Master of the Queen's Music

Master of the Queen's Music (or Master of the King's Music) is a post in the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. The holder of the post originally served the monarch of England.

The post is roughly comparable to that of Poet Laureate. It is given to people eminent in the field of classical music; they have almost always been composers (George Frederick Anderson was one exception; he was a violinist who is not known to have ever composed any music). Duties are not clearly stated, though it is generally expected the holder of the post will write music to commemorate important royal events, such as coronations, birthdays, anniversaries, marriages and deaths, and to accompany other ceremonial occasions. The individual may also act as the Sovereign’s adviser in musical matters.

The King's Musick

As early as the fourteenth century, minstrels known as the ‘King's Minstrels’ or the ‘King's Musick’ received royal patronage. They wore the livery of the King and exercised some control of other musicians. During the reign of Henry VI, a Royal Commission regulated encroachments from other musicians on their preserves, and in 1469 Edward VI granted them a Guild charter. The charter stated that "no Minstrel of our Kingdom ... shall henceforth in any way practise or publicly exercise the art or occupation within our Kingdom aforesaid, unless he belong to the said Brotherhood or Guild". This led to legal difficulties between the Westminster Minstrels and the City Company, chartered by London in 1604 to perform in the city and three miles outside it. The King's Minstrels requested and received a charter from the king in 1635 to "have the survey, scrutinie, correction and government of all and singular the musicians within the kingdome of England".

The first Masters of the King's Musick

The first appointed Master of the King's Musick would be the only one seriously to attempt to rule all of the musicians in the kingdom as a guild. This was Nicholas Lanier,^[1] for whom the title was created in 1626 by Charles I of England as Master of the King's Musick (the k after Music was dropped only during Edward Elgar's appointment). At that time the holder of the post took charge of the monarch's private band, a responsibility which continued until the band was dissolved in 1901.

The Master received an emolument. At the time of George III it was £200 a year for leading the band and composing birthday odes. If minuets were composed for court dances, an additional £100 was paid. Additional payments were made for any music copying done for the court.

Two of the early Masters, Louis Grabu and Nicholas Staggins, were more courtiers than musicians, and composers such as Henry Purcell were called on for the music such as Purcell's 'Welcome Song to His Majesty at His Return from Newmarket' (1682). Whilst John Eccles was Master of the King's Musick, George Frideric Handel supplied the Ode for the Birthday of Queen Anne (1713).

Appointments of Edward Elgar and Walford Davies

In 1924 with the appointment of Sir Edward Elgar, often considered the greatest British composer of his generation, the position became akin to that of Music Laureate. The title might now be given to composers or academics of proved attainment, signifying an endorsement of national achievements. Most of Elgar's "royal music" was behind him by then – the Imperial March (1897), the first four Pomp and Circumstance Marches (1901–1907) and the Coronation Ode (1901). The Pageant of Empire was performed a few weeks after he was appointed Master, although composed before the appointment. He did compose the fifth Pomp and Circumstance March (1930) and the Nursery Suite in 1931 dedicated to "their Royal Highnesses Princess Elizabeth and Margaret Rose". Elgar used his appointment to track down the original instruments in Edward VII's band and to ensure the music library was well ordered. When Elgar was made an Honorary Life Member of the Worshipful Company of Musicians in 1931 (descendants of the City Company of London), this healed the ancient feud between the London and Westminster musicians.

Elgar's successor, Sir Walford Davies, a popular broadcaster, was the first Master of the King's Music to be well known to the public by this title.

Current appointment

Judith Weir was appointed in 2014.^[2]

Records

The longest-serving Master of the King's Music was John Eccles, who served for 35 years, from 1700 until his death in 1735. He is also the only one to have served four monarchs (King William III, Queen Anne, King George I and King George II).

Three monarchs have had four different Masters each during their reign: King George III, Queen Victoria, and Queen Elizabeth II (currently reigning).

The monarchs who had the same Master of the King's or Queen's Music throughout their reign were: King Charles I (Nicholas Lanier), King James II (Nicholas Staggins), Queen Anne (John Eccles), King George I (John Eccles), King Edward VII (Sir Walter Parratt) and King Edward VIII (Sir Walford Davies).

Sir Peter Maxwell Davies and his successor Judith Weir were both appointed for fixed 10-year periods, unlike the previous occupants, who were appointed for life (although some resigned their appointments).

Holders of the post

See also

• Kapellmeister

References

• Cudworth, Charles. “Masters of the Musick” The Musical Times, Vol. 107, No. 1482 (Aug., 1966), pp. 676–677.
• Duck, Leonard. “Masters of the Sovereign's Music” The Musical Times, Vol. 94, No. 1324 (Jun., 1953), pp. 255–258.
• Roper, E. Stanley. "Music at the English Chapels Royal c. 1135, Present Day" Proceedings of the Musical Association, 54th Sess., (1927–1928), pp. 19–33.