Master of the Queen's Music
Encyclopedia
Master of the Queen's Music (or Master of the King's Music) is a post in the Royal Household
of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom
. The holder of the post originally served the monarch of England
.
The post is roughly comparable to that of Poet Laureate
. It is given to people eminent in the field of classical music
; they have almost always been composers (George Frederick Anderson
was one exception; he was a violin
ist who is not known to have ever composed any music). Duties are not clearly stated, though it is generally expected the holder of the post will write music to commemorate important royal events, such as coronations, birthdays, anniversaries, marriages and deaths, and to accompany other ceremonial occasions. The individual may also act as the Sovereign’s adviser in musical matters.
, a Royal Commission regulated encroachments from other musicians on their preserves, and in 1469 Edward VI
granted them a Guild
charter. The charter stated that "no Minstrel of our Kingdom ... shall henceforth in any way practise or publicly exercise the art or occupation within our Kingdom aforesaid, unless he belong to the said Brotherhood or Guild". This led to legal difficulties between the Westminster Minstrels and the City Company, chartered by London in 1604 to perform in the city and three miles outside it. The King's Minstrels requested and received a charter from the king in 1635 to "have the survey, scrutinie, correction and government of all and singular the musicians within the kingdome of England".
for whom the title was created in 1626 by Charles I of England
as Master of the King's Musick (the k after Music was dropped during Edward Elgar
's appointment). At that time the holder of the post took charge of the monarch's private band, a responsibility which continued until the band was dissolved in 1901.
The Master received an emolument. At the time of George III
it was £200 a year for leading the band and composing birthday odes. If minuets were composed for court dances, an additional £100 was added. Additional payments were made for any music copying done for the court.
Two of the early Masters, Louis Grabu
and Nicholas Staggins
, were more courtiers than musicians, and composers such as Henry Purcell
were called on for the music such as Purcell's 'Welcome Song to His Majesty at His Return from Newmarket' (1682). During the reign of composer John Eccles as Master of the King's Musick, George Frideric Handel
supplied the Ode for the Birthday of Queen Anne
(1713).
, often considered the greatest British composer of his generation, the position became akin to that of Music Laureate. The title might now be given to composers or academics of proved attainment, signifying an endorsement of national achievements. Most of Elgar's "royal music" was behind him by then – the Imperial March (1897), the first four Pomp and Circumstance Marches
(1901–1907) and the Coronation Ode
(1901). The Pageant of Empire
was performed a few weeks after he was appointed Master, although composed before the appointment. He did compose the fifth Pomp and Circumstance March (1930) and the Nursery Suite
in 1931 dedicated to "their Royal Highnesses Princess Elizabeth and Margaret Rose
". Elgar used his appointment to track down the original instruments in Edward VII
's band and to ensure the music library was well ordered. When Elgar was made an Honorary Life Member of the Worshipful Company of Musicians
in 1931 (descendants of the City Company of London), this healed the ancient feud between the London and Westminster musicians.
Elgar's successor, Sir Walford Davies, a popular broadcaster, was the first Master of the King's Music to be well known to the public by this title.
was appointed in March 2004 for a ten-year period, unlike previous appointments, which were for life.
Three monarchs have had four different Masters during their reign: King George III, Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth II (currently reigning, and the incumbent, Sir Peter Maxwell Davies
, is due to leave the post in 2014).
The monarchs who had the same Master of the King's Music throughout their reign were: King Charles I (Nicholas Lanier
), King James II (Nicholas Staggins
), Queen Anne and King George I (John Eccles), King Edward VII (Sir Walter Parratt
) and King Edward VIII (Sir Walford Davies).
Royal Household
A Royal Household in ancient and medieval monarchies formed the basis for the general government of the country as well as providing for the needs of the sovereign and his relations....
of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom
Monarchy of the United Kingdom
The monarchy of the United Kingdom is the constitutional monarchy of the United Kingdom and its overseas territories. The present monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, has reigned since 6 February 1952. She and her immediate family undertake various official, ceremonial and representational duties...
. The holder of the post originally served the monarch of England
Kingdom of England
The Kingdom of England was, from 927 to 1707, a sovereign state to the northwest of continental Europe. At its height, the Kingdom of England spanned the southern two-thirds of the island of Great Britain and several smaller outlying islands; what today comprises the legal jurisdiction of England...
