Tudor Music

Tudor Music

Tudor Music and Dance
The Tudors enjoyed various types of music and dance. The section covers on the Music of the Tudors provides the History, Facts and Information about Composers, Musicians, Music, Musical Instruments, Dance and the Masques enjoyed during the period of the Tudors. King Henry VIII is often associated with the music and lyrics of Greensleeves. The following links provide facts and information about different aspects of the Tudors Music. Further links are also provided on this page to facts and information about the Dances of the sixteenth century Tudors.

Tudor Music
Music and dance was an important form of entertainment to the both the rich and poor people who lived during the period of the Tudors. Music and the new sixteenth centuy instruments could be performed by professional Tudor musicians, or simple songs and ballads could be sung in the villages and fields by the poor people to ease the monotonous tasks undertaken by the Lower Classes. All Tudors attended church on a Sunday which led to the popularity of hymns and secular songs. The earliest Church organ in England dated back to to the 8th Century. The different types of sixteenth century music included Church music, Court Music, Street and Town Music.

Tudor Court Music
The introduction of new musical instruments during the period of the Tudors produced a much more refined sound than had been produced during the early Middle Ages. These new musical instruments included an early form of the violin called the viol, the early oboe called the hautboy and the keyboard musical instruments called the spinet, harpsichord and the virginals. These Tudor musical instruments used in combinations provided the Tudors with the opportunity to create unusual and creative music, a forerunner to the modern orchestra. The popularity of stringed and keyboard instruments grew tremendously during the  the Renaissance period creating beautiful, refined sounds.

Tudor Music an essential element of education
During the Tudor period music was being taught in schools and Universities. The ability to play a musical instrument was an essential skill at the court of the great Tudor monarchs such as King Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth I. The royal family of the Tudors and the wealthy nobility became patrons of all the Arts and encouraged composers and musicians. Members of the Royal family were taught to play musical instruments as part of their education and became skilled musicians. Sixteenth century Nobles were expected to entertain their contemporaries and to show their prowess in dancing.

Tudor Dance Music
Music played a huge part in Tudor court life.  Dancing was a form of exercise enjoyed by the royal family and practised every morning. Dancing was accompanied by the Court musicians. Low born but talented musicians sought places at the court of the Tudors and one such musician, Mark Smeaton, featured strongly in the tragic story of Anne Boleyn. This humble musician was favoured by Anne Boleyn and he was falsely accused of being her lover, tortured and finally put to death.

Tudor Dance
The following links provide facts and information about different aspects of Tudor Music.