John Plummer facts for kids

John Plummer (born around 1410, died around 1483) was an English composer. He wrote music during the time of King Henry VI.

John Plummer: A Medieval Musician

Who Was John Plummer?

John Plummer was an important English musician from the 1400s. He lived during the time of King Henry VI. Plummer was a member of the Chapel Royal. This was a special group of singers and musicians who performed for the King. He joined the Chapel Royal around 1438.

From 1444 to 1455, John Plummer held a very special job. He was the first person to be the Master of the Children of the Chapel. This meant he was in charge of training the young boys who sang in the King's chapel.

His Music and Where to Find It

Not many of Plummer's musical pieces have survived until today. But the ones we do have are very special. Two of his most well-known pieces are called Anna mater matris Christi and Tota Pulchra Es. These are both motets. A motet is a type of sacred vocal music, often sung without instruments.

You can find some of Plummer's music in an old book called the Brussels Biliothèque Royale MS 5557. His music was popular even during his lifetime. Copies of his songs, like Tota Pulchra Es, were found far away in the present-day Czech Republic. They were copied into a book called the Codex Speciálník around 1500. This shows how far his music traveled! His pieces were usually sacred vocal music. They were sung in the important royal and noble chapels across northern Europe.

Life After the Chapel Royal

Towards the end of his career, John Plummer left the royal household. He moved to St George's Chapel, Windsor. There, he became a verger. In his time, being a verger was a very responsible job. It was more important than it might seem today. This role likely helped him financially in his later years.