Who was John Taverner?
Q: Who was John Taverner?
A: John Taverner (born about 1490 – died 18 October, 1545) was the most important English composer of his time. He was also an organist.
Q: Where did he work?
A: He got a job at Cardinal College (now called Christ Church) in Oxford but he could not stay very long because King Henry VIII made lots of changes to the way people had to worship in church. In 1530 he seems to have gone back to Lincolnshire and stayed there for the rest of his life.
Q: What type of music did he compose?
A: Taverner composed eight masses, magnificats and motets. The most famous mass is called the Western Wynde which was a “parody mass”, using a popular tune with that title. Another mass was called Gloria tibi trinitas which set a fashion for pieces which were called In Nomines, using the tune from the Benedictus in the mass setting words “in nomine domine” (“in the name of the Father”).
Q: Was there any trouble with King Henry VIII?
A: Yes, Taverner even hid some books which King Henry VIII had forbidden under the floor, and he got into trouble for doing this. However, in the end Cardinal did not punish him because, he said, he was “only a musician”.
Q: Was John Taverner born at Tattershall church?
A: We cannot be sure exactly when Taverner was born but some people think that he may have been a boy chorister at Tattershall church in Lincolnshire however his name does not appear on their list of choristers so it is thought that perhaps later worked there as lay clerk instead.
Q: Did John Taverner write any more music after returning to Lincolnshire?
A: It is believed that after returning to Lincolnshire in 1530 he probably wrote no more music but remained quite wealthy until his death in 1545.
