Humanism and the Reform of Sacred Music in Early Modern England: John Merbecke the Orator and The Booke of Common Praier Noted (1550) (St Andrews Studies in Reformation History)

John Merbecke (c. 1505 - c. 1585) is most famous as the composer of the first musical setting of the English liturgy, "The booke of Common Praier Noted" ("BCPN"), published in 1550. Not only was Merbecke a pioneer in setting English prose to music but also the compiler of the first "Concordance of the whole English Bible" (1550) and of the first English encyclopaedia of biblical and theological studies, "A Booke of Notes and Common Places" (1581). By situating Merbecke and his work within a broader intellectual and religio-cultural context of Tudor England, this book challenges the existing studies of Merbecke based on the narrow theological approach to the Reformation. Furthermore, it suggests a re-thinking of the prevailing interpretative framework of Reformation musical history.On the basis of the new contextual study of Merbecke, this book seeks to re-interpret his work, particularly "BCPN", in the light of humanist rhetoric. It sees Merbecke as embodying the ideal of the 'Christian-musical orator', demonstrating that "BCPN" is an Anglican epitome of the Erasmian synthesis of eloquence, theology and music. The book thus depicts Merbecke as a humanist reformer, through re-evaluation of his contributions to the developments of vernacular music and literature in early modern England. As such it will be of interest, not only to church musicians, but also to historians of the Reformation and students of wider Tudor culture. John Merbecke (c.1505-c.1585) is most famous as the composer of the first musical setting of the English liturgy, The Booke of Common Praier Noted (BCPN), published in 1550. Not only was Merbecke a pioneer in setting English prose to music but also the compiler of the first Concordance of the whole English Bible (1550) and of the first English encyclopaedia of biblical and theological studies, A Booke of Notes and Common Places (1581). By situating Merbecke and his work within a broader intellectual and religio-cultural context of Tudor England, this book challenges the existing studies of Merbecke based on the narrow theological approach to the Reformation. Furthermore, it suggests a re-thinking of the prevailing interpretative framework of Reformation musical history. On the basis of the new contextual study of Merbecke, this book seeks to re-interpret his work, particularly BCPN, in the light of humanist rhetoric. It sees Merbecke as embodying the ideal of the 'Christian-musical orator', demonstrating that BCPN is an Anglican epitome of the Erasmian synthesis of eloquence, theology and music. The book thus depicts Merbecke as a humanist reformer, through re-evaluation of his contributions to the developments of vernacular music and literature in early modern England. As such it will be of interest, not only to church musicians, but also to historians of the Reformation and students of wider Tudor culture. "John Merbecke (c.1505-c.1585) is most famous as me composer of the first musical setting of the English liturgy, The Booke of Common Praier Noted (BCPN), published in 1550. By situating Merbecke and his work within a broader intellectual and religio-cultural context of Tudor England, this book challenges the existing studies of Merbecke based on the narrow theological approach to the Reformation. Furthermore, it suggests a re-thinking of the prevailing interpretative framework of Reformation musical history." "On the basis of the new contextual study of Merbecke, this book seeks to re-interpret his work, particularly BCPN, in the light of humanist rhetoric. It sees Merbecke as embodying the ideal of the Christian-musical orator, demonstrating that BCPN is an Anglican epitome of the Erasmian synthesis of eloquence, theology and music. The book thus depicts Merbecke as a humanist reformer, through re-evaluation of his contributions to the developments of vernacular music and literature in early modern England. As such it will be of interest, not only to church musicians, but also to historians of the Reformation and students of wider Tudor culture."--BOOK JACKET.

John Merbecke (c.1505-c.1585) is most famous as me composer of the first musical setting of the English liturgy, The Booke of Common Praier Noted (BCPN), published in 1550. By situating Merbecke and his work within a broader intellectual and religio-cultural context of Tudor England, this book challenges the existing studies of Merbecke based on the narrow theological approach to the Reformation. Furthermore, it suggests a re-thinking of the prevailing interpretative framework of Reformation musical history. On the basis of the new contextual study of Merbecke, this book seeks to re-interpret his work, particularly BCPN, in the light of humanist rhetoric. It sees Merbecke as embodying the ideal of the Christian-musical orator, demonstrating that BCPN is an Anglican epitome of the Erasmian synthesis of eloquence, theology and music. The book thus depicts Merbecke as a humanist reformer, through re-evaluation of his contributions to the developments of vernacular music and literature in early modern England. As such it will be of interest, not only to church musicians, but also to historians of the Reformation and students of wider Tudor culture.

Contents......Page 6 List of Figures......Page 8 List of Tables......Page 10 List of Music Examples......Page 12 List of Abbreviations......Page 14 Acknowledgements......Page 16 Foreword......Page 18 Introduction......Page 20 1 A Humanist John Merbecke......Page 40 2 Erasmian Humanism and the Reform of Sacred Music......Page 84 3 Anglican Plainchant in the Making......Page 116 4 Rhetoric and the Reform of Plainchant in The Booke of Common Praier Noted (1550)......Page 158 Conclusion......Page 218 Appendix......Page 222 Bibliography......Page 226 B......Page 258 C......Page 259 G......Page 260 L......Page 261 M......Page 262 P......Page 263 S......Page 264 Z......Page 265 This book provides a new interpretation of John Merbecke (c.1505-c.1585), the Tudor musician, copyist and writer. Providing a new contextual study of Merbecke, it re-interprets his work in the light of humanist rhetoric. It shows how Merbecke's 1550 publication The Booke of Common Praier Noted was an Anglican epitome of the Erasmian synthesis of eloquence, theology and music. The book thus explores the work of Merbecke as a humanist reformer, through re-evaluation of his contributions to the developments of vernacular music and literature in early modern England. As such it will be of interest