John Plummer
Encyclopedia
John Plummer was an English
composer
who flourished during the reign of Henry VI of England
.
Not many of Plummer's compositions survive - only the motets Anna mater matris Christi (Anne, mother of the mother of Christ) and Tota Pulchra Es (My Love is Wholly Beautiful) are widely available, recorded by the Hilliard Ensemble
. A number of Plummer's compositions appear in the manuscript Brussels Biliothèque Royale MS 5557. During his own lifetime, knowledge and performance of his works spread at least as far as the present-day Czech Republic, where pieces such as Tota Pulchra Es were copied into the Codex Speciálník
(c. 1500). These pieces are unaccompanied sacred vocal music written for use in the great royal and noble chapels of northern Europe.
Plummer was a member of the English Chapel Royal
at least from 1438, and was also apparently the first to hold the office of Master of the Children of the Chapel
Royal from 1444 to 1455. He left the royal household towards the end of his career and moved to St George’s Chapel, Windsor, where he was a verger
. This post is likely to have supported him in his declining years.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
composer
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...
who flourished during the reign of Henry VI of England
Henry VI of England
Henry VI was King of England from 1422 to 1461 and again from 1470 to 1471, and disputed King of France from 1422 to 1453. Until 1437, his realm was governed by regents. Contemporaneous accounts described him as peaceful and pious, not suited for the violent dynastic civil wars, known as the Wars...
.
Not many of Plummer's compositions survive - only the motets Anna mater matris Christi (Anne, mother of the mother of Christ) and Tota Pulchra Es (My Love is Wholly Beautiful) are widely available, recorded by the Hilliard Ensemble
Hilliard Ensemble
The Hilliard Ensemble is a British male vocal quartet originally devoted to the performance of early music. Founded in 1974, the group is named after the Elizabethan miniaturist painter Nicholas Hilliard....
. A number of Plummer's compositions appear in the manuscript Brussels Biliothèque Royale MS 5557. During his own lifetime, knowledge and performance of his works spread at least as far as the present-day Czech Republic, where pieces such as Tota Pulchra Es were copied into the Codex Speciálník
Codex Speciálník
The Codex Speciálník is a 15th-century speciálník originating from a monastery in the region of Praha . Its eclectic mix of Medieval and Renaissance a cappella sacred music is matched only by its brilliant juxtapositions of well-known and obscure pieces and composers...
(c. 1500). These pieces are unaccompanied sacred vocal music written for use in the great royal and noble chapels of northern Europe.
Plummer was a member of the English Chapel Royal
Chapel Royal
A Chapel Royal is a body of priests and singers who serve the spiritual needs of their sovereign wherever they are called upon to do so.-Austria:...
at least from 1438, and was also apparently the first to hold the office of Master of the Children of the Chapel
Children of the Chapel
The Children of the Chapel were the boys with unbroken voices, choristers, who formed part of the Chapel Royal, the body of singers and priests serving the spiritual needs of their sovereign wherever they were called upon to do so....
Royal from 1444 to 1455. He left the royal household towards the end of his career and moved to St George’s Chapel, Windsor, where he was a verger
Verger
A verger is a person, usually a layman, who assists in the ordering of religious services, particularly in Anglican churches.-History:...
. This post is likely to have supported him in his declining years.