Figure 1.--This fresco by Domenico Ghirlandaio (1449–1494) is titled 'Obsequies of St Fina' was painted about 1473-75 for the Collegiate Church of San Gimignano. Some sharp eyed readers will recognize it as the art saved by the English ladies from the Germans, a real life event portrayed in the lovely film, 'Tea with Musolini'. Notice the choir boys in the painting. They are not singings, but that must be their purose as such an group of boys would not be needed just to assist the priests. This shows us how the Church was using choristrs at the time, but not of course what music they were singing.

As Church music evolved from the communal singing of the early church to choral singing, the orincipal form became plainsong, commonly known as Gregorian chant, named after Pope Gregory I (590-603), better known as Gregory the Great and one of the most important Roman Catholic popes. Of course, Gregory did not compose the chants himself. But Gregory played an important role in promoting the monastic tradition. And he promoted the Church's collection and collation of liturgical materials and the music was an important part of that. The austere, monophonic Gregorian chant was followed by polyphony which was being developed at about the same time as notation. During the Middle Ages all cathedral and churches of any consequence possessed trained boy choristers. At the end of the Middle Ages choir schools were flourishing throughout Europe. Polyphony as not immeduarely adopted for boys' voices. A milenium of monophony was not easuly ir quickly over come. When it was, some of the most magnificent creations in Western music were composed. Soons the great cathedrals of Europe were filled with the dolcent voices of boy choristers. The huge numbers of choral compsitions that appeared is a momument to the inspiration of the boy voice.

Plainsong (5th-15th century)

The music sung by the boy christers throughout the medival era was plainsong, popularly referred to as Gregorian Chant, named after Pope Gregory I (590-603), better known as Gregory the Great and one of the most important Roman Catholic popes. Of course, Gregory did not compose the chants himself. But Gregory played an important role in promoting the monastic tradition. And he promoted the Church's collection and collation of liturgical materials and the music was an important part of that. Gregorian Chant is not a music format meant to exist by itself. The chants are sung in unison in a fluid expression. The rhythm is governed by the accompanying text rather than any musical considerations. The boys in both the monasteries and sunsequently the cathedrals sang in unison with the men. There was no separate boy choir. Actully the singers did not really function as a choir of boys and men as we would see it today. The boys might be given certain texts to sing by themselves. Often texts touching on children were chosen. An example would be the Palm Sunday antiphon: “the children of the Hebrews spread their cloaks in the road and cried: Hosanna to the Son of David.” Guido of Arezzo composed the Micrologus as a didactic aid in teaching chant to boy singers (11th century). At the end of the medieval era just before the Reformation historians note an increasing devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary (15th century). One consequence was the establishment of Lady chapels im many cathedrals. Here boys from almonry schools were trained to sing at the masses. The boy singers at the Cathedral in Augsburg are mentioed for the first time (1429). They are called the 'Marianer'.

Polyphony (12th cetury - )

Monophonic chant dominated Church music for over a thousand years when polyphony appeard (12th century). After a 1,000 years of monophonic cants, it was a revolution. Early composers were Léonin and Pérotin (12th century). The first polyphonic music was still based largely on exising plainsong pieces. Usually early polyphonic composers would select a plainsong piece with a traditional chant melody. They would begin by adding an independent voice singing a descant and then a second or even a third independent verse. The effect was startling to the medieval ear. Some complained about this modern sound. This should be epected. Most geneations even today complain of a new genration's music. It soon became popular abd even powerful conservtive bishops were unable to supress it. Guillaume Machaut wrote his 'Messe de Notre Dame' (1360s). It was a stunning pieve, the first integrated polyphonic setting of the Ordinary of the Mass. The new polyphonic soujnd flowered in the in the works of Guillaume Dufay, Johannes Ockegem and Josquin Desprez as Europe emerged from the medueval period (15th cntury).

Boys Sining Polyphony

The invention of polyphony did not mean that the Church quickly changed to polyphony un the liturgy. The Chirch is a conservative institution and a millenium of plain song ould not be abruptly discarded. Boys in cathedral choirs continued to sing in plain somg for some three centurie. The polyphonic compositions clled 'Ars Nova' were largely pitched in the range of adult men’s voices. Even works such as those of Josquin Desprez that are sometimes used for modern boychoirs were set in range for counter-tenors to sing the top parts. Apparently even though well trained choristers singing the the liturgy present in cathedrals and chuches, music masters apparently did not make the effort to train the boys in the demanding skills required on polyphonic composition. But finally this began to change. Ppolyphonic works for boys' voices were written in England (1450s and 60s). Canterbury Cathedral established a small group of boys and monks who were called 'singers of this church'. A beautiful Magnificat by Canterbury’s choirmaster John Nesbett has been found (1469). It is believed it was part of a monumental repertoire that has largely lost. Many composers began writingb polyphonic creations for boys' voices. John Taverner, Thomas Tallis, Tomas Luis de Victoria, Orlando di Lassus and Palestrina composed works of incopmaranle beauty. The sound produced by boys proved especually suitable to the demands of the complicated threads of polyphonic music. Here each voice-part needs to be heard. Soons the great cathedrals of Europe were filled with the dolcent voices of boy choristers. The huge numbers of choral compsitions that appeared is a momument to the inspiration of the boy voice. Not only was there an explosion of choral music, but many important choirs were founded at this time. The Choir of King's School was founded (1441). It traces its history to the founding of the Cathedral at Cambridge, in essence the founding of the English Church. King Henry VI laid the cornerstone for the chapel of King’s College in Cambridge (1446). The Choir for Magdalen College in Oxford was established shortky after (1480). Cardinal Wolsey founded Christchurch College in Oxford with an endowed chapel choir (1526). Documentary evidence of boys singing at Westminster Abbey in London exists in the job description for William Cornyshe when he became choirmaster (1479). And these developments were not limited to England. The Emperor Maximilian in Vienna established his Hofmusikkappelle ith a choir of twelve boys and eight men (1489). They were trained to sing in the 'Brabantine' Style made popular by contemporary Flemish composers. This was the foundation for modern Vienna Boys’ Choir. Many other choirs were founded. They were most common in the Catholic West, but even in Russia rich polyphonic settings for the Orthodox liturgy were composed for boys' voices.

Created: 12:13 AM 1/4/2013
Last updated: 12:13 AM 1/4/2013