Robert Parsons | |
|---|---|
| Born | c. 1535 |
| Died | 25 January 1572 (aged c. 37) Newark-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire |
| Occupation | Composer |
| Known for | Anglican church music |
| Notable work | The First Service,Ave Maria,In manus tuas |
Robert Parsons (c. 1535 – 25 January 1572) was an English composer of theTudor period who was active during the reigns ofKing Edward VI,Queen Mary I andQueen Elizabeth I. He is noted for his compositions ofchurch music.
Parsons was born around 1530–35, but no details of his birth survive and there is no evidence connecting him with either Robert Parsons (1596-1676), avicar choral at Exeter Cathedral,[1] or his contemporary, the composerWilliam Parsons ofWells.[2] Although little is known about his life, it is likely that in his youth he was a choir boy, as until 1561 he was an assistant toRichard Bower,Master of the Children of theChapel Royal.
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Parsons was composing during a period of major religious upheaval in England. After the death ofHenry VIII in 1547, the new king, Edward VI, advanced theReformation in England, introducing major changes to theliturgy of theChurch of England. In 1549,Thomas Cranmer's newBook of Common Prayer swept away the oldLatin-language liturgy and replaced it with prayers inEnglish.[3] This brand new liturgy suddenly demanded that new music be written in English for the church, and musicians of theChapel Royal such asThomas Tallis,John Sheppard, and Parsons were called upon to demonstrate that the newProtestantism was no less splendid than the old Catholic religion.[4]
During the reign of Mary Tudor (1553–1558), a revival of Catholic practice encouraged a return to Latin music, but afterElizabeth I ascended to the throne of England in 1558, vernacular English liturgy and music came back into favour.[5]
Parsons was appointed Gentleman of the Chapel Royal on 17 October 1563. His work consisted of a number of sacred and secular vocal compositions. His earliest known composition is hisFirst Service, a setting of text from the1549 Prayer Book of King Edward VI and his largest surviving work. Its existence suggests that Parsons was actively composing from at least the early 1550s. This work contained settings of thecanticles for the new services ofMorning (Venite,Te Deum,Benedictus) andEvening Prayer (Magnificat andNunc Dimittis), as well as a setting of theCredo and shortResponses to theTen Commandments for theHoly Communion service.[6]
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Parsons is especially noted for his choralmotets, and he is recognised as a master ofpolyphonic writing for choirs with the skilled use ofcantus firmus within his works.[7] Notable works include his setting ofAve Maria, the anthemDeliver me from mine enemies,[8] and some instrumental pieces. Eight of these works were included in the music manuscript known as theDow Partbooks, and several of his vocal works also feature in theDrexel andPeterhouse partbooks. Parsons was the first English composer to write a setting of the Office for the Dead, and he was possibly influenced by the work ofAlfonso Ferrabosco, an Italian composer who was active in England at the time.
Parsons worked with other composers of his day and it is thought that he collaborated withRichard Farrant on dramatic productions during the early 1560s.[7] Similarities have been demonstrated between John Sheppard's 1558Second Service and Parsons'sFirst Service, suggesting that Parsons was greatly influenced by Sheppard's compositional style.[5] Parsons is also closely connected with the composerWilliam Byrd. Parsons's influences can be traced in Byrd's instrumental works and choralmotets.[9] The two musicians lived and worked in the county ofLincolnshire; in 1567, Parsons was granted a Crown lease on arectory atStainton in Lincolnshire, 4 miles (6.4 km) fromHainton, where Byrd resided,[6] and it is thought that Parsons may have taught Byrd atLincoln Cathedral.
Parsons is believed to have died in January 1571/2, when he fell into the then swollenRiver Trent atNewark-on-Trent in Nottinghamshire and drowned.[8] His sudden death was marked with great sadness as he had gained considerable acclaim as a composer. The eulogy at his funeral (published in theDow Partbook) lamented the fact that his life had been cut short at a young age:[7]
Qui tantus primo Parsone in flore fuisti, quantus in autumno in morerer flores
("You who were so great, Parsons, in life's springtime, how great you would have been in autumn, had death not intervened")
There is no record of Parsons's body ever having been retrieved from the river following his death. His son,John Parsons (1563–1623), was a minor composer who served as organist ofWestminster Abbey (1621–23).William Byrd succeeded Parsons as Gentleman of the Chapel Royal.
Today, Parsons's surviving compositions form part of the repertoire ofAnglican church music. HisAve Maria was included in the 1978 publication, theOxford Book of Tudor Anthems.[10]
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