John Maynard (composer)
Encyclopedia
John Maynard was an English composer at the time of James I of England
James I of England
James VI and I was King of Scots as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the English and Scottish crowns on 24 March 1603...

, with an idiosyncratic sense of humour.

His best known work is the musical setting of The Twelve Wonders of the World by Sir John Davies
John Davies (poet)
Sir John Davies was an English poet and lawyer, who became attorney general in Ireland and formulated many of the legal principles that underpinned the British Empire.-Early life:...

, possibly written for a banquet arranged by the poet Thomas Sackville, 1st Earl of Dorset
Thomas Sackville, 1st Earl of Dorset
Thomas Sackville, 1st Earl of Dorset was an English statesman, poet, dramatist and Freemason. He was the son of Richard Sackville, a cousin to Anne Boleyn. He was a Member of Parliament and Lord High Treasurer.-Biography:...

 on the eve of Epiphany served on trenchers
Trencher (tableware)
A trencher is a type of tableware, commonly used in medieval cuisine. A trencher was originally a piece of stale bread, cut into a square shape by a carver, and used as a plate, upon which the food could be placed before being eaten. At the end of the meal, the trencher could be eaten with sauce,...

, large wooden plates, in sets of twelve, the underside of which were found epigrams or verses for the guests to share. The twelve verses were set by Maynard after the poems had already gained popularity.

Works

  • The XII wonders of the world:
  • The Book of Lute Music - dedicated to his patroness widow of Sir John II of Longleat.

Recordings

  • The XII wonders of the world: 1611 - complete - The Consort of Musicke dir. Anthony Rooley
    Anthony Rooley
    Anthony Rooley is a British lutenist. He founded in 1969 and directs the early music ensemble the Consort of Musicke, which continues to be one of the chief vehicles for his inspiration, among many other activities and interests...

    , L'Oiseau Lyre LP 1975, Australian Eloquence CD 2010.
  • The Wonders of the world - eight of the twelve - Echo du Danube, Miriam Allan soprano, Rob Wyn Jones narrator, Accent 2007 CD.
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