.
The post is roughly comparable to that of Poet Laureate
Poet Laureate
A poet laureate is a poet officially appointed by a government and is often expected to compose poems for state occasions and other government events...
. It is given to people eminent in the field of classical music
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
; they have almost always been composers (George Frederick Anderson
George Frederick Anderson
George Frederick Anderson was a British violinist and Master of the Queen's Music.Anderson was born in London in 1793. He was engaged as violinist in a variety of orchestras...
was one exception; he was a violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
ist who is not known to have ever composed any music). Duties are not clearly stated, though it is generally expected the holder of the post will write music to commemorate important royal events, such as coronations, birthdays, anniversaries, marriages and deaths, and to accompany other ceremonial occasions. The individual may also act as the Sovereign’s adviser in musical matters.
The King's Musick
As early as the fourteenth century, minstrels known as the ‘King's Minstrels’ or the ‘King's Musick’ received royal patronage. They wore the livery of the King and exercised some control of other musicians. During the reign of Henry VIHenry VI of England
Henry VI was King of England from 1422 to 1461 and again from 1470 to 1471, and disputed King of France from 1422 to 1453. Until 1437, his realm was governed by regents. Contemporaneous accounts described him as peaceful and pious, not suited for the violent dynastic civil wars, known as the Wars...
, a Royal Commission regulated encroachments from other musicians on their preserves, and in 1469 Edward VI
Edward VI of England
Edward VI was the King of England and Ireland from 28 January 1547 until his death. He was crowned on 20 February at the age of nine. The son of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour, Edward was the third monarch of the Tudor dynasty and England's first monarch who was raised as a Protestant...
granted them a Guild
Guild
A guild is an association of craftsmen in a particular trade. The earliest types of guild were formed as confraternities of workers. They were organized in a manner something between a trade union, a cartel, and a secret society...
charter. The charter stated that "no Minstrel of our Kingdom ... shall henceforth in any way practise or publicly exercise the art or occupation within our Kingdom aforesaid, unless he belong to the said Brotherhood or Guild". This led to legal difficulties between the Westminster Minstrels and the City Company, chartered by London in 1604 to perform in the city and three miles outside it. The King's Minstrels requested and received a charter from the king in 1635 to "have the survey, scrutinie, correction and government of all and singular the musicians within the kingdome of England".
The first Masters of the King's Musick
The first appointed Master of the King's Musick would be the only one to seriously attempt to rule all of the musicians in the kingdom as a guild. This was Nicholas LanierNicholas Lanier
Nicholas Lanier, sometimes Laniere was an English composer, singer, lutenist and painter....
for whom the title was created in 1626 by Charles I of England
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
as Master of the King's Musick (the k after Music was dropped during Edward Elgar
Edward Elgar
Sir Edward William Elgar, 1st Baronet OM, GCVO was an English composer, many of whose works have entered the British and international classical concert repertoire. Among his best-known compositions are orchestral works including the Enigma Variations, the Pomp and Circumstance Marches, concertos...
's appointment). At that time the holder of the post took charge of the monarch's private band, a responsibility which continued until the band was dissolved in 1901.
The Master received an emolument. At the time of George III
George III of the United Kingdom
George III was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of these two countries on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland until his death...
it was £200 a year for leading the band and composing birthday odes. If minuets were composed for court dances, an additional £100 was added. Additional payments were made for any music copying done for the court.
Two of the early Masters, Louis Grabu
Louis Grabu
Louis Grabu, Grabut, Grabue, or Grebus was a Catalan-born, French-trained composer and violinist who was mainly active in England....
and Nicholas Staggins
Nicholas Staggins
Nicholas Staggins was an English composer.Staggins first studied music under his father. He was made Master of the King's Music by Charles II in 1674. In 1682, he was granted a musical doctorate by Cambridge University, and from 1684 until his death was Professor of Music at Cambridge...
