William Mundy (composer) facts for kids
William Mundy (around 1529–1591) was an English composer from the Renaissance period. He wrote music for churches and was the father of another famous composer, John Mundy. Even today, more than 400 years after his death, people still play and record William Mundy's music.
Contents
William Mundy's Life
William Mundy's father, Thomas Mundy, was a musician and a sexton (a church helper) at a church in London called St Mary-at-Hill. William Mundy married Mary Alcock. They had two sons: John Mundy, who became an organ player and composer, and Stephen Mundy, who worked for King James I and King Charles I.
When he was young, in 1543, William Mundy was the main chorister (a singer in a choir) at Westminster Abbey. He stayed there until his voice changed. In 1547, he became a deputy at St Martin, Ludgate church. From 1548 to 1558, Mundy worked as a Parish Clerk for St Mary-at-Hill church, where his father also worked.
In 1559, Mundy became a Vicar choral (a priest who sings in a choir) at the Chapel Royal. This was a special choir that sang for the King or Queen. In 1564, he became a Gentleman of the Chapel. He held this important job for 27 years until he passed away in October 1591.
William Mundy's Music
What Kind of Music Did He Write?
William Mundy grew up during the time of King Henry VIII. His career lasted through much of England's Tudor Dynasty. This was a time when church music changed a lot because of big religious shifts.
Mundy's earliest songs that we still have might be from the 1550s. These include a Magnificat, two Mass settings, and some Alleluia and Kyrie pieces. They are found in old music books called the Gyffard Partbooks.
Today, we have many of his church songs. These include two masses, six Anglican service settings (music for church services), one Kyrie, 22 motets (Latin songs), 13 anthems (English songs), and many songs based on Psalms (parts of the Bible).
Some of his Psalm settings include Miserere mei Deus (from Psalm 51), Adolescentulus sum ego (from Psalm 119), and Let the sea make a noise (from Psalm 98). This last one was written for 12 instruments!
Later in his career, during the Elizabethan era, Mundy kept trying new things. He was one of the first composers to write a type of anthem called a verse anthem with organ music. He did this with other famous composers like Richard Farrant and William Byrd. Examples of these are Ah, helpless wretch and The secret sins.
Vox patris caelestis
One of Mundy's most famous pieces is Vox patris caelestis, which means "Voice of the heavenly Father." This is a complex antiphon (a type of church song) about the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. It uses ideas from the Song of Songs and other religious writings.
Most music experts believe Vox Patris caelestis was written during the short time when Queen Mary ruled England (1553–1558). This was because of its Catholic style and subject.
Nicholas Robertson, a singer and expert on Tudor music, called it "the best of the great antiphon tradition." He said it starts with just two voices, then adds a third, and finally the whole choir joins in. The solo parts become bigger, ending with two high voices singing above the deep sounds of the altos and basses. He called it "detailed and very skillful."
Oh Lord, the Maker of All Things
Another well-known song by Mundy is Oh Lord, the Maker of All Things. This church service setting was first printed in a music book called (First Book of Selected Church Musick). Strangely, it was first thought to be written by King Henry VIII!
Ernest Walker, a composer and music historian, said this particular contrapuntal (music with different melodies played at the same time) service was "one of the very finest" ever written for English church services.
Other Important Works
Other songs by Mundy that we still have today include In exitu Israel. This is a long song based on Psalm 114. It is as big and complex as Vox patris. It seems that this song was a team effort between the young William Byrd, the older John Sheppard, and Mundy himself. Each composer wrote a part of the song.
Another large song is Maria virgo sanctissima, which is also about the Virgin Mary. Smaller works include Beatus et sanctus, two versions of Alleluia, Per te Dei genitrix, Sive vigilem, and Adolescentulus sum ego.
William or John Mundy?
Some songs are only listed as by "Mundy." This means we don't know if William Mundy or his son John Mundy wrote them. These include six service settings, four complete anthems for men's voices, and one anthem for a full choir called Blessed is God in All His Gifts. There are also four unfinished anthems and one non-religious song called Fie, fie my fate.
How Others Saw Him
Even though we don't have many records about William Mundy's life, other musicians of his time thought very highly of him.
In 1597, composer Thomas Morley wrote a book called Plaine and Easie Introduction to Practicall Musicke. In it, he put Mundy among the best English composers. He wrote that English composers like Fairfax, Taverner, Sheppard, Mundy, White, Parsons, and William Byrd were just as good as any composers from other countries.
In 1563, John Baldwin, a composer from Windsor, wrote about the great musicians of his time. He included Mundy, calling him "th'oulde" (the old one) to tell him apart from his son John. He wrote: "I will begin with White, Sheppard, Tye, and Tallis; / Parsons, Giles, Mundy, th'oulde: one of the Queen's Pallis."
Robert Dow, an English Renaissance scholar, also praised Mundy in a poem. He wrote: "Moon day: / As the light of the moon follows close on the sun / So you after Byrd, Mundy, next do come." Dow even included one of Mundy's songs in his own music book, now known as the Dow Partbooks.
See also
- List of Renaissance composers
List of Works
You can find a full list of William Mundy's songs, including what language they are in and what instruments they use, on the ChoralWiki website.
Motet
- Per te Dei genitrix (for SATB choir)
- 1575: Adolescentulus sum ego (for SATB choir)
- 1578: In Aeternum (for 6 voices)
- 1575: Maria virgo sanctissima (for 6 voices)
- 1575: Beatus et sanctus (for 5 voices)
- 1575: Sive vigilem (for 5 voices)
- 1641: O Lord, the Maker of All Things (for 4 voices with continuo)
Chamber Music
- Fantasia a 5 (for five viols, which are old string instruments)
- In Nomine (for five instruments)
- O Mater Mundy (for five instruments)
- Sermone Blando (for five instruments, type not specified)
Choral Music
- A New Commandment (for SATB choir)
- In exitu Israel (for SATB choir)
- 1556: Vox Patris caelestis (for SATB choir)
Evening Canticle
- Magnificat (for 10 voices)
