The Twentieth Century
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Our journey ends today bringing us home to the Twentieth Century. We celebrate the resurrection of a lively spirit in Anglican Church Music. Benjamin Britten (1913-1976) brings us home with his "Jubilate Deo".
Listen to the gifts we have brought home with us on our long journey:
A Psalm text from Old Testament times. A hint of plainsong in the passage, "his mercy, his mercy is everlasting.”
As per the 1549 edict, one syllable per note and specific homophonic (chordal) style at "be thankful unto him and speak good of his name; for the Lord is gracious; his mercy, his mercy is everlasting.”
Photograph of Benjamin Britten by Hans Wild for High Fidelity Magazine; Public Domain.
3. The polyphonic idiom of the Tudors (sixteenth century) which could be sung unaccompanied at this point: "and his truth endureth forever.”
4. The partnership of accompaniment and voices (eighteenth century) throughout the piece.
5. The rich harmonic vocabulary developed in the nineteenth century (here brought to maturity).
6. The repetition of text so common in John Stainer's works here represented by "oh go your way, go your way" and "his mercy, his mercy" and "his truth endureth, endureth forever."
-Photograph of Hubert Parry found on Wikipedia from The Musical Quarterly, July 1919, p. 300; Public Domain -Photograph of Charles Villiers Stanford found on Wikipedia; Public Domain in the United States -Photograph of Edward Elgar found on Wikipedia from The Musical Quarterly, Vol. 3, No. 2 (April 1917), Oxford University Press, p. 289; Public Domain in the United States _________________________________________________________________________________________
A quick look at the sights along the way to the year 2021 reveals many significant influences. Parry, Stanford, and Elgar, all born in the latter half of the nineteenth century are pivotal figures. They turned from Victorian compositional techniques and became teachers influencing more contemporary composers: Vaughan Williams, Herbert Howells, Edward Bairstow and John Ireland.
-Photograph of Ralph Vaughn Williams by Hoppé found on Wikipedia from The Bookman 61 (361), p. 48 (1921); Public Domain in the United States -Photograph of John Ireland found on Wikipedia from The Cambrian, Volumes 25-26 (1905) New York; Public Domain -Photograph of Walford Davies found on Wikipedia from The Cambrian, Volumes 25-26 (1905) New York; Public Domain ________________________________________________________________________________________
Walford Davies (1869-1941) needs mention for his significant contribution in promoting speech rhythm in chanting and for using the radio as a means to teach the people about music. Sir Sydney Nicolson (1875-1947) was the founder of the Royal School of Church Music. The RSCM is a vital force worldwide in the propagation of excellence in church music by providing teaching courses, publishing materials and music for study and performance, sending their ambassadors to do workshops and conduct choir festivals.
Another hymn explosion began early in the twentieth century. In the period 1918-1939 many new texts appeared but few tunes. In 1946 Geoffrey Beaumont provided tunes in a more popular style somewhat reminiscent of Noel Coward. This set things in motion. Trendy tunes gave way to more substantial endeavors. In 1969 a supplement of 100 tunes was added to "Hymns Ancient and Modern." In 1979 another supplement was added. Editors selected 100 tunes from the 900 submitted.
Photograph of Coventry Cathedral (14th-century St Michael's Cathedral on the left and the 1960s Cathedral Church of St Michael on the right) found on Wikimedia Commons; CC BY-SA 4.0 license _________________________________________________________________________________________
The World Wars have left their mark on the development of Anglican Church Music. Coventry Cathedral, destroyed in World War II, has been rebuilt in a modern idiom yet honoring the traditional architectural principals of the past. It has become a center of Modern Liturgy. Coventry has opened its doors to ballet dancers, Duke Ellington, and American show music on its brilliant pipe organ. Yet, Coventry Cathedral reminds us, as we arrive for the daily office of Evensong:
"When you come to Evensong here it is as if you were dropping in on a conversation already in progress--a conversation between God and men which began long before you were born and will go on long after you are dead. So do not be surprised or disturbed if there are some things in the conversation which you do not at once understand."