, were more courtiers than musicians, and composers such as Henry Purcell
Henry Purcell
Henry Purcell – 21 November 1695), was an English organist and Baroque composer of secular and sacred music. Although Purcell incorporated Italian and French stylistic elements into his compositions, his legacy was a uniquely English form of Baroque music...
were called on for the music such as Purcell's 'Welcome Song to His Majesty at His Return from Newmarket' (1682). During the reign of composer John Eccles as Master of the King's Musick, George Frideric Handel
George Frideric Handel
George Frideric Handel was a German-British Baroque composer, famous for his operas, oratorios, anthems and organ concertos. Handel was born in 1685, in a family indifferent to music...
supplied the Ode for the Birthday of Queen Anne
Ode for the Birthday of Queen Anne
Ode for the Birthday of Queen Anne is a secular cantata composed by George Frideric Handel to a libretto by Ambrose Philips. It was probably composed during January 1713 for a performance on 6 February 1713...
(1713).
Appointments of Edward Elgar and Walford Davies
In 1924 with the appointment of Edward ElgarEdward Elgar
Sir Edward William Elgar, 1st Baronet OM, GCVO was an English composer, many of whose works have entered the British and international classical concert repertoire. Among his best-known compositions are orchestral works including the Enigma Variations, the Pomp and Circumstance Marches, concertos...
, often considered the greatest British composer of his generation, the position became akin to that of Music Laureate. The title might now be given to composers or academics of proved attainment, signifying an endorsement of national achievements. Most of Elgar's "royal music" was behind him by then – the Imperial March (1897), the first four Pomp and Circumstance Marches
Pomp and Circumstance Marches
The "Pomp and Circumstance Marches" , Op. 39 are a series of marches for orchestra composed by Sir Edward Elgar....
(1901–1907) and the Coronation Ode
Coronation Ode
Coronation Ode, Op 44 is a work composed by Sir Edward Elgar for soprano, contralto, tenor and bass soloists, chorus and orchestra, with words by A. C. Benson....
(1901). The Pageant of Empire
Pageant of Empire
The Pageant of Empire was a set of historical pageants organised by the British government for the huge British Empire Exhibition held at the Empire Stadium in 1924. The Exhibition was opened on 23 April, and the Pageant was performed between 21 July and 30 August...
was performed a few weeks after he was appointed Master, although composed before the appointment. He did compose the fifth Pomp and Circumstance March (1930) and the Nursery Suite
Nursery Suite
The Nursery Suite is one of the last compositions by Edward Elgar. Like Elgar's The Wand of Youth suites, it makes use of sketches from the composer's childhood.There are seven movements and a coda:...
in 1931 dedicated to "their Royal Highnesses Princess Elizabeth and Margaret Rose
Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon
Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon was the younger sister of Queen Elizabeth II and the younger daughter of King George VI....
". Elgar used his appointment to track down the original instruments in Edward VII
Edward VII of the United Kingdom
Edward VII was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910...
's band and to ensure the music library was well ordered. When Elgar was made an Honorary Life Member of the Worshipful Company of Musicians
Worshipful Company of Musicians
The Worshipful Company of Musicians is one of the Livery Companies of the City of London. Its history dates back to at least 1350. Originally a specialist guild for musicians, its role became an anachronism in the 18th century, when the centre of music making in London moved from the City to the...
in 1931 (descendants of the City Company of London), this healed the ancient feud between the London and Westminster musicians.
Elgar's successor, Sir Walford Davies, a popular broadcaster, was the first Master of the King's Music to be well known to the public by this title.
Current appointment
Sir Peter Maxwell DaviesPeter Maxwell Davies
Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, CBE is an English composer and conductor and is currently Master of the Queen's Music.-Biography:...
was appointed in March 2004 for a ten-year period, unlike previous appointments, which were for life.
Records
The longest-serving Master of the King's Music was John Eccles, who served for 35 years, from 1700 until his death in 1735. He is also the only one to have served four monarchs (King William III, Queen Anne, King George I and King George II).Three monarchs have had four different Masters during their reign: King George III, Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth II (currently reigning, and the incumbent, Sir Peter Maxwell Davies
Peter Maxwell Davies
Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, CBE is an English composer and conductor and is currently Master of the Queen's Music.-Biography:...
, is due to leave the post in 2014).
The monarchs who had the same Master of the King's Music throughout their reign were: King Charles I (Nicholas Lanier
Nicholas Lanier
Nicholas Lanier, sometimes Laniere was an English composer, singer, lutenist and painter....
), King James II (Nicholas Staggins
Nicholas Staggins
Nicholas Staggins was an English composer.Staggins first studied music under his father. He was made Master of the King's Music by Charles II in 1674. In 1682, he was granted a musical doctorate by Cambridge University, and from 1684 until his death was Professor of Music at Cambridge...
