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The Book of Common Prayer, first published in
1549, united Thomas Cranmer’s historic sense of the growth
of the Christian liturgy with a poetic instinct for the sound and meaning
of English prose. In the turbulent years that followed Henry VIII’s
severance of the Anglican Church from Rome, Cranmer pursued a median
course between tradition and reform. The first edition was a fine blackletter
folio; it was completed by John Merbecke’s music in The Booke
of Common Praier Noted in 1550. Following a reformist rule “for
every syllable a note,” it ensured that the words were never disguised
by music. Designed for use in parish cathedrals, the book is a remarkable
example of music printing in its time; its timeless power is testified
by the still-current use of both its words and music.
The original book imaged for this digital edition:
7 5/8 x 5 1/2 inches (194 x 140 mm)
The original book imaged for this digital edition:
7 5/8 x 5 1/2 inches (194 x 140 mm)
Escaping Execution
John Merbecke, musician and theologian who edited and set to music The Booke of Common Praier Noted, was persecuted for his efforts of creating an English concordance of the Bible. Relentlessly examined, tried, and eventually condemned to be burned at the stake in 1544, Merbecke narrowly escaped execution because of a royal pardon obtained by Gardiner, based on his regard for Merbecke’s musical talents. Three other friends of Merbecke – Peirson, Testwood, and Filmer – were convicted at the same time and met a fiery end. Merbecke related an account of his persecution to John Foxe to be included in his Acts and Monuments, but Foxe misprinted the details in the first edition of 1563, describing Merbecke as dying alongside Peirson and Testwood. Foxe corrected the mistake in future editions, but was long ridiculed, his reputation for historical accuracy seriously diminished by the error.
John Merbecke, musician and theologian who edited and set to music The Booke of Common Praier Noted, was persecuted for his efforts of creating an English concordance of the Bible. Relentlessly examined, tried, and eventually condemned to be burned at the stake in 1544, Merbecke narrowly escaped execution because of a royal pardon obtained by Gardiner, based on his regard for Merbecke’s musical talents. Three other friends of Merbecke – Peirson, Testwood, and Filmer – were convicted at the same time and met a fiery end. Merbecke related an account of his persecution to John Foxe to be included in his Acts and Monuments, but Foxe misprinted the details in the first edition of 1563, describing Merbecke as dying alongside Peirson and Testwood. Foxe corrected the mistake in future editions, but was long ridiculed, his reputation for historical accuracy seriously diminished by the error.
Novel Notation
Printing music is more problematical than printing words. Fewer symbols are used, but they need to be seen on staff lines and at the correct height, and thus, movable music type for printing in a single press run was rare before 1530. Multiple-impression printing – one press run for the lines, another for the notes – is seen in many of the landmarks of early music printing, and typically to handsome effect: for example, the magnificent work of Ottaviano dei Petrucci, whose Harmonice Musices Odhecaton (Venice, 1501) also marks the beginning of music publishing. Liturgical music books, such as John Merbecke’s Booke of Common Praier Noted (1550), also called on double-impression printing, but for another reason. As in most liturgical music manuscripts, the black notes need to appear on red lines. This book marks a turning point, subtle and cautious, in political and religious history but also in the history of church music and its notation. Merbecke uses liturgical notation, but his title page also specifies fixed rhythm: a diamond note (pique) is half a square one (semi-breve), two square notes equal one diagonally hooked one (breve), a dot (prick) adds half the value of the note it precedes, and a long close comes at the end. The square liturgical forms in this book, in other words, tell us that Merbecke’s musical allegiances were still to Rome.
Printing music is more problematical than printing words. Fewer symbols are used, but they need to be seen on staff lines and at the correct height, and thus, movable music type for printing in a single press run was rare before 1530. Multiple-impression printing – one press run for the lines, another for the notes – is seen in many of the landmarks of early music printing, and typically to handsome effect: for example, the magnificent work of Ottaviano dei Petrucci, whose Harmonice Musices Odhecaton (Venice, 1501) also marks the beginning of music publishing. Liturgical music books, such as John Merbecke’s Booke of Common Praier Noted (1550), also called on double-impression printing, but for another reason. As in most liturgical music manuscripts, the black notes need to appear on red lines. This book marks a turning point, subtle and cautious, in political and religious history but also in the history of church music and its notation. Merbecke uses liturgical notation, but his title page also specifies fixed rhythm: a diamond note (pique) is half a square one (semi-breve), two square notes equal one diagonally hooked one (breve), a dot (prick) adds half the value of the note it precedes, and a long close comes at the end. The square liturgical forms in this book, in other words, tell us that Merbecke’s musical allegiances were still to Rome.
Anglican Addenda
The copy of The Booke of Common Praier Noted reproduced in this Octavo Edition is of particular interest in having bound into the back two short publications, which continue the long story of the Church of England. The first, Articles whereupon it was agreed by the Archbyshops and Byshops of both Prouinces and the whole Cleargie, in the Conuocation Holden at London in the Yeere of our Lorde God 1562 (London, 1579), is a later printing of the final form of the Thirty-Nine Articles. This version was sanctioned by Queen Elizabeth and published in both Latin and English. The second, A Booke of Certaine Canons Concernyng some Parte of the Discipline of the Churche of England (London, 1571), is the first edition of one of the several failed attempts to codify and legislate ecclesiastical law within the Church of England.
The copy of The Booke of Common Praier Noted reproduced in this Octavo Edition is of particular interest in having bound into the back two short publications, which continue the long story of the Church of England. The first, Articles whereupon it was agreed by the Archbyshops and Byshops of both Prouinces and the whole Cleargie, in the Conuocation Holden at London in the Yeere of our Lorde God 1562 (London, 1579), is a later printing of the final form of the Thirty-Nine Articles. This version was sanctioned by Queen Elizabeth and published in both Latin and English. The second, A Booke of Certaine Canons Concernyng some Parte of the Discipline of the Churche of England (London, 1571), is the first edition of one of the several failed attempts to codify and legislate ecclesiastical law within the Church of England.
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