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The Oxford Book of Tudor Anthems

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The Oxford Book of Tudor Anthems: 34 Anthems for Mixed Voices
EditorChristopher Morris
Cover artistWilliam Camden
LanguageEarly Modern English, Latin
SubjectChristian music (sheet music)
PublisherOxford University Press
Publication date
1978
Publication placeUnited Kingdom
Media typePrint (paperback)
Pages360
ISBN978-0193533257
WebsiteThe Oxford Book of Tudor Anthems on OUP.com

The Oxford Book of Tudor Anthems is a collection of vocal scores of music from the Tudor era of England (c.1550-1625). It was published in 1978 by Oxford University Press and was compiled by the organist and publisher Christopher Morris (1922-2014), the editor of OUP who also was involved with the popular Carols for Choirs series of books in the 1970s.[1] The preface was written by Sir David Willcocks.

A recording was issued in 1979, Tudor Anthems (OUP 153), featuring 13 anthems from the Oxford Book of Tudor Anthems sung by the Choir of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford and conducted by Simon Preston.[2][3]

Contents

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The collection encompasses 34 motets and anthems by 14 different composers who were active during the Tudor Period, sometimes referred as "the Golden Age of English church music", which spans from around 1500 to the end of the reign of King James VI and I in 1625.[4] This period in English history was especially marked by the religious upheaval of the English Reformation, which was advanced by King Edward VI. With competing demands over the language of Church of England liturgy, composers of this era variously set both Latin and English texts to music,[5] and this is reflected in the range of works presented in this book. The later anthems in English take their texts from the King James Bible of 1604, but words from earlier Bible translations such as the 1526 Tyndale Bible and from prayer books such as the 1549 Book of Common Prayer are also included.[6] A variety of musical styles is represented in the collection, from simple four-part harmony to more elaborate polyphonic motets for up to eight voices, including both a cappella pieces and anthems requiring instrumental accompaniment.[2][4]

Sources for this collection include a set of partbooks from the British Library, copied by Thomas Myriell and entitled Trisitiae Remedium (1616), and partbooks sourced from the libraries of Christ Church, Oxford (c.1620) and St Michael's College, Tenbury (c.1615).

Number Composer Anthem
1 Thomas Weelkes Alleluia. I heard a voice
2 Orlando Gibbons Almighty and everlasting God
3 Peter Philips Ascendit Deus
4 Robert Parsons Ave Maria
5 William Byrd Ave verum corpus
6 Richard Farrant Call to remembrance
7 Richard Dering Factum est silentium
8 Christopher Tye Give almes of thy goods
9 Thomas Weelkes Gloria in excelsis Deo
10 William Byrd Haec dies
11 Richard Farrant Hide not thou thy face
12 Orlando Gibbons Hosanna to the Son of David
13 Thomas Weelkes Hosanna to the Son of David
14 Thomas Tomkins I heard a voice
15 Thomas Tallis If ye love me
16 William Byrd Justorum animae
17 William Byrd Laetentur coeli
18 Thomas Mudd Let thy merciful ears
19 Richard Farrant or John Hilton Lord, for thy tender mercy's sake
20 William Byrd Miserere mei
21 Orlando Gibbons O clap your hands after Psalm 47
22 Thomas Weelkes O Lord, arise
23 Orlando Gibbons O Lord, in thy wrath
24 William Mundy O Lord, the maker
25 Thomas Tallis O nata lux
26 Adrian Batten O praise the Lord
27 William Byrd O quam gloriosum
28 Thomas Tallis Salvator mundi
29 William Byrd Sing joyfully
30 William Byrd Teach me, O Lord
31 William Byrd This day Christ was born
32 Orlando Gibbons This is the record of John
33 Thomas Tomkins When David heard
34 Thomas Weelkes When David heard

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Christopher Morris, musician - obituary". Daily Telegraph. 2 March 2015. Archived from the original on 7 August 2016.
  2. ^ a b Kucharski, J.A. (7 January 1979). "Books: A Golden Age Bargain". The Living Church. 178. Morehouse-Gorham Company: 81. Retrieved 1 October 2016.
  3. ^ Fallows, David (February 1990). "Tudor Anthems". Gramophone. Archived from the original on 1 October 2016. Retrieved 1 October 2016.
  4. ^ a b David Willcocks in his preface to Morris, Christopher (1978). The Oxford book of Tudor anthems: 34 Anthems for Mixed Voices. Oxford: Music Department, Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0193533257.
  5. ^ Unger, Melvin P. (2010). Historical dictionary of choral music. Lanham, Md.: Scarecrow Press. p. 116. ISBN 9780810873926. Retrieved 3 September 2016.
  6. ^ "Celebrating the King James Bible at 400". Gramphone. Archived from the original on 8 September 2015. Retrieved 2 October 2016.
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