A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Taverner, John

by William Henry Husk

TAVERNER, John, was organist of Boston, Lincolnshire, and afterwards (about 1530), of Cardinal (now Christ Church) College, Oxford. Being associated with John Frith and other favourers of the Reformation, he was imprisoned upon suspicion of having concealed some (so-called) heretical books, but, by the favour of Wolsey, was released. His compositions consist of masses and motets, many of which are extant in MS. in the Music School and Christ Church,^[1] Oxford, the British Museum,^[2] and elsewhere. Hawkins printed a 3-part motet by him, 'O splendor gloriæ,'^[3] and Burney a 5-part motet, 'Dum transisset Sabbatum.' Morley includes him among the eminent musicians of his time. He died at Boston and was buried there.

Another John Taverner, of an ancient Norfolk family, son of Peter Taverner, and grandson of Richard Taverner, who in the reigns of Edward VI. and Elizabeth was a lay-preacher, and in the latter reign high-sheriff of Oxfordshire, was born in 1584. On Nov. 17, 1610, he was appointed professor of music at Gresham College upon the resignation of Thomas Clayton. His autograph copy of 9 lectures, part in Latin and part in English, delivered by him in the college in that year, is preserved in the British Museum (Sloane MSS., 2329). He subsequently entered into Holy Orders, and in 1622 became Vicar of Tillingham, Essex, and in 1627 Rector of Stoke Newington. He died at the latter place in August, 1638.

[ W. H. H. ]

1. 17 motets for 3, 4, 5, 6 voices.
2. Among the most interesting are parts of a Mass for 6 voices, 'Gloria tibi, Trinitas,' copied by Dr. Burney, Add. MS. 11,587.
3. This is noted in the Christ Church Catalogue as 'partly by Tye.'