Orlando Gibbons
Orlando Gibbons (baptised December
25, 1583 – June 5, 1625) was an English composer and organist of
the late Tudor and early Jacobean
periods. He was a leading composer in the England of his day.
Gibbons was born in Oxford. Between 1596 and 1598 he sang in the choir of King's College, Cambridge,
where his brother was master of the choristers; he entered the
university in 1598 and achieved the degree of Bachelor of Music in 1606. James
I appointed him a Gentleman of the Chapel Royal, where he served as an
organist from at least 1615
until his death. In 1625
he became senior organist at the Chapel Royal, with Thomas
Tomkins as junior organist. He also held positions as keyboard player
in the privy chamber of the court of Prince Charles (later King
Charles I), and organist at Westminster Abbey. He died an
early death in Canterbury of apoplexy, and
a monument to him was built in Canterbury
Cathedral.
One of the most versatile English composers of his time,
Gibbons wrote a quantity of keyboard works, around thirty fantasias
for viols, a
number of madrigals (the best-known being The
Silver Swan), and many popular verse
anthems. His choral music is distinguished by his complete mastery of
counterpoint, combined with his wonderful gift for melody. Perhaps his
most well-known verse anthem is 'This is the record of John', which
sets an Advent text for solo countertenor alternating with full
chorus. The soloist is required to demonstrate considerable technical
facility at points, and the work at once expresses the rhetorical force
of the text, whilst never being demonstrative or bombastic. He also
produced two major settings of Evensong, the Second, and
the 'Short' service. The former is an extended composition, combining
verse and full sections, and the latter possesses a beautifully
expressive Nunc Dimittis. Gibbons' full anthems
include the expressive 'O Lord in thy wrath', and the Palm
Sunday setting of 'O clap your hands together' for 8 voices. He
contributed six pieces to the first printed collection of music in
England, Parthenia (of which he was by far
the youngest of the three contributors), published circa 1611.
Gibbons was the "favorite composer" of the Canadian pianist Glenn
Gould. "Ever since my teen-age years his music has moved me more deeply
than any other sound experience I can think of."[1]
To this day, his obit service is commemorated every year in King's
College Chapel.
Recordings
