Music at Court [Hardcover] Hogwood, Christopher - Folio Society

Item Condition: Used; Very Good

1977 

Never criticize the composition of a Royal Highness. You never know who
may have written it. The recommendation is by Brahms, but it could as casily
have come from IDufay or Couperin, from Mozart or Machaut; the cynicism
reflects a long tradition of tactful silence on the part of courtiers faced with the
courtly assumption of culture by their princes. Henry Vll did not hesitate to add
an extra line of counterpoint to a perfectly complete Flemish chanson, together
with his signature at the end of the work, and modern musicology, scorning
Brahms's advice, has returned the work to its rightful source. But who would
feel that the reputation of Hayne van Ghizeghem has been diminished by the
theft? On the contrary, the king's name, then as now, has assured if not
immortality, at least a popular notoriety which has served the music well. More
relevant is the fact that a monarch was expected to compose, and was traincd to
do so. If an academic eyebrow is raised at the king's ingenuous system of
composing, it may relax before the irefutable evidence of his prowess as a
performer, and the enormous collections of musical instruments with which he
filled his palaces. Nor can Henry be considered unique in his musical gifts. His
daughter Mary was 'singularly accomplished, most particularly in music,
playing on every instrument, especially on the lute and arpichordo, Elizabeth's
proficiency is famous, and Charles I could 'play his part exactly well on the
Bass-Viol'. Add to this English ensemble George I on the viola, 'poor Fred',
Prince of Wales on the cello, and George Ill on the violin; the light tenor of