The Eton Choirbook (Eton College MS. 178) is a richly illuminated manuscript collection of English sacred music composed during the late 15th century. It was one of very few collections of Latin liturgical music to survive the Reformation, and hence is an important source. It originally contained music by 24 different composers; however, many of the pieces are damaged or incomplete. It is one of three large choirbooks surviving from early-Tudor England (the others are the Lambeth Choirbook and the Caius Choirbook).
The Choirbook was compiled between approximately 1500 and 1505 for use at Eton College; its present binding dates from the mid 16th century. 126 folios remain of the original 224, including the index. In the original, there were a total of 93 separate compositions; however only 64 remain either complete or in part. Some of the 24 composers are known only because of their inclusion in the Eton Choirbook. John Browne has the most compositions (10), followed by Richard Davy (9) and Walter Lambe (8).
Stylistically, the music contained in the Eton Choirbook shows three phases in the development of early Renaissance polyphony in England. The first phase is represented by the music of Richard Hygons, William Horwood and Gilbert Banester. Most of the music of this early phase is polyphonic but non-imitative, with contrast achieved by alternation of full five-voice texture with sections sung by fewer voices. The second phase, which includes music by John Browne, Richard Davy and Walter Lambe, uses imitation, cantus firmus techniques, and frequent cross-relations (a feature which was to become a distinctive sound in early Tudor polyphony). The final phase represented in the choirbook includes music by William Cornysh and Robert Fayrfax, composed around 1500. Points of imitation are frequent, cantus firmus techniques disappear, and in general the sound of the music is more Continental.
All of the compositions in the book are sacred vocal music in Latin. According to the index, it initially contained 93 works. However, part of its content was lost and only 64 works have survived, a few of them incomplete. They consist of:
54 motets9 Magnificats1 PassionThe following inventory represents the contents as enumerated by the index, with folio numbers for the works that survive.
1. f. 1v-4: O Maria salvatoris mater - John Browne (i)2. f. 4v-8: Gaude flore virginali - Hugh Kellyk3. f. 8v-9v: O Maria plena gratiae - Walter Lambe4. f. 10-11: Gaude flore virginali - Richard Davy5. f. 11v-14: Stabat mater dolorosa - ?John Browne (ii)6. f. 14v: O regina caelestis gloriae - Walter Lambe7. f. 15-17: Stabat virgo mater Christi - ?John Browne (i)8. f. 17v-19: Stabat juxta Christi crucem - ?John Browne (i)9. f. 19v-22: O regina mundi clara - ?John Browne (i)10. f. 22v-25: Gaude virgo mater Christi - Sturton11. f. 25v: O virgo prudentissima - Robert Wilkinson [incomplete]12. missing: Gaude flore virginali - Robert Wilkinson13. missing: Salve regina vas mundiciae - Fawkner14. f. 26: Gaude flore virginali - William Cornysh (senior) [incomplete]15. f. 26v-29: Salve regina mater misericordiae - Robert Wilkinson16. f. 29v-30: Salve regina mater misericordiae - William Brygeman17. f. 30v-32: Salve regina mater misericordiae - William Horwood18. f. 32v-34: Salve regina mater misericordiae - Richard Davy19. f. 34v-36: Salve regina mater misericordiae - ?William Cornysh (senior)20. f. 36v-38: Salve regina mater misericordiae - ?John Browne (ii)21. f. 038v-40: Salve regina mater misericordiae - Walter Lambe22. f. 40v-042: Salve regina mater misericordiae - John Sutton23. f. 42v-44: Salve regina mater misericordiae - Robert Hacomplaynt24. f. 44v-46: Salve regina mater misericordiae - Nicholas Huchyn25. f. 46v-48: Salve regina mater misericordiae - Robert Wilkinson26. f. 48v-50: Salve regina mater misericordiae - Robert Fayrfax27. f. 50v-52: Salve regina mater misericordiae - Richard Hygons28. f. 52v-54: Salve regina mater misericordiae - ?John Browne (i)29. f. 54v-56: Salve regina mater misericordiae - John Hampton30. f. 56v-59: O Domine caeli terraeque creator - Richard Davy31. f. 59v-62: Salve Jesu mater vera - Richard Davy32. f. 62v-65: Stabat mater dolorosa - Richard Davy33. f. 65v-68: Virgo templum trinitatis - Richard Davy34. f. 68v-71: In honore summae matris - Richard Davy35. f. 71v-74: O Maria et Elisabeth - Gilbert Banester36. f. 74v-76: Gaude flore virginali - William Horwood37. f. 76v-77v: Gaude virgo mater Christi - William Horwood38. missing: O regina caelestis gloriae - Walter Lambe39. missing: Gaude flore virginali - Walter Lambe40. missing: Virgo gaude gloriosa - Walter Lambe41. missing: Stabat mater dolorosa - Robert Fayrfax42. missing: Ave cuius conceptio - Robert Fayrfax43. missing: