Figure 1.--There are today in England quite a number of boy choirs and choir schools supported by cathedrals as well as competent church choirs. English choirs have histories dating back to the early monastic song schools (6th century). Many have long histories, although not interupted because of the countries tumultous political and religious history. King Henry VIII closed the monastaries, but by that time the focus of church music had shifted to the great cathedrals. Cromwell and the Puritans following Calvinist tennants abolished the choirs and destroyed irreplaceable libraries of church music. The boys today perform in eclesiastical costumes, but we are unsure just when they were adopted and to what extent they are based on the styles worn by medieval choirs. Here are the costumes worn by the choristers at Southwell Minster.

The English Reformation was launched by Henry VIII who like Europe had no intention of doing so. Thus not surprisingly the English Anglican Church retained many Catholic Church trappings, although it went through a series of Protestnt abd Catholic phases. Henry who Pope Clement VII honoreed as 'Defender of the Faith,' turned against papal control of the English Church. The issue was his marriage to Catherine of Aragon. Henry wanted a divorce so he could marry Ann Boleyn. The king was not interested in changing either the structures or liturgy of the English Church. He did to close the monasteries, but primarily to lay his hands on their immense wealth. Henry left cathedral and collegiate choirs intact. Sympathy with Protestantism (both Lutheranism and Calvinism developed in England and Scotland to the north). Henry's moves against the ppacy helped open up Protestant inroads despite his theological orientation. And Henry's death (1547) provided the opportunity to fundamentally changed the theology and liturgy of the developing Anglican Church. Henry allowed his son Edward to be raised a Protestant. This seems strange for a monarch who took great interest in theological matters and was not a Protestant. Edward was not healthy. He died an early death (1553). But the 6 years of his rule was enough for Protestantism with a Calvinist hue to be deeply entrenched in the religious life of England. Religious culture wars would inflict the country for more than a century. Edward's reign threatened the musical history of the Anglican church because of Calvin's opposition to church music other than comunal singing. Catholic Queen Mary briefly returned the English Church to the papacy, but she also died early (1558) and left no heir. She was unable to return the Anglican Church to Catholcism. Queen Elizabeth I pursued what is now called the Elizabethan Settlement that shaped the Anglican Church of England as a compromise between Roman Catholicism and Calvinism under the leadership of the Crown. Neither hard core Calvinists nor Catholics accepted the settlement. Elizabeth and James I who followed her and supported the Elizabethan Settlement became targets of assasins. This is celebrated annully as Guy Fawkes Day. Fawkes was part of the most famous such plot--the Gun Powder Plot (1605). He was part of a Catholic conspiracy to blow up Parliament and assasinate James as he precide over the opening. The great English public, however, did accept the Settlement and the Anglican Church flourished. The Stewarts sought to bring the Anglican Church back to the Catholic pole. This effort was stopped in it tracks by Oliver Cromwell and his Commonwealth. This in turn was reversed by the restoration of the SteWarts and again by William and MAry and the Glorious Revolution (1688). This and subsequent changes affected church music including choral singing.

Historical Background

The English Reformation was launched by Henry VIII who like Europe had no intention of doing so. Thus not surprisingly the English Anglican Church retained many Catholic Church trappings, although it went through a series of Protestnt abd Catholic phases. Henry who Pope Clement VII honoreed as 'Defender of the Faith,' turned against papal control of the English Church. The issue was his marriage to Catherine of Aragon. Henry wanted a divorce so he could marry Ann Boleyn.

Henry VIII (1509-47)

Henry VII was not interested in changing either the structures or lituergy of the English Church. He did to close the monasteries, but primarily to lay his hands on their immense wealth. Fortunately for English church music, the focus of music had long since moved from the monastaries to the cathedrals nd important churches. And Henry left cathedral and collegiate choirs intact. Sympathy with Protestantism (both Lutheranism and Calvinism developed in England and Scotland to the north). Henry's moves against the papacy helped open up Protestant inroads despite his theological orientation. Changes began to bubble up from the faithful which were tolerated as long as they were not to obviously Protestant.

