He was a Renaissance composer and organist thought to have possibly been born in Cambridgeshire, England, with a believed date of birth of c1505, who earned his Bachelor of Music degree at Cambridge University in 1536 after studying for 10 years.
In 1537 he became a lay clerk at King’s College, Cambridge and by 1543 was earning 10 pounds a year, according to financial records, after he had taken the position of Magiser Choristarum at Ely Cathedral. Two years later he was awarded his Doctor of Music degree.
It is thought that he became a musical adviser to King Edward’s court after possibly being introduced by Dr. Richard Cox, who had been Bishop of Ely. In 1553 he published his book of verse and music The Actes of the Apostles, dedicating it to King Edward, which took ideas from the book of Acts in the Bible and set them to metre. This would be the only published work by him during his lifetime. The music from Chapter VIII of this was later adapted by George Kirbye where it was named “Winchester Old” and used for the Christmas carol “While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks” by Nahum Tate.
Considered an influential composer of his time and an innovator of the English cathedral music style he wrote polyphonic choral works which include the Peterhouse Mass, a Wetron Wynde mass and Missa Euge bone for six voices. In Nomines and other instrumental works survive and are thought to be early examples of chamber music. He also wrote Miserere mei, Deus, Omnes gentes, Peccavimus cum patribus ostris, plaudite manibus and Quaesmus omnipotens et misericors Deus which were movements from psalms, a Magnificat, a Te Deum and several motets. O God Be Merciful unto us has been revived and the missing bass part of the anthem “To Father, Son and Holy Ghost” have been discovered. Even though he was an organist of note, no keyboard or organ works have been found and are assumed lost.
He returned to his previous position at Ely in 1558 and within a short time took a place in the ministry, which led to him stopping his work as a composer and being ordained as a deacon and then a priest by Dr. Richard Cox. He resigned from Ely in 1561 to take up a position in England’s richest benefice in Doddington, Cambridgeshire with his successor being appointed in March 1573, possibly following his death, although no recorded documentation of this has been yet been found.
His work has been recorded by several ensembles that include the Choir of King’s College Cambridge, the Choir of Westminster Abbey, the Clerkes of Oxenford, Ely Cathedral Choir, Hesperion XX, the Hilliard Ensemble, Oxford Camerata, the Sixteen, the Tallis Scholars and Winchester Cathedral Choir.
King’s College Choir, Cambridge recordings
While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks (Nahum Tate/Christopher Tye/George Kirbye)
London 444 848 (CD: Noel – Christmas at Kings)
Conductor – Sir David Willcocks
Sources:
- https://www.britannica.com/biography/Christopher-Tye
- https://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/c.asp?c=C705
- http://www.hoasm.org/IVM/Tye.html
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Tye
- https://www.cpdl.org/wiki/index.php/Christopher_Tye
- https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/composers/2068–tye
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Cox_(bishop)