Quid cantemus innocentes - Robert Fayrfax44. missing: Gaude flore virginali - John Dunstaple45. missing: Ave lux totius mundi - ?John Browne (i)46. missing: Gaude flore virginali - ?John Browne (i)47. missing: Stabat mater dolorosa - ?William Cornysh (senior)48. f. 78-80: Stabat mater dolorosa - ?William Cornysh (senior)49. f. 80v-82: Gaude virgo salutata - Fawkner50. f. 82v-85: Gaude rosa sine spina - Fawkner51. f. 85v-87: Gaude flore virginali - Edmund Turges52. f. 87v-88: Nesciens mater virgo virum - Walter Lambe53. f. 88v: Salve decus castitatis - Robert Wilkinson54. f. 89: Ascendit Christus hodie - Nicholas Huchyn55. f. 89v-91v: O mater venerabilis - ?John Browne (i)56. missing: Ad te purissima virgo - ?William Cornysh (senior)57. f. 92v-93v: Ave lumen gratiae - Robert Fayrfax58. missing: O virgo virginum praeclara - Walter Lambe59. f. 94-95: Gaude virgo mater Christi - Robert Wilkinson60. f. 95v-97: Stabat virgo mater Christi - ?John Browne (i)61. f. 97v-99: Stella caeli extirpavit que lactavit - Walter Lambe62. f. 99v-101: Ascendit Christus hodie - Walter Lambe63. f. 101v-103: Gaude flore virginali - Walter Lambe64. f. 103v-105: Gaude flore virginali - Edmund Turges65. f. 105v-106: Ave Maria mater Dei - ?William Cornysh (senior)66. f. 106v-108: Gaude virgo mater Christi - ?William Cornysh (senior)67. f. 108v-110v: Gaude virgo salutata - Holynborne68. missing: Magnificat: Et exultavit spiritus meus - John Browne (i)69. missing: Magnificat: Et exultavit spiritus meus - Richard Davy70. f. 111: Magnificat: Et exultavit spiritus meus - John Nesbet71. f. 111v-113: Magnificat: Et exultavit spiritus meus - William Horwood72. f. 113v-116: Magnificat: Et exultavit spiritus meus - Hugh Kellyk73. f. 116v-118: Magnificat: Et exultavit spiritus meus - Walter Lambe74. f. 118v: Magnificat: Et exultavit spiritus meus - John Browne (i)75. missing: Magnificat: Et exultavit spiritus meus - Robert Fayrfax76. missing: Magnificat: Et exultavit spiritus meus - William Brygeman77. missing: Magnificat: Et exultavit spiritus meus - Robert Wilkinson78. missing: Magnificat: Et exultavit spiritus meus - Robert Mychelson79. f. 119-119v: Magnificat: Et exultavit spiritus meus - Robert Wilkinson80. missing: Magnificat: Et exultavit spiritus meus - William Cornysh (Junior)81. missing: Magnificat: Et exultavit spiritus meus - John Browne (i)82. f. 120-120v: Magnificat: Et exultavit spiritus meus - John Sygar83. missing: Magnificat: Et exultavit spiritus meus - John Browne (i)84. missing: Magnificat: Et exultavit spiritus meus - Edmund Turges85. missing: Magnificat: Et exultavit spiritus meus - Edmund Turges86. missing: Magnificat: Et exultavit spiritus meus - John Baldwin87. missing: Magnificat: Et exultavit spiritus meus - John Sygar88. missing: Magnificat: Et exultavit spiritus meus - John Baldwin89. missing: Magnificat: Et exultavit spiritus meus - Edmund Turges90. f. 121: Magnificat: Et exultavit spiritus meus - Richard Davy91. f. 121v-123: Magnificat: Et exultavit spiritus meus - William Stratford92. f. 124-126: Passio Domini - Richard Davy93. f. 126v: Jesus autem transiens - Robert WilkinsonThe composers represented in the manuscript are: John Browne (10 works), Richard Davy (9), Walter Lambe (8), Robert Wilkinson (7), William Cornysh (5), William Horwood (4), Robert Fayrfax (2), John Fawkyner (2), Nicholas Huchyn (2), Hugh Kellyk (2), Edmund Turges (2), Gilbert Banester, Brygeman (1), Robert Hacomplaynt (1), John Hampton (1), Holynborne (1), Richard Hygons (1), Nesbet (1), Edmund Sturton (1), John Sutton (1), Sygar (1) and William Stratford (1).
Other composers as Baldwyn, John Dunstable and Mychelson also appear in the index, but their works were lost.
The Rose and The Ostrich Feather, Eton Choirbook Volume I. Harry Christophers: The Sixteen. CORO: CD COR16026.The Crown of Thorns, Eton Choirbook Volume II. Harry Christophers: The Sixteen. CORO: CD COR16012.The Pillars Of Eternity, Eton Choirbook Volume III. Harry Christophers: The Sixteen. CORO: CD COR16022.The Flower of All Virginity, Eton Choirbook Volume IV. Harry Christophers: The Sixteen. CORO: CD COR16018.Voices of Angels, Eton Choirbook Volume V. Harry Christophers: The Sixteen. CORO: CD COR16002.More Divine Than Human: Music from The Eton Choir Book. Stephen Darlington: Choir of Christ Church Cathedral Oxford. Avie: AV2167.Music from the Eton Choirbook, Tonus Peregrinus, Antony Pitts, Dir. Naxos 8.572840Eton Choirbook, Record 2. Purcell Consort of Voices, Choristers of All Saints, Margaret Street, Dir. Grayston Burgess. Vinyl LP, Argo ZRG 557.Richard Davy: Passion According To St. Matthew. (Eton Choirbook, Record 1). Purcell Consort of Voices, Choristers of All Saints, Margaret Street, Dir. Grayston Burgess. Vinyl LP, Argo ZRG 558.