Edward VI (1547-53)

Henry's death (1547) provided the opportunity to fundamentally changed the theology and liturgy of the developing Anglican Church. Henry allowed his son Edward to be raised a Protestant. This seems strange for a monarch who took great interest in theological matters and was not a Protestant. Edward was not healthy. He died an early death (1553). He is often glossed over in a list of English monarchs. In fact only a few English kings had a greater impct on the country than Edward. The 6 years of his rule was enough for Protestantism with a Calvinist hue to be deeply entrenched in the religious life of England. Religious culture wars would inflict the country for more than a century. Edward's reign threatened the musical history of the Anglican church because of Calvin's opposition to church music other than communal singing. The influence of Protestant theology in the English Reformation brought about a major change in the style of church music. This began even under Henry although in guarded terms until the coronation of King Edward. The reformers became increasing comcerned that the Christian message needed be more clearly proclaimed in the worship service. This feeling was reflected in church music. Protestant clerics began to discrd music with complex polyphony for more simple compositions that as demanded by Lincoln Cathedral injunctions have “a plain and distinct note for every syllable' (1548). The Church of England was still divided as this stage with both Protestant and Catholic clerics as well as many who wore torn between the two poles. This included composers. Thomas Tallis and William Byrd continued to be devoted Catholics. They still composed works in the older style, but they also composed in the new more Protestant-influenced styles, what might be called Anglican music. Byrd’s Great Service was an important composition in the new style which t the time may not have been so clearly precedived as Protestant in orientation. Orlando Gibbons, Thomas Tomkins and Thomas Weelkes composed in the new styl, masterpieces in a plain style in whivh the words are clear and more destinct thsn was the case in he complicated more Catholic polyphony. The music was designed to add emotional content, albeit in a restrained styl, to the text. Composers continued to write 'full anthems' in which the full choir sang throughout, often in a complex polyphonic texture. We begin to see, however, a more popular Protesant or Anglican structure called 'verse anthems' where the composer inserted solos and solo groups with responses by the full choir. These verse anthems provided the opportunityh for the gifted boys and men in the choirs to show case their vocal skills. These solos were a destinctive innovation of the emerging Anglican Church of England largely and becameincreasingly prominent during Edward's reign.

Mary (1553-58)

Catholic Queen Mary briefly returned the English Church to the papcy. As part of that process she married the deeply Catholic Spanish king--Philip II. She was forced to exercize considerable brutality in doing so because Protestantism had become so firmly establishd. Even ardently Catholic Philip thought she was going to far. She earned the name 'Bloody Mary'. She came close to arresting and execurting her hlf sister Elizabeth. Ironically given subsequent history, Philipis blieved to have intervened to protect Elizabeth. Mary also died early (1558) and left no heir. She was unable to return the Anglican Church to Catholcism.

Elizabeth (1858-1603)

Queen Elizabeth I pursued what is now called the Elizabethan Settlement that shaped the Anglican Church of England as a compromise between Roman Catholicism and Calvinism under the leadership of the Crown. Neither hard core Calvinists nor Catholics accepted the settlement. Neither hard core Calvinists nor Catholics accepted the settlement. Elizabeth became a target of assasins. King Henry had assigned Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop pf Cantrbury, the task of compiling a new prayer book for the new Church of England. Cranmer had made Henry's case for a divorce and thus did not survive Mary's reign. His Book of Common Prayer released by Elizabeth did and became the core of the Elizabethan Settlement (1559). Cranmer was one of the central figures in English Protestantism. He was also renowned liturgical scholar with a profound respect for the structure of Christian worship developed over the centuries. The Book of Common Prayer thus features some very common Catholic features. There is an Order of Holy Communion that retains the Ordinary of the Mass, only shifting the Gloria to the end of the service. There are daily offices of Morning and Evening Prayer strongly influenced by the older Catholic monastic offices. Changes in the Church under Elizabeth profoundly affected Church music for years to come. The Church of England under Protestant influences, significantly reduced the prevalence of Communion services. (This did not change until the late-19th century when Catholc influences began to become more important.). The paucity of Communion servics mean that composers were not inspired tgo create any important musical settings. Composers focused on canticles for the offices, especially the Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis of Evening Prayer. It is here that English church music developed at an extrodunary level. There are so many such settings that most are known only to serious music scholars. Cranmer's permitted the singing of an anthem towards the end of each office. Thus there are also a very large number. Queen Elizabeth had a profound appreciation of music and tghis ensured both the creation of many new pieces as well as a high level of excellence in English church choirs. During Elizbeth'd reign reforms as part of the Catholic Counter Reformatuon emn\bodied in the Councul of Trent (156t2) reduced some, but by no means all of the differences between Catholic and Protestan choral music.

