John Gamble (musician)
Encyclopedia
John Gamble was a composer
and musician
in the court of Charles I of England
and Charles II of England
. He worked in the King's Company on the stage prior to the English Civil War
, and in 1641 he was hired by the Middle Temple
. During the interregnum
, he taught music and performed, and 1661 he got a position in the King's wind band playing cornett
. He lost all of his money in the Great Fire of London
in 1666 (as money would have been in coin and stored in homes, therefore liable to melting). In 1674 and 1676, he got positions in two more royal bands, but he lost all of his positions with the rise of James II of England
, and he died "crazed and infirm of body" (according to his will) in 1687.
Gamble's main historical interest is for the two-book Ayres and Dialogues of 1656, 1657, and 1659. A third volume was projected and found in manuscript. The "dialogues" are dialogue songs—songs for two voices. The "airs" are solo songs. According to Anthony à Wood, the college at Oxford University were very impressed with his book. Even more importantly, Gamble assembled a book known as "John Gamble his booke amen 1659" (in the New York Public Library
manuscript collection). It has 240 completely scored songs, mostly airs, representing the works of Henry Lawes
, William Lawes
, John Wilson
, and John Gamble himself, among others. The book was probably compiled, as the flyleaf note says, in 1659 ("anent" for "ament" and an his genitive
for "Gamble's"). The handwriting in the manuscript is not Gamble's own.
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
in the court of Charles I of England
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
and Charles II of England
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
. He worked in the King's Company on the stage prior to the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
, and in 1641 he was hired by the Middle Temple
Middle Temple
The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers; the others being the Inner Temple, Gray's Inn and Lincoln's Inn...
. During the interregnum
Interregnum
An interregnum is a period of discontinuity or "gap" in a government, organization, or social order...
, he taught music and performed, and 1661 he got a position in the King's wind band playing cornett
Cornett
The cornett, cornetto or zink is an early wind instrument, dating from the Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque periods. It was used in what are now called alta capellas or wind ensembles. It is not to be confused with the trumpet-like instrument cornet.-Construction:There are three basic types of...
. He lost all of his money in the Great Fire of London
Great Fire of London
The Great Fire of London was a major conflagration that swept through the central parts of the English city of London, from Sunday, 2 September to Wednesday, 5 September 1666. The fire gutted the medieval City of London inside the old Roman City Wall...
in 1666 (as money would have been in coin and stored in homes, therefore liable to melting). In 1674 and 1676, he got positions in two more royal bands, but he lost all of his positions with the rise of James II of England
James II of England
James II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...
, and he died "crazed and infirm of body" (according to his will) in 1687.
Gamble's main historical interest is for the two-book Ayres and Dialogues of 1656, 1657, and 1659. A third volume was projected and found in manuscript. The "dialogues" are dialogue songs—songs for two voices. The "airs" are solo songs. According to Anthony à Wood, the college at Oxford University were very impressed with his book. Even more importantly, Gamble assembled a book known as "John Gamble his booke amen 1659" (in the New York Public Library
New York Public Library
The New York Public Library is the largest public library in North America and is one of the United States' most significant research libraries...
manuscript collection). It has 240 completely scored songs, mostly airs, representing the works of Henry Lawes
Henry Lawes
Henry Lawes was an English musician and composer.He was born at Dinton in Wiltshire, and received his musical education from John Cooper, better known under his Italian pseudonym Giovanni Coperario, a famous composer of the day...
, William Lawes
William Lawes
William Lawes was an English composer and musician.-Life and career:Lawes was born in Salisbury, Wiltshire and was baptised on 1 May 1602...
, John Wilson
John Wilson (composer)
John Wilson , was an English composer, lutenist and teacher. Born in Faversham, Kent, he moved to London by 1614, where he succeeded Robert Johnson as principal composer for the King's Men, and entered the King's Musick in 1635 as a lutenist. He received the degree of D.Mus from Oxford in 1644,...
, and John Gamble himself, among others. The book was probably compiled, as the flyleaf note says, in 1659 ("anent" for "ament" and an his genitive
His genitive
The his genitive is a means of forming a genitive construction by linking two nouns with a possessive pronoun such as "his"...
for "Gamble's"). The handwriting in the manuscript is not Gamble's own.