Whether you're looking for composer biographies, historical music articles or public domain sheet music, Music of Yesterday has what you are looking for. We update content daily and link the best articles on this page weekly to keep you up to date on what's new.
Our content consists of article extracts from newspapers, magazines and books written and published prior to 1923 bringing to you the flavor of early music history as it was presented by prominent people in the music industry at that time including articles written by famous composers about other famous composers as well as articles written by opera stars and the top music educators of the time.
Also included in our archive are articles concerning the teaching of various musical instruments as well as music theory and what the best methods were for teaching students of all ages.
Most of our biographies include not only birth dates and places but more personal information on the lives and times of the person being studied and in some cases the interaction between composers of their time. Learn about their struggles, successes and more.
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| Henry Abyngdon |
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An English ecclesiastic and musician. He succeeded John Bernard as succentor of Wells on Nove 24, 1447, and held that post till his death on Sept 1, 1497, when he was succeeded by Robert Wydewe. He was admitted a bachelor of music at Cambridge on Feb 22, 1463, this being the first musical degree recorded at any university. In addition to the succentorship at Wells, Abyngdon held the offic of 'Master of the Song' of the Chapel Royal in London, to which he was appointed in May 1465 at an annual salary of forty marks, confirmed to him by a subsequent Act of Parliament in 1473-74. He was also made Master of St. Catherine's Hospital, Bristol, in 1478. Two Latin epitaphs on Abyngdon by Sir Thomas More have been preserved, of which the English epitaph quoted by Rimbault from Stanyhurst is an adaptation. In these he himself is styled 'nobilis', and his office in London 'cantor', and he is said to have been pre-eminent both as a singer and organist;-- Millibus in mille cantor fuit optimus ille, More's friendship is evidence of Abyngdon's ability and goodness, but the acquaintance can only have been slight, as More was but seventeen when Abyngdon died. None of his works are known. |