want of a better, the name of Anthem, a corruption of Antiphon, was given."-(See Hawkins, vol. 3, page 250-258, and also the Archdeacon of Cashel's "List of Editions of the Bible and Parts thereof," (page 139,) before mentioned.* "That he [Dr Tye] translated the first fourteen chapters of the Acts of the Apostles into metre, in imitation of Sternhold's Psalms, which were the delight of the Court in which he lived, was doubtless an absurd undertaking, and was not rendered less ridiculous by the elaborate music to which he set them, consisting of fugues and canons of the most artificial and complicated kind. Dr. Tye, however, if compared with his cotemporaries, was perhaps as good a poet as Sternhold, and as great a musician as Europe could then boast; and it is hardly fair to expect more perfection from him, or to blame an individual for the general defects of the age in which he lived."-Burney's "History of Music," vol. 3, page 11. PAGE 167, No. 202. Lord, for thy tender mercy's sake.” In a notice of Hilton, to be found in page 12 of Novello's valuable "Life of Purcell," prefixed to his edition of that Author's "Sacred Music," the following passage occurs: "The Editor has seen a very rare piece of sacred music by Hilton, that is preserved in the Harleian Collection at the British Museum. It is a full anthem for four voices, in the key of F, written in the true Church style; and the words are the same as those that have also been so well set by Farrant, beginning, 'Lord, for thy tender mercy's sake.' As Hilton is said to have had an anthem sung over him, before his body was brought out for interment, it is probable that it was this very anthem of his own, that was performed on the occasion. From the specimen afforded by this production, it is likely that Hilton would have become * Dr. Cotton, in his work referred to above, states that "the description of this rare book [Tye's] is taken from a copy presented to the Lambeth Library by Sir John Hawkins, in 1777 ;" and that "the volume is a small 12mo, printed in black letter."-ED. a very great writer for the Cathedral service, if he had cultivated that noble style of composition." It would appear from the foregoing, that there are two Anthems set to the same words, and that the existence of the second has escaped the notice of musical historians, who must, consequently, have been hitherto in error, while ascribing to Hilton a composition that was really Farrant's. The Editor of this work, therefore, caused the printed copy, published by Mr. J. A. Novello, and bearing Farrant's name, to be collated with the MS. copy in the Tudway Collection, bearing that of Hilton. The result proved their identity! It seems strange that Mr. Vincent Novello, whose authority as an intelligent musician ranks very high, either should have forgotten the Anthem when he inspected the MS.; or, not having forgotten, should have failed to recognize it. It deserves to be noticed that Farrant's name, also, is now to be seen in the MS.; but the Editor is informed that the addition has been made on the authority of the old Cathedral books-by Mr. Thomas Oliphant, who was employed to catalogue the music in the British Museum. With respect to the latter part of the extract quoted above, it is very questionable whether there is any truth in the story (first recorded by Sir John Hawkins) of an Anthem having been sung in Westminster Abbey, at Hilton's funeral; inasmuch as Hilton died during the Protectorate, when not only the Cathedral Service was suppressed, but the Liturgy itself, and every species of choral music. It may be observed that, besides the Anthem here mentioned if indeed it is his-Hilton was the author of a Morning and an Evening Service, which, by their excellence, prove his title to the character of "an ingenious and sound musician.” PAGE 170, No. 208, and Page 172, No. 210. "O clap your hands.” The custom of beating the measure by "clapping of hands" seems to have been derived by the Hebrews from the Egyptians. Herodotus mentions the practice as a peculiarity of Egyptian singing; and all the representations of singers on the tombs confirm his testimony.-See Osburn's "Ancient Egypt," page 238. PAGE 174, No. 215. O Lord the Maker of all thing." The words are given below printed literatim from the original in "King Henry's Primer." "HYMNE FOR FOUR VOICES. "O Lorde the Maker of al thing, Good Lorde, with dreame or phantasy, To whom with the Holy Ghost alwaies, In heaven and yearth be laude and praise. Amen."* From the " Collection of Anthems," drawn up for the use of the Cathedral of York, by the Rev. Wm. Mason; who, speaking of this "Hymne," says, "I shrewdly suspect that King Henry was the author of the words as well as the music, for they are certainly very royal poetry." T PAGE 181, No. 231, NOTE (*). "Coronation Anthem." "At the coronation of his late majesty, George the Second, in 1727, Handel had words sent to him, by the bishops, for the anthems; at which he murmured, and took offence, as he thought it implied his ignorance of the Holy Scriptures: 'I have read my Bible very well, and shall choose for myself. And, indeed his selection of the words, 'My heart is inditing of a good matter,' was very judicious, and inspired him with some of the finest thoughts that are to be found in all his works. This anthem was sung at the coronation, while the peers were doing homage."-Burney's "Sketch of the Life of Handel," prefixed to the "Account of the Commemoration," page 34. From "The Ceremonial of the Coronation," &c., before alluded to, it seems that this Anthem, "My heart is inditing," was not sung until "after the Queen was anointed and crowned, and had received all her ornaments." It also may be mentioned, that Purcell had, long before, set the same words for the Coronation of King James II. -See Novello's Edition of Purcell.-Ed. |