The Book of Common Prayer replaced from 1549 until 1553 the Sarum rite

The Book of Common Prayer replaced from 1549 until 1553 the Sarum rite, Roman Catholic worship according to the Use of Salisbury, which had been used in England during the medieval period. It was Mary who in 1553 reinstated it upon her accession. It would only be used for six more years, until Elizabeth I finally abolished it in 1559.

Like her mother, Katherine of Aragon, Mary was a devout Catholic and wasted no time to legislate in order to return England to Roman Catholicism. No better way to seal this embrace of the faith than to marry Philip, the son of the Holy Roman Emperor, CharlesV.

Of the many records available to the researcher, none names the exact music played at the wedding in Winchester Cathedral on 25 July 1554. Documents in the library of the Cathedral tell us that the Sarum rite was followed: The English choir would have sung the music prescribed for the nuptial ceremonies, In Sposalibus and the usual Psalms sung at marriages, presumably Psalm 68, verse 28-30, Thy God hath sent forth strength for thee; Psalm 128 was also probably sung as was the mass of the Trinity, which included such music as Veni Creator and psalm 43. But we do have lavish descriptions of the appearance of the church that day and what went on in it: the said church was richly hanged with arras and cloth of gold... The quire was allso richly hanged with cloth of gold... The trumpetes sounded...Where duryng hie masse tyme the quenes chapell matched with the quire, and the organs, used such swete proporcyon of musicke and harmonye, as the like was never beefore invented or harde. Later during the dinner at the hall of the chancellor’s palace there was suche soundes and noise of al maner of instruments, as hath been seldome hearde... both their magesties dansed. We do know, however, that the English choir consisted of six priests, one Gospeller priest, twenty-two gentlemen, including Thomas Tallis and Richard Farrant, twelve children, five select singers and the Sargent of the Vestry of the Chapel Royal ... and that mass was as solemnly sung there as at Toledo, according to a Spanish gentleman.

On the other hand, Philip had traveled to England accompanied by 125 ships and no less than 500 courtiers, besides soldiers and sailors. His royal Chapel consisted of a choir of 21 singers, two organists (Antonio de Cabezón, the most famous organist in Europe at the time, and his brother Juan), 15 minstrels, vihuela and lute players, drummers, trumpeters, etc. Most noblemen, who accompanied the prince, brought their own music chapels with them.

It was in this Great Hall that Philip and Mary met for the last time before the wedding. Philip was received with the courtiers ranged on a raised platforms on each side.

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The music performed today by Coro Cervantes tries to portrait as accurately as possible the range of music performed at the time of Mary and Philip, and is closely related to them.

The Flemish composer Gérard de Turnhout (1520-1580) served as master of the king’s chapel until his death. His motet Gratias agimus tibi, of his collection of Sacred songs and other for three voices, was dated in Antwerp 30 June 1569 and reflects Philip’s troubles in the Low countries during the late 1560’s.

Bartolomé de Escobedo (ca.1510-1563) wrote his Missa Philippus Rex Hispaniae either for the coronation of the Spanish monarch or as a means to flatter the king in order to obtain a good pension from him. This mass has just been published for the first time this year and Coro Cervantes performed the British premiere in London last April. The mass is based on a cantus firmus that repeats the words Philip, King of Spain.

Luis de Narváez (...-ca 1550) was employed as music teacher to the children in the chapel of Philip and traveled with him to Italy and northern Europe. His variations on the theme of Conde Claros, from his Six books for the Dauphin tell a story narrated by Cervantes in his Don Quijote.

A Musicall Banquet is an anthology of songs, dances and lute music edited and published by Robert Dowland, son of the much more famous John, in London in 1610. The anonymous song Pasaba amor sings the misfortunes of unrequited love, whereas the other anonymous song Most men do love the Spanish wine is quite self-explanatory.

The English composer and playwright Richard Farrant (ca.1525-1580), present a t the wedding, was a Gentleman of the Chapel Royal at the time of Edward VI and continued to sing in the choir during the reign of Mary. He was probably the first to develop the ‘verse’ style of liturgical anthem.

The Spanish Pavane by the English lutenist Thomas Robinson (fl 1589-1609) is a fine example of the fashion to adopt “ayres” from exotic lands. Such exchange of musical fashion took place in a great degree during the visit of Philip’s best musicians to England in 1554.

Christopher Tye (ca1505-ca1572), Thomas Tallis (ca1505-1585) and William Byrd (1543-1623) need no introduction. They are among the finest composers of the time and men who stood by the old religion, although as musicians of the chapels of Edward, Mary (Tye and Tallis) and Elizabeth had to write anthems for both vernacular and latin settings. To write and promote music for the Catholic rite under an Anglican ruler was a deed that required courage. Tye and Tallis worked in association already for Edward, whereas Byrd benefited from the teaching of Tallis.

Crowned with flowers and lillies is a rare elegy for the death of Mary, originally set for consort of viols, soprano and bass. Although Byrd was only fifteen years old at the time of Mary’s death, this duet was found in a manuscript which includes several other songs about historical persons.

The other lament, this time for Philip’s death, exactly 400 years ago, is the motet Versa est in luctum by the Sevillian composer Alonso Lobo (155-1617); it bears the subtitle For the obsequies of Philip II, Catholic of Spain. Without any doubt, it was written for one of the many requiem masses that took place during 1598. The expressive beauty of its melodies places this motet among the masterpieces of Renaissance.

MUSIC FOR MARY AND PHILIP

· Turnhout: Gratias agimus tibi

· Escobedo: Kyrie of Missa Philippus Rex Hispaniae

· Narváez: Conde Claros (lute solo)

· R. Dowland: Pasaba amor (lute-soprano solo). A Musicall Banquet.

· R. Farrant: Three anthems:

· Hide not thou thy face

· Lord, for thy tender mercy’s sake

· Call to remembrance

· T. Robinson: Spanish pavane. (Solo lute)

· R. Dowland: Most men do love the Spanish wine. A Musicall Banquet.

· Three English anthems:

· C. Tye: O God be merciful unto us.

· T.Tallis: O nata lux de lumine.

· W. Byrd: Sing joyfully

· Brudieu: Oid, los qu’en l’yglesia aveis nascido (Quartet)

· W. Byrd: Crowned with flowers and lillies. (Duet: sop-bass with lute)

· W. Byrd: Ave verum corpus

· A. Lobo: Versa est in luctum