A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Sang Schools

by John T. Fyfe

SANG SCHOOLS, an old Scottish institution, dating from the 13th century. A 'scule' for teaching singing existed in almost everyone of the cathedral cities in Scotland, and in many of the smaller towns, such as Ayr, Dumbarton, Lanark, Cupar and Irvine. Even in the far north in 1544 Bishop Reid founded and endowed a 'Sang School' in Orkney. Prior to the Reformation the teaching in these schools was principally confined to 'musick, meaners, and vertu,' but at a later date it extended to the proverbial 'three R's.' Music, however, seems to have been the chief course of instruction, and the original idea of confining its study to the cathedral singers was so far enlarged, that laymen were admitted to the schools, in which the Gregorian chant had naturally an early and important place. The master of the school was held in high esteem, and was occasionally selected from the clergy, the appointment at times leading to important preferment—thus William Hay, master of the Old Aberdeen School in 1658, was made Bishop of Moray; and John Leslie, Bishop of Ross, was once a teacher in the Aberdeen School.

Great attention seems to have been paid by the parliament of the day to the study of music, for a statute was passed in 1574 'instructing the provest, baillies, and counsale, to sett up ane sang scuill, for instruction of the youth in the art of musick and singing, quhilk is almaist decayit and sall schortly decay without tymous remeid be providit.' Comparatively little interest seems to have attended either the Edinburgh or Glasgow schools, and from a minute of the Town Council of the latter we gather that the institution collapsed in 1588, 'the scuile sumtyme callit the sang scuile' being sold to defray the expenses incidental to the heavy visitation of a plague. The Aberdeen school appears to have been the one of chief celebrity, attracting teachers of even continental fame, and the Burgh records contain references of a curious and amusing description. The school existed so early as the year 1370, its class of pupils being the same as those attending the grammar school. Both vocal and instrumental music were taught, as we learn from the title of Forbes's scarce work, 'Cantus, Songs and Fancies both apt for Voices and Viols as is taught in the Music School of Aberdeen' (1662). About this period, Mace, in his 'Musick's Monument,' directed the attention of his countrymen to the sang school of Scotland as an institution well worthy of imitation south of the Tweed. A few excerpts from the Burgh records of Aberdeen and other places may not be uninteresting, and we give the following as a fair example of the attention paid by the civic authorities of the day to the subject of music. On Oct. 7, 1496, a contract was entered into between the Town Council of Aberdeen and Robert Huchosone, sangster, 'who obliges himself by the faith of his body all the days of his life to remain with the community of the burgh, upholding matins, psalms, hymns,' etc. etc., the council also giving him the appointment of master of the Sang School. The four following extracts are also from the Aberdeen Burgh records, as faithfully transcribed by the editors of the Spalding Club publications.

4th October, 1577.

The said day the consell grantit the soume of four poundis to the support of James Symsonne, doctour of thair Sang Scuill, to help to buy him cloythis.

23 Nov^r., 1597.

The maister of the sang schoole sail serve bayth the Kirkis in uptacking of the psalmes theirin.

1594.

Item to the Maister of the sang schoile xiiij.

1609.

'The bairnis and scoleris of the sang schoollis' are ordered to find caution for their good behaviour.

From Dundee Records, 1602.

Item to the master of the sang scule lxxx lbs.

From Air Records, 1627.

Item to the M^r of musick scule for teaching of the musick scule and tacking up the psalmes in the kirk x bolls victuall and xiiij of silver.

From Irving Records, 1633.

Our doctour and musicianer jcii.

The stipend of the master of the Edinburgh sang school appears to have been the modest allowance of ten pounds in sterling money. It may be worth mentioning that the building in Aberdeen so long identified with the musical interests of the day was sold only in 1758, and those acquainted with the Granite-city may also be interested in knowing the site of the sang school—a feu near the churchyard wall in the Back Wynd. An attempt was recently made to form a connecting link with the past in the shape of a proposed revival of the sang school. The promoter of the movement purchased a hall, which received the name of 'Song School,' but he has not been encouraged to carry his spirited scheme to a successful issue.

[ J. T. F. ]