Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Mundy, John
MUNDY, JOHN (d. 1630), organist and composer, the elder son of William Mundy [q. v.], was educated in music by his father, and became an able performer on the virginals and organ. He was admitted Mus.Bac. at Oxford on 9 July 1586, and proceeded Mus. Doc. on 2 July 1624, ‘being in high esteem for his great knowledge in the theoretical and practical part of music’ (Wood, Fasti, i. 236, 415). His ‘Act’ was a song in five or six parts (Oxf. Univ. Register, Oxf. Historical Soc., vol. ii. pt. i. p. 147).
Mundy is said to have become organist at Eton College (Wood; Hawkins). He was afterwards appointed organist of the free royal chapel of St. George, Windsor, probably in succession to John Marbeck [q. v.], in or before 1586—the records of the period are imperfect. Mundy held this post until about 1630. He died in that year, and was buried in the cloisters of St. George's Chapel (Wood). Mundy was survived by his only daughter, Mrs. Bennett.
He published: 1. ‘Songs and Psalms, composed into three, four, and five parts, for the use and delight of all such as either loue or learn musicke,’ printed by Est, 1594, and dedicated to the Earl of Essex. Burney gives ‘In deep distresse’ from this collection in his ‘History,’ iii. 55. 2. Part-song for five voices, ‘Lightly she whipped o'er the dales,’ in Morley's ‘Triumphs of Oriana,’ 1601.
Mundy is named as the composer of: 1. A Kyrie, ‘In die Pasce’ (Brit. Mus. Addit. MS. 17802). 2. Collection of Services and Psalms in English (ib. 29289). 3. ‘Sing joyfully,’ a 5, in a collection by Thomas Myriell, 1616 (ib. 29372). 4. Treble part of verse-psalms (ib. 15166; and cf. Clifford, Divine Services, for the words of psalms set to music by one or other Mundy). 5. Six Services, and twelve anthems, at Durham Cathedral—including ‘O God, my Strength and Fortitude;’ ‘Send aid;’ ‘Give laude unto the Lord;’ ‘0 God, our Governour;’ ‘0 Thou God Almighty;’ ‘Teach me Thy way;’ ‘O give thanks;’ ‘Almighty God, the Fountain of all wisdom;’ and (for men) ‘He that hath My commandments’ and ‘Let us now laud.’ 6. Two compositions in the Oxford Music School. 7. Five pieces in Queen Elizabeth's ‘Virginal Book’ (Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge; see Grove, Dict. iv. 308, iii. 35).
But among the manuscript services, psalms, and anthems ascribed to Mundy, or ‘Mr. Mundy,’ most of those to Latin words were probably composed by William, or by an elder John Mundy.
[Treasurers' and Precentors' Rolls of St. George's Chapel, Windsor, through the courtesy of Canon Dalton and Mr. St. John Hope, F.S.A.; Hawkins's Hist. of Music, p. 499; Burney's Hist. iii. 132; list of Mundy's music in Durham Cathedral, kindly supplied by Dr. Philip Armes.]