Henrys Music: Motets from a Royal Choirbook / Songs by Henry VIII

Henry, of course, was not originally destined to be king. As the second son of Henry VII he was raised in the manner of any European prince and received a sound education, with original hopes, it seems, for high places in the Church. Henry excelled at languages, literature, theology, sport and, most famously, music. It was the untimely death in 1502 of his older brother Arthur that thrust the young Duke of York into the limelight. When Henry VIII came to the throne just before his 18th birthday, he was a very different character to that most famously produced by Hans Holbein on the cover of this CD: before the iconic image of the obese and fearsome dictator came a youthful, tall, strikingly handsome and benevolent prince. The court during his early years on the throne must have abounded with cultural activity. Indeed, the number of full-time musicians employed in his household increased from around a half dozen to no less than 58. He also kept his own private household chapel choir in addition to his Chapel Royal, containing the finest musicians in the land, which was a regular and important part of his retinue. Later in life he would go on to found or re-found a number of England s greatest musical institutions that still exist today, including Christ Church, Oxford, and Trinity College, Cambridge, as well as finishing King s College Chapel, that grand project started in 1441 by the teenage Henry VI.

There is much, therefore, to offer in a single recording of Henry s Music. The chosen works may be divided into two broad categories: music written for Henry and by Henry. Sub-categories might also include church and chamber music, vocal and instrumental, but the main point to demonstrate is the wealth of creativity that flowered in this time and the sheer beauty and emotional impact of the music itself.

This recording, produced in conjunction with the various Henry at 500 celebrations held in 2009, contains music written for Henry and by Henry. Voices and instruments combine to offer a fitting tribute to England s most musical king.

'Henry's Music' includes a world premiere recording of the contents of MS Royal 11.e.xi (a royal choirbook gifted to King Henry in 1516), and tribute motets by Robert Fayrfax, Philippe Verdelot, and John Taverner.

Founded by David Skinner in 2005, Alamire is made up of some of the finest consort singers in the UK and exist in order to explore and promote the compositional processes behind the great masterworks, and lesser-known works, of the late medieval and early modern periods. The ensemble records exclusively for Obsidian Records and has toured the USA, UK and Europe extensively. Other projects include sound installations for art galleries and soundtracks for television and film.

David Skinner is known primarily for his combined role as a researcher and performer of early music, and is Fellow and Director of Music at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, and an Affiliated Lecturer in the Faculty of Music. He teaches historical and practical topics from the medieval and renaissance periods. From 1997 to 2001 he was a Postdoctoral Fellow of the British Academy at Christ Church, Oxford (where he was a Choral Scholar from 1989 to 1994), and was the Lecturer in Music at Magdalen College, Oxford, from 2001 to 2006. At Cambridge he conducts the Choir of Sidney Sussex College, with whom he has toured and made professional recordings. He has published widely on music and musicians of early Tudor England, and his most recent projects include the collected works of Nicholas Ludford (Early English Church Music, 2003 & 2005) and The Arundel Choirbook (Duke of Norfolk: Roxburghe Club, 2003). He is currently editing the Latin church music of John Sheppard for publication in 2008, and co-authoring a book on music and the English Reformation.

Andrew Lawrence-King is recognized as one of Europe's leading early music artists, and is currently leader of The Harp Consort. He has recorded with nearly all the leading specialist ensembles, and has made over 100 recordings of music ranging from Troubadour lyrics (with Paul Hillier for ECM) to 15th and 16th century repertoire (Gothic Voices) to new music for early harp (John Paul Jones Amores Pasados with The Harp Consort for DHM). Also on record are two accounts with The Sixteen and the Taverner Players - of the Handel Harp Concerto.

Formed in 1993 by an organist and five wind players, members of QuintEssential have performed with some of the leading British period instrument groups, while QuintEssential has collaborated with vocal ensembles such as the Oxford Camerata, Concertare, the Choir of the Brompton Oratory and the Choir of the Chapel Royal at the Tower of London. Participation in various early music festivals such as those in York, Beverley, Warwick & Leamington and Norfolk & Norwich and tours throughout Europe have ensured a growing and dedicated following for the group and enhanced their growing reputation as an inventive and expressive young period instrument ensemble.