The Stewarts: James I (1603-25) and Charles I (1625-49)

The Tufors during the culture wars, except for Mary, adriotly managed Prliament. The Stewaets had none of their political skills. James I was raised as a Protestant in Scotland. He committed to the Elizabethan Settlement and thus Like Elizabethn became targets of assasins. This is celebrated annully as Guy Fawkes Day. Fawkes was part of the most famous such plot --the Gun Powder Plot (1605). He was part of a Catholic conspiracy to blow up Parliament and assasinate James. The great English public, however, did accept the Settlement and the Anglican Church flourished. Charles had a more Catholic orientation, although he retained the supporhet of the Church of England (COE). Increasingly Protestants came to oppose the COE, although this was not the primary issue that estrained the Stewarts from Parlaiment. Catholic orientation. It was the political will to follow the French example of royal absolutism independent of parlimentary control. This effort was stopped in it tracks by Parliament. By the time of the Civil War, the culture war among Catholics, Calvinist Puritans, and the Anglicans had been smouldering for about a century. The Stewarts had added a new dimension to the religious conflict, the struggle beteen royal absolutism and Parliament. The Tudors had adroitly managed Parliament. The Stewarts proved incapable of compromising with Parliament and eventually Charkes decided to supress it. Oliver Cromwell led a revolt (1641) and emerged as the preeminent Parlimentarian military leader with his New Model Army. The English Civil War raged for a decade (1642-51).

Cromwell and the Commonwealth

The Parlimentarian victory in the English Civil War led to the establishment of the Commonwealth (1649) and Cromwell's own disolution of Parliament. Cromwell proved more successful in supressing Parliament than Charles. Cromwell imposed a dictatorship as Lord Protector (1653) which included religious objectives. Cromwell as his Puritan allies with their Calvinist roots moved against elaborate church music, all forms except unaccompanoed communal singing. The Puritans disbanded church choirs were disbanded and chuch organs were destroyed. This was not in keeping with the religious orientation of many Parlimentarians which joined the fight against Charles. The majority of English people accepred the Elizabethan Settlement. But Cromwell and his Puritan allies controlled the New Model Army. The Puritns did not stop t aboloshing church choirs and destroyong orgns, they pillaging of church music libraries. Large numbers of inreplaceable manuscripts wre destroyed and permanently lost. Not all was lost. Among the survivors were the manificent Euge Bone Mass of Christopher Tye. But this was allm of hos work tht survived. And the workm of many composers presumably of comparable talent were completely lost to music history. It was a loss of incaluable dimensions.

The Stewarts: Charles II (1660-85) and James II (1685-88)

With the death of Cromwell (1659), the desires of the great majority of English people surfaced. nd the great majority opposed austere Puritan rule. Politically the Commonwealth ebded and Parliament reemerged. The monarchy after extended negotiatiins between Parliment and Charles was restored (1662). Charles II pledged to respect Parliament. In the religious real, the Elizabethan Settlement was reestablished. The Puritan supression of choirs was reversed again with the revival of Parliament nd the restoration of the SteWarts. Choirs were reassembled in cathedrals and churches throughout England. . One of the revived choirs reestablished as part of the revival was a chapel choir at St. John’s College in Cambridge (1670). Restarting boy choirs after the incalcuavle loss of music libraries and more than a decade of Puritan rule was a daunting challenge. was quite a challenge. There was a rich endownment od choir masters, former choristers, and composers. They included John Blow, Pelham Humfrey, and especially Henry Purcell to restablish and lead a new genration of choirs. As church choirs wre being reestablished and boys trained, Anglican church music began to evolve further picking up from the era before the Civil War. Composers continued to work with the verse anthem and we see increaingly long verses meaning solo with shorter choral responses. At this stage we mostly have men singing the solos, in part because there were so few trained boys. This tended to retard it retarded the development of choral music and the use of boys’ voices, especially boy soloist as a central feature. Charles had trouble with Parliament was cautious in his dealings and in maintaining the Elizabethan Settlment. James was a very different monarch. He admired Louis IV's absolute rule. He converted to Catholicism and during his brief reign not only challenged Parliament, but every other power base in England, trying to appoint Catholics to position of influence. Evenually he even alliennated the Anglican Church leadership.

William and Mary (1688-1694/1702)

The religious picture ws changed again by William and Mary and the Glorious Revolution (1688). This and subsequent changes affected church music including choral singing.

Created: 10:23 PM 11/21/2012
Last updated: 9:41 PM 11/23/2012