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.
Tudor Music
Each section of this Tudors website addresses all topics and provides interesting facts and information about
Tudor Music. The Sitemap provides full details of all of the information and
facts provided about the fascinating subject of the Tudors!
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