Matthew Locke’s Musick for His Majestys Sagbutts and Cornetts

Throughout September, the Daily Classical Music Post celebrates the music of 15th-, 16th-, and 17th-century England.

https://youtu.be/nM4sCW5uUGY

Matthew Locke (c. 1621–1677) is known particularly for his music for masques as well as for early English operas by Sir William Davenant. He was "Composer in Ordinary to His Majesty, and organist of her Majesty's chapel" (to Charles II and Catherine of Braganza). Interestingly, the level BELOW Composer in Ordinary was known as “Extraordinary”; wouldn’t you think it should be the other way around? Anyway, I digress.

Locke may or may not have converted to Roman Catholicism when he was in the Netherlands around the time he was 18, but like several other musicians of the day he managed to conceal this fact in order to continue to be employed by the English monarchy. He also wrote a work on music theory, Melothesia (1673), which is notable for its explanations of how to play a “continued bass.”

Keith McGowan says, “During the years before the Commonwealth cornetts and sackbuts were to be heard in English chapels and cathedrals accompanying anthems. This practice aroused some suspicion, as the grandeur evoked by the wind players was considered too ‘popish’, . . . the Civil War effectively silenced the bands. When the monarchy was restored in 1660, King Charles attempted to revive the ‘Royal Windy Musick.’ . . . Locke’s Musick for His Majestys Sagbutts and Cornetts is the masterpiece of early English wind music.”

My classical music post for today is Matthew Locke’s Musick for His Majestys Sagbutts and Cornetts.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

William Byrd's "The Battell"

Image
Throughout September, the Daily Classical Music Post celebrates the music of 15th-, 16th-, and 17th-century England. https://youtu.be/jomZcpqkfUI The great English composer William Byrd (1543–1623) wrote his wonderfully descriptive virginals piece "The Battell" after the great Armada victory of 1588, although most musicologists believe that it is more likely to have been inspired by a smaller skirmish, perhaps an uprising of some sort. Sally Mosher has said of "The Battell": "By the 17th century, battle pieces had become a popular genre, so Byrd can be said to have launched a new keyboard genre in addition to composing the first English keyboard suite. All in C major, sections of ‘The Battle’ are harmonically very simple; for the most part they alternate between the tonic and the dominant, using no more than a handful of chords. Like the march, they often suggest trumpets and drums, but they also quite successfully suggest the sounds of soldiers marching, of ho...
Read more

Elfrida Andrée's Organ Symphony No. 2 in E Flat

Image
This March, the Daily Classical Music Post will introduce you to some of the most wonderful music ever composed—and, yes, it will all be by women composers! https://youtu.be/5w_BfXxmnIc The Swedish composer and organist Elfrida Andrée (1841–1929) was one of the first women organists to be appointed to a full-time position in Scandinavia. She was the organist at Götheberg Cathedral from 1867 until her death. In addition to two organ symphonies, she composed many other works, including chamber music, orchestral music, and an opera. She also was the first Swedish woman telegraph operator. Andrée is definitely not well known either in her native Sweden or, indeed, anywhere else. She probably would not be considered to be a great composer, but her works are definitely tuneful and sometimes quite intriguing. Her Organ Symphony No. 2 for organ and brass is an good example of this. My classical music post for today is Elfrida Andrée's Organ Symphony No. 2 in E Flat.  
Read more

Hale Smith’s Toussaint L'Ouverture, 1803

Image
This February, the Daily Classical Music Post celebrates Black composers and musicians whose music has been suppressed and ignored. All of these musicians should be added to the music history and music theory curriculum. https://youtu.be/wCOqwVk2uUI Hale Smith (1925–2009) studied at the Cleveland Institute of Music (BMus and MMus). His distinguished career is detailed by a former student, Marilyn Harris, on her website ( http://www.marilynharris.com/ ). His early training on the piano included jazz as well as classical music, and this is evident in many of his compositions. His first jobs following graduation were in the music publishing business as an editor. He worked for several different publishers in New York City in the late 1950s and 1960s. He once described himself as “one of America’s most famous unknown composers.” His compositions reveal a wide range of knowledge of many different styles, ranging from serial works like his Contours for Orchestra to lyrical works like The Val...
Read more