), Queen Anne and King George I (John Eccles), King Edward VII (Sir Walter Parratt
Walter Parratt
Sir Walter Parratt KCVO was an English organist and composer.-Biography:Born in Huddersfield, son of a parish organist, Parratt began to play the pipe organ from an early age, and held posts as an organist while still a child...
) and King Edward VIII (Sir Walford Davies).
Holders of the post
| Name | Year appointed | Year of death | Comments | Monarch served | Monarch's title |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nicholas Lanier Nicholas Lanier Nicholas Lanier, sometimes Laniere was an English composer, singer, lutenist and painter.... |
1625 | * | * The post was abolished in 1649 when the monarchy was overthrown, and reinstituted in 1660. (http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/Page4999.asp) | Charles I Charles I of England Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles... |
King/Queen of England |
| 1660 | 1666 | Charles II Charles II of England Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War... (d. 1685) |
|||
| Louis Grabu Louis Grabu Louis Grabu, Grabut, Grabue, or Grebus was a Catalan-born, French-trained composer and violinist who was mainly active in England.... |
1666 | (after 1693) | Grabu seems to have fallen foul of the Test Act Test Act The Test Acts were a series of English penal laws that served as a religious test for public office and imposed various civil disabilities on Roman Catholics and Nonconformists... , passed in spring 1673 and enforced on 18 November, which banned all Catholics from court. |
||
| Nicholas Staggins Nicholas Staggins Nicholas Staggins was an English composer.Staggins first studied music under his father. He was made Master of the King's Music by Charles II in 1674. In 1682, he was granted a musical doctorate by Cambridge University, and from 1684 until his death was Professor of Music at Cambridge... |
1674 | Staggins died on 13 June 1700. | |||
| 1685 | James II James II of England James II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland... (Glorious Revolution 1688) |
||||
| 1688 | 1700 | William III William III of England William III & II was a sovereign Prince of Orange of the House of Orange-Nassau by birth. From 1672 he governed as Stadtholder William III of Orange over Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel of the Dutch Republic. From 1689 he reigned as William III over England and Ireland... and Mary II Mary II of England Mary II was joint Sovereign of England, Scotland, and Ireland with her husband and first cousin, William III and II, from 1689 until her death. William and Mary, both Protestants, became king and queen regnant, respectively, following the Glorious Revolution, which resulted in the deposition of... (joint monarchs; Mary d. 1694; William d. 1702) |
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| John Eccles | 1700 | The longest-serving Master of the King's Musick (35 years) and the only one who served 4 monarchs. | |||
| 1702 | Anne (d. 1714) | ||||
| - | King/Queen of Great Britain Kingdom of Great Britain The former Kingdom of Great Britain, sometimes described as the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain', That the Two Kingdoms of Scotland and England, shall upon the 1st May next ensuing the date hereof, and forever after, be United into One Kingdom by the Name of GREAT BRITAIN. was a sovereign... (from 1707) |
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| 1714 | George I George I of Great Britain George I was King of Great Britain and Ireland from 1 August 1714 until his death, and ruler of the Duchy and Electorate of Brunswick-Lüneburg in the Holy Roman Empire from 1698.... (d. 1727) |
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| 1727 | 1735 | George II George II of Great Britain George II was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Archtreasurer and Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 until his death.George was the last British monarch born outside Great Britain. He was born and brought up in Northern Germany... (d. 1760) |
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| Maurice Greene Maurice Greene (composer) Maurice Greene was an English composer and organist.- Biography :Born in London, the son of a clergyman, Greene became a choirboy at St Paul's Cathedral under Jeremiah Clarke and Charles King... |
1735 | 1755 | |||
| William Boyce | 1755 | ||||
| 1760 | 1779 | George III George III of the United Kingdom George III was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of these two countries on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland until his death... (d. 1820) |
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| John Stanley John Stanley (composer) Charles John Stanley was an English composer and organist.-Biography:Stanley, who was blind from an early age, studied music with Maurice Greene and held a number of organist appointments in London, such as St Andrew's, Holborn from 1726... |
1779 | 1786 | |||
| (Sir) William Parsons William Parsons (composer) Sir William Parsons was an English composer and musician who was Master of the King's Musick under George III between 1786 and 1817.... |
