Tune thy Musicke to thy Hart: Tudor & Jacobean music for private devotion

Featuring

Benedict Hymas
Stile Antico
Fretwork
Thomas Tomkins
John Amner
John Taverner

Robert Ramsey
Thomas Tallis
Robert Parsons
John Browne
Giovanni Croce
John Dowland
Thomas Campion
William Byrd
Orlando Gibbons

Did you know?

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Composition History

Some of the finest devotional madrigals were written in response to the untimely death of Prince Henry in 1612, an event that caused national mourning.

Compositional Technique

Early devotional pieces often featured syllabic word-setting and simple counterpoint, resembling what some might call 'pop music' in worship.

Historical Context

Domestic music-making was widespread in 16th-century England, with a high and increasing level of music literacy among the middle classes.

Historical Context

The Reformation led to a mixing of 'sacred' and 'secular' devotional genres, with some works appearing in both types of sources.

Composition History

Many devotional songs and madrigals from the early 17th century were influenced by the 1588 publication of Musica Transalpina, a collection of Italian madrigals with new English words.

Composition History

William Byrd's 'Why do I use my paper, ink and pen' was written in response to the execution of Catholic martyr Edmund Campion in 1581.

Compositional Technique

The 'In nomine' instrumental genre originated from a beautiful passage in John Taverner's Missa Gloria tibi Trinitas, which was adapted for various instrumental ensembles.