Performing a rare early TUDOR Christmas Mass from c.1500

Robert Fayrfax, the greatest English musician of c.1490-1521 wrote this festal Christmas mass for Henry VII c.1500; his son Henry VIII continued as his patron, last having Fayrfax lead this 12/25/1520 at the royal chapel. Henrican animosity to Rome from 1534 and subsequent 'reformation' changed England's liturgy as well as politics leading to destruction of monasteries and libraries rendering the survival of most manuscripts problematical. Thankfully this work survived in 4 copies. Musicologists discovered and started to publish this after World War II, and eventually RenChorNY under Harold Brown (1909-1979) performed this in 1975. This was also performed by Polyhymnia in 2017 under John Bradley. There were 2 CDs by specialist English groups.

This attempt to bring such an iconic work to several New York neighborhoods to supplement traditional fare constitutes for us a mini "Fayrfax Fest". To round out this proto-symphonic Mass, is a chant which serves as the cantus firmus, a motet introit: "Puer natus est nobis" by the great William Byrd, Queen Elizabeth's great musician, whose own great masses were banned in that later generation, and a gentle Lullaby: "Quid petis O fili" by Henry's (younger) singer/composer Richard Pygott.

We think the musical community will endeavor to discover more such masterworks. Such was the hope of our founders. Please explore: www.Renaissancechorus.org.

Sigmund Rosen