Orlando Gibbons and the Gibbons Family of Musicians
Last updated: 26.02.22
Hardcover (September 1999), usually ships within 3-5 weeks.
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Synopsis
A study of the life and music of Orlando Gibbons (1583-1625). It investigates in detail
the family and musical background from which Orlando Gibbons emerged, and
provides an account of the activities of his father, William Gibbons. It traces, too, the
activities of Orlando's brothers - Edward, Ferdinando and Ellis. Since Edward
Gibbons achieved a degree of eminence, the description of his life and music is quite
full. Attention naturally focuses principally on Orlando Gibbons. A full record is given
of his remarkably youthful appointment as an organist of the Chapel Royal (he was
probably less than 20 at the time) and of his life at court. His additional appointments
as one of Prince Charles's musicians and as organist of Westminster Abbey are also
described, as is his sudden and premature death in his early forties. Gibbons's music is
examined in a series of chapters dealing with his pieces for keyboard and for viols, his
songs, his full and verse anthems, and his works for the Anglican liturgy. His
development as a composer within these genres is followed, and the character of
particular pieces is considered.