Just read notice of a concert in Melbourne:
A Sad Paven For These Distracted Tymes
- well! I thought, some old music to console us in THESE times
but then I found out this:
Peter Maxwell Davies: A Sad Paven For These Distracted Tymes (Parts)
This work was a test piece for the International string Quartet competition in
2005, Premio Paulo Borciani.
It was inspired by a keyboard piece of the same name, A Sad Paven for these
Distracted Tymes by Thomas Tomkins (1572-1656). Tomkins had a long association
with Worcester Cathedral, where he was organist - appointed magister choristarum
in 1596 - and lived within the precincts until shortly before his death.
At the same time, he was organist of the Chapel Royal.
When the city of Worcester surrendered to Cromwell's parliamentary forces in
1646, Tomkins had to watch the hasty dismantling of his cathedral organ and the
abolition of all choral services.
These were the 'distracted tymes' of the 'sad paven' which he wrote in enforced
retirement at Worcester.
So! distracted we may be but noone's having to watch the dismantling of his
organ and doing without choral services.
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