The English chorister
Subtitle: a history
By: Alan Mould
Publisher: Hambledon Continuum
Published: 2007
Place of publication: London; New York
Language: eng
Number of pages: 366
ISBN-13: 9781852855130
Subjects: Choirboys -- Training of -- England; Choral singing -- England -- History
Description: Choral training and singing in cathedrals and other churches has been at the heart of the English musical tradition, with many leading musicians originally trained as choir boys. The English Chorister is a history going back to medieval times of how singers were recruited and educated, showing the changes in approach over the centuries, particularly after the Reformation. The great cathedrals provided the setting for the performance, as well as often the composition, of some of the greatest English music, from Taverner to Byrd and from Purcell to Parry. Despite major threats during the Civil War and the eighteenth century, choral singing blossomed under the Victorians. It is a still a strong tradition, if changed in recent years by the addition of girls to almost all choirs.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. [331]-347) and index