Chapter I: Front Matter

[Frontispiece: DR. JOHN BULL. _From the painting in the Music School, University of Oxford._]

TWELVE GOOD MUSICIANS

From JOHN BULL to HENRY PURCELL

BY

SIR FREDERICK BRIDGE

C.V.O., M.A., Mus.D.

King Edward Professor of Music in the University of London,
Gresham Professor, Emeritus-Organist of Westminster Abbey

LONDON:

KEGAN PAUL, TRENCH, TRUBNER & CO. LTD.

NEW YORK: E. P. DUTTON & CO.

1920

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INTRODUCTORY

In the Preface of his admirable contribution to the _Oxford History of Music_ (Vol. III.) the late Sir Hubert Parry writes: "The seventeenth century is musically almost a blank, even to those who take more than the average interest in the Art; and barely a score of composers' names during the whole time suggest anything more than a mere reputation to modern ears." Of course the distinguished author is speaking of the musical world in general, not of our own country's music only. I am inclined to think it is a little severe on us. I have always found that great interest is taken in the 17th century music and musicians of England.

Surely the century which began with the great Madrigal school at its highest point, which saw the Masque at its best in Milton's _Comus_, which witnessed the supersession of the viol by the violin, and which, at the close, had to its credit the complete works of our greatest composer, Henry Purcell, ought not to be in any sense "almost a blank," to English students at least.

But if our musical students will only read Volume III of the _Oxford History_--so full of the author's admirable criticisms and so amply {vi} illustrated by selections from the great composers of the period--they will certainly form a high opinion of what was accomplished then, and, having finished the volume, their minds will assuredly not be a "blank."

To help to a useful view of what was done in our own country in the 17th century I took that period for my University Course in this session 1919-1920, and for my subject Twelve Good Musicians from John Bull to Henry Purcell. The substance of these lectures is given in the following chapters.

For many biographical details and other matter I have availed myself of the valuable articles in Grove's _Dictionary_ and in the _Dictionary of National Biography_, which I beg to acknowledge.

To Mr Barclay Squire I am deeply indebted for much information. His work in Musical History is most valuable, and deserves the best thanks of all students.

To my brother, Professor J. C. Bridge, M.A., Mus.D., of Chester, and to Mr Jeffrey Pulver and Dr Borland I am also grateful for many interesting facts contained in these pages.

J. FREDERICK BRIDGE.

_The Cloisters, Westminster Abbey,_
_October_, 1920.

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CONTENTS

CHAP.