1786 | ||||
| - | 1817 | King/Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom during the period when what is now the Republic of Ireland formed a part of it.... (from 1801) |
|||
| William Shield William Shield William Shield was an English composer, violinist and violist who was born in Swalwell near Gateshead, the son of William Shield and his wife, Mary, née Cash.-Life and musical career:... |
1817 | ||||
| 1820 | 1829 | George IV George IV of the United Kingdom George IV was the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and also of Hanover from the death of his father, George III, on 29 January 1820 until his own death ten years later... (d. 1830) |
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| Christian Kramer Christian Kramer Christian Kramer was a composer, arranger, musician and Master of the King's Musick between 1829 and 1834. He served under two British kings; George IV and William IV.Kramer was born in Hannover and was a pupil of Romantic composer Peter Winter... |
1829 | ||||
| 1830 | 1834 | William IV William IV of the United Kingdom William IV was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of Hanover from 26 June 1830 until his death... (d. 1837) |
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| Franz Cramer Franz Cramer (violinist) Franz or François Cramer was an English violinist and conductor who was Master of the King's/Queen's Musick from 1837 until his death.... |
1834 | No relation to his predecessor. | |||
| 1837 | 1848 | Queen Victoria (d. 1901) | |||
| George Frederick Anderson George Frederick Anderson George Frederick Anderson was a British violinist and Master of the Queen's Music.Anderson was born in London in 1793. He was engaged as violinist in a variety of orchestras... |
1848 | (1876) | Anderson left the post in 1870. | ||
| (Sir) William Cusins | 1870 | 1893 | Knighted 1892; the only Master of the Queen's Musick to be knighted during his term of office. | ||
| Sir Walter Parratt Walter Parratt Sir Walter Parratt KCVO was an English organist and composer.-Biography:Born in Huddersfield, son of a parish organist, Parratt began to play the pipe organ from an early age, and held posts as an organist while still a child... |
1893 | http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/page2965.asp | |||
| 1901 | Edward VII Edward VII of the United Kingdom Edward VII was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910... (d. 1910) |
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| 1910 | George V George V of the United Kingdom George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936.... (d. 1936) |
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| - | 1924 | King/Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages... (from 1922) |
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| Sir Edward Elgar Edward Elgar Sir Edward William Elgar, 1st Baronet OM, GCVO was an English composer, many of whose works have entered the British and international classical concert repertoire. Among his best-known compositions are orchestral works including the Enigma Variations, the Pomp and Circumstance Marches, concertos... |
1924 | 1934 | The title of the office was changed from Master of the King's Musick to Master of the King's Music during Elgar's tenure. | ||
| Sir Walford Davies | 1934 | ||||
| 1936 (January) |
Edward VIII Edward VIII of the United Kingdom Edward VIII was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth, and Emperor of India, from 20 January to 11 December 1936.Before his accession to the throne, Edward was Prince of Wales and Duke of Cornwall and Rothesay... (abd. Dec 1936) |
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| 1936 (December) |
1941 | George VI George VI of the United Kingdom George VI was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death... (d. 1952) |
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| Sir Arnold Bax Arnold Bax Sir Arnold Edward Trevor Bax, KCVO was an English composer and poet. His musical style blended elements of romanticism and impressionism, often with influences from Irish literature and landscape. His orchestral scores are noted for their complexity and colourful instrumentation... |
1942 | ||||
| 1952 | 1953 | Elizabeth II | |||
| Sir Arthur Bliss Arthur Bliss Sir Arthur Edward Drummond Bliss, CH, KCVO was an English composer and conductor.Bliss's musical training was cut short by the First World War, in which he served with distinction in the army... |
1953 | 1975 | |||
| Malcolm Williamson Malcolm Williamson Malcolm Benjamin Graham Christopher Williamson AO , CBE was an Australian composer. He was the Master of the Queen's Music from 1975 until his death.-Biography:... |
1975 | 2003 | |||
| Sir Peter Maxwell Davies Peter Maxwell Davies Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, CBE is an English composer and conductor and is currently Master of the Queen's Music.-Biography:... |
2004 | incumbent | Davies was appointed for a ten-year period, the first not to be appointed for life. He is due to leave the post in 2014. | ||