The Early Music Show - Robert Carver profile

Lucie Skeaping presents a profile of the 16th century composer, Robert Carver, one of Scotland's most significant musical figures. Carver's music is all sacred: he composed several mass settings, and two motets, and all his compositions are contained in the 'Carver Choir Book'. Relatively little is known about him biographically, but it is known that at the age of about 19 he entered holy orders and became Canon of the Augustinian Abbey in Scone near Perth. Carver was also referred to in the Choirbook as 'Robert Carvor, alias Robert Arnot' which has led scholars to think therefore he was the Robert Arnot, a canon of the Chapel Royal in Stirling. The Carver Choirbook is the only source for his music, but it also includes music by other composers, including several English composers whose music is also found in the Eton Choirbook and also Dufay's Mass 'L'homme armé. Music in the programme includes movements of some of Carver's mass settings, a Magnificat by John Nesbett which appears in the Choir book, and Carver's remarkable 19 part motet O bone Jesu. PLAYLIST: ROBERT CARVER: Kyrie from Mass 'Pater Creator Omnium' 4 part Capella Nova Alan Tavener, director ASV CD GAU 127 Track 5 ROBERT CARVER: Gloria from Mass 'L'homme armé' 4 part Capella Nova Alan Tavener, director ASV CD GAU 126 Track 5 ROBERT CARVER: Credo from Mass 'Dum sacrum mysterium' 10 part Capella Nova Alan Tavener, director ASV GAU 124 Track 3 JOHN NESBETT: Magnificat (appears in Carver choir book) The Sixteen Harry Christophers, director CORO COR 16018 Track 3 ROBERT CARVER (?) (in Carver choirbook): Agnus Dei from Mass for 3 voices (c. 1520) Capella Nova Alan Tavener, director ASV GAUDEAMUS CD GAU 342 Track 10 ROBERT CARVER: O bone Jesu 19 part motet The Sixteen Harry Christophers, director CORO COR 16010 Track 10.