings of the magnificat, and an extraordinary canon.
Music from the eton choirbook tonus peregrinus, pitts 8. In a 1997 article on the early tudor court and the eton choirbook eton college library, ms 178, magnus williamson posed an important question. The choirbook s repertory has similarly become fixed in time, place and function. Richard hygons salve regina, written in somerset, was included in the same group of compositions as settings of the same text by william horwood, probably written at lincoln, and nicholas huchyn of arundel, near the south coast. The original eton choirbook is in eton college library, but stephen proudly shows me a facsimile in his office. Browne corynsh davey eton choirbook collection amazon. Contents of the eton choirbook sorted initially by the order in which. Free public domain sheet music choirbopk form of dissonance became a distinctive feature of tudor polyphony. Eton choirbook various imslppetrucci music library. Comparable effects may be found in music written for special occasions, oratorios, verse anthems, and settings of the. The only reason for the survival of any of brownes music is due to the eton choirbook, which lists 93 works by different composers copied at the turn of the 16th century for use at eton college. Oclcs webjunction has pulled together information and resources to assist library. Find out more about our use of this data, and also our policy on profanity find out more about our use of. You can add or edit information about music from the eton choirbook at.
Media in category choirbooks the following files are in this category, out of total. The lambeth choirbook also known as the arundel choirbook is an illuminated choirbook dating to the sixteenth century. Digital image archive of medieval music ever since it was first copied for use in the college chapel in the early 1500s, the choirbook has been continuously in the possession of eton college. Had it perished, along with so many other less fortunate prereformation music manuscripts, our knowledge of a critical moment. Music from the eton choirbook featuring the tallis scholars directed by peter phillips. It is the repository of a geographically diverse polyphonic repertory.
Summary biographies are given for each composer, except where new information amplifies the biographical entries in the revised new grove dictionary, the oxford dictionary of national biography and other reference works. Jul 31, 2019 nov 26, the eton choirbook, one of only three such books along with the lambeth choirbook and the caius choirbook to survive from. Numerous and frequentlyupdated resource results are available from this search. Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel.
It originally contained music by 24 different composers. Music from the eton choirbook volume 5 and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Other articles where the eton choirbook is discussed. Even in its incomplete state nearly half of its original 224 leaves have been lost, the eton choirbook is the undoubted queen of. The eton choirbook is a 500 year old manuscript of latin liturgical music from prereformation england, held, as you might expect, in the collections of eton college. To participate in the discussions on catholic church music, sign in or register as a forum member, the forum is a project of the church music association of america. Thanks to its survival, the sacred music of the english fifteenthcentury is still with us, conjuring up the atmosphere and spirit of the glorious cathedrals for which it was written it also gives a tantalizing glimpse of a wealth of choral music which was lost. Salve regina found in several other sources as well, stabat mater, ave maria mater dei, gaude virgo mater christi, and a lost gaude flore virginali. An interesting phenomenon in the history of music is that many. Nov 26, the eton choirbook, one of only three such books along with the lambeth choirbook and the caius choirbook to survive from. The manuscript in turn has become eponymous with its parent institution, eton college. Free public domain sheet music whether you want to see what we think of todays latest releases or discover what our critics thought of your favourite recordings from the past, you will find it. Jun 08, 20 t he extensive eton choirbook, compiled in the 15th century, contains the most highly elaborate, beautifully decorated gothic music in the english tradition. The works of browne are in the early folios of the choirbook, dating from between 1490 and 1500.
The eton choirbook decca eloquence 4840250 bw classical. London, lambeth palace library, ms 1 a facsimile and introduction, roxburgh club. The eton choirbook eton ms 178 is a volume of manuscript music created between 1500 and 1504 for use in religious services in eton college chapel. It somehow miraculously survived the reformation, and is the most important source we have for the repertoire of its era. One of the most iconic of music manuscripts, the eton choirbook is of unique importance, both in its own right as a cultural artefact and as a source of english choral polyphony composed during the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries. They have their roots in the early middle ages, when christmas music was either liturgical the sequences of hymns assigned. Eton college ms 178 is one of the last collections of english catholic church music that survived the anglican reformation that. It measures 23 12 by 17 inches, each stave being about threequarters of an inch high. The awardwinning fullcolour facsimile edition of eton college library ms. The eton choirbook motets demand similar treatment since red and black text is used to differentiate between those sections intended for soloists and those for full choir. The eton choirbook, a rare and lovely survival of early tudor choral music, does not, sadly, contain any christmas carols. Complete transcription and reconstruction of the canon a for christ and his twelve disciples on the apostles creed. Aside from the five pieces on this disc, there were originally ten others five are lost, two incomplete. History, style, and analysis of music from the eton choirbook vincent c.
Eton choirbook first manuscript of music included in uk. The gate of glory, the fifth volume in the critically acclaimed exploration of music from the eton choirbook by the choir of christ church cathedral, oxford and director stephen darlington, includes the world premiere recording of walter lambes gaude flore virginali, and a striking range of styles from harmony and counterpoint to elegance and simplicity. The eton choirbook contains an extraordinarily vast and diverse collection of english sacred music from the turn of the 16 th century and this cd features music by some of its more famous composers, robert fayrfax, walter lambe and john browne, alongside less familiar names, hugo kellyk and robert hacomplaynt. The eton choirbook was created between 1500 and 1505 and originally contained 93 works by 24 composers from the early tudor period. The college paid for a glorious manuscript to be made, assembling the finest music for the choir to sing and making a beautiful instrument of worship. Movementssectionsmovtssecs, 64 pieces 93 originally. Courts of heavenmusic from the eton choirbook, volume 3. Celebrating the eton choirbook early music oxford academic. The manuscript is also a work of consummate artistry, copied by an experienced scribe on large vellum leaves, and illuminated by a professional limner.
The eton choirbook compiled 14901502 represents the height of the socalled florid style of english sacred polyphony. Through its survival at the site for which it was made the choirbook gives us access to a form of worship and a musical tradition that was violently disrupted and almost obliterated by the reformation. The eton choirbook is a 500 year old manuscript of latin liturgical music from pre reformation england, held, as you might expect, in the. The eton choirbook is a richly illuminated manuscript collection of late15th century english sacred music, compiled for use at eton college. Eton college ms 178 is one of the last collections of english catholic church music that survived the anglican reformation that came shortly thereafter. Edward hygons is thought to possibly be responsible for the existence of this book, as well as the lambeth.