The Royal Chapel Royal in London is a choral chapel in the British court. In its heyday (second half of the XVI - XVII centuries) - the most prestigious English choral group and one of the best schools for primary education (boys) music.
It was founded in 1438. Initially, the Royal Chapel did not have its own building, but was a mobile group of choristers that accompanied the monarch in all his travels. In 1594, by order of Jacob VI, the Chapel was housed in the Scottish castle of Sterling . In the XVII century, the residence of the Chapel was directly in the Whitehall Palace in London. After Whitehall suffered from a fire (1698), in 1702 the Chapel moved to the building of St. James's Palace on the street. Pall Mall , where he is today.
The chapel experienced its heyday during the years of Elizabethan rule. In those years, the repertoire of Capella's choral music was only spiritual (secular music was not performed). The Dean of the Chapel ( Eng. Master of the Children ) until 1684 had the right to search for musically gifted boys throughout the country and force them to study (and subsequent service) in the Royal Chapel. In addition, until 1626 the boys combined the roles of actors and singers in court theater productions (the so-called English. Choirboy plays , see Anthem ). In the XVIII century. they were attracted as treblers to participate in oratorios and other genres of choral music. Since the time of Charles II, the performances of the Chapel chorus were accompanied by a royal string orchestra (originally a consort ), organ and other instruments.
In the best years, prominent musicians John Sheppard, Thomas Tallis , William Bird , Orlando Gibbons , Thomas Tomkins and Henry Purcell worked in the walls of the Capella. Handel also composed for the Royal Chapel. He held the honorary title of “Composer of Musick of His Majesty's Chappel Royal” (as a foreigner, Handel had no right to be a regular member of the Capella).
The modern institution is called the Royal Chapels , as it includes, along with the old Royal Chapel, the Queen's Chapel . The (modest) composition of the modern chapel is composed of 6 professional singers and 10 male choir boys.