Classical Music | Ensemble Music

Recorded on 06/06/2008, uploaded on 10/02/2010

Musician's or Publisher's Notes

Music in the Tempest      Matthew Locke

The First Musick, Galliard, Gavot, Sarabande, Lilk, Curtain Tune, Minoit, Corant, A Martial Jigge, The Conclusion

Until the restoration of the English monarchy in 1661, English music was, in some ways, still being composed as it had been since the reign of Queen Elizabeth (1558-1603). It was largely contrapuntal in nature, but with a free-wheeling attitude toward dissonance that made it "spicier" than the same sort of music heard on the continent of Europe. While the triumph of the Puritans in 1649 effectively ended musical establishments in English churches (Puritans were essentially Calvinists who had no use for ornament or figural music in their worship), music was by no means gone from the scene. It is said that Oliver Cromwell, the Lord Protector of England, was fond of hearing Anglican church music in private. Theatres, of course, were closed, and music-making became, for eleven years, a more private matter.

All of this changed with the accession of Charles II in 1661 —the Book of Common Prayer was reinstituted and reedited (giving us the 1662 version, which is still in use in England), church music was restored along with the established church and theatres were reopened. Charles had been reared as a protege of the French court—his taste lay not with the native English style of music, but with the music of Jean Baptiste Lully (whose music was recently heard on the program of the "Suite Candy" concerts given by Baroque Band) and with those who were more oriented toward dance rhythms than by counterpoint. In short, Charles was more pleased by "toe tappers." Composers such as Pelham Humfrey and others were influenced by the French style. Certainly, Henry Purcell was, too, but his cosmopolitan genius retained much of the language of Locke, a great friend of both Purcell and his brother, Daniel.

Locke was born in Devon in 1622 and received much of his musical training as a chorister at Exeter Cathedral, where he learned from Edward Gibbons, the eldest brother of the famous Orlando. Locke may still have been at Exeter in 1644, when Charles I established his headquarters for operations in the west. If this is the case, he would have met both Charles I and the future Charles II. It is also likely that, as a male over the age of nineteen, he was conscripted into the King's service. He spent some time on the continent with the prince, who left England with his mother, Henrietta, to join the King's forces in the Netherlands—his religious sympathies led him to convert to Roman Catholicism.

Matthew Locke remained, in spite of foreign influences, a great proponent of the native English style. He is remembered chiefly for his dramatic music, some of which we hear in tonight's concert, and for his chamber music and his superb collection of keyboard music, Melothesia. He is also the first English musician to produce a method for playing from figured bass. His adherence to the English style of composing and improvising gave rise to the following remarks by the chronicler of English music, Roger North: "Mr. Matthew Lock [sic] was the most considerable master of music after Jenkins fell off. He was organist at Somerset House chappell, as long as he lived; but the Italian masters, that served there, did not approve of his manner of play, but must be attended by more polite hands; while one Sa-binico, and afterwards, Sigr Babtista Draghe, used the great organ, and Lock (who must not be turned out of his place, nor the execution) had a small chamber organ by, on which he performed with them the same services."

Locke died in London in August of 1677.

David Schrader