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John Sheppard
c.1515 - c.1558
Great Britain
John Sheppard (ca.1515 - ca.1558), an English composer. Not everything is known about this composer. In 1554 he asked or started his supplication for the Oxford Music Doctorate, but he is never referred to as a Doctor.
In his supplication is reference made to his twenty years study of music! So this mean that Sheppard studied music from 1534. Sheppard was Informator Choristarum, Master of Choristers at Magdalen College Oxford, with some interruptions between 1542 and 1556. He became a Gentleman of the Chapel Royal by 1552.
Sheppard is one of the major English sacred music composers between 1530 and 1560.
He composed 5 Masses, 21 Office Responds, 18 Hymns, 7 Antiphons, 2 Magnificat, Te Deum, Psalms, Canticles. His compositions are set for 2 - 8 voices.
In Manus Tuas, Domine I
Sheppard composed three In manus tuas, Domine settings.
Three motets from the Responsorium de Officium Defunctorum composed for several voices and settings (I SSST; II AATB; III ATB). The In manus tuas, Domine is an old Responsorium. There are about 138 Responsoria de Officium Defunctorum known and used during centuries in the Office of the Dead. They are all well ordered. The In manus tuas, Domine is nr. 34.
All three responds have a respond structure, they are based on the same old Gregorian chant melody.
In manus tuas I Sheppard sets a section of the chant in polyphony by writing imitative counterpoint starting as from In manus tuas , with an interruption in Gregorian chant Domine commendo spiritum meum. In manus tuas II & III Sheppard sets a minor section of the chant in a short imitative counterpoint starting and followed by Gregorian chant.
♫ In Manus Tuas, Domine I © Sono Luminus DSL 92219 In manus tuas Domine commendo spiritum meum.
Redemisti nos Domine Deus veritatis. Into Thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit. Thou hast redeemed us, O Lord God of truth.
In Manus Tuas, Domine II
See above: In Manus Tuas, Domine I.
♫ In Manus Tuas, Domine II © Gimell CDGIM 212
In Manus Tuas, Domine III
See above: In Manus Tuas, Domine I.
♫ In Manus Tuas, Domine III © Coro COR16172 |