Hugh Aston

Aliases: The composer's name has been seed as spelled at least 4 different ways. Other spellings for this common surname include Ashton, Ayston, Austin, Awsten, Aysheton, Assheton, Astyn.

Life

Born: circa 1485

Died: 17 November 1558

Biography
Hugh Aston (c.1485 – buried 17 November, 1558) was an English composer of the early Tudor period. While little of his music survives, he is notable for his innovative keyboard writing. Few details of his life are certain. In 1510 he attempted to obtain the degree of BMus at Oxford University by submitting a mass and an antiphon; it is not certain if the degree was granted. Between 1510 and 1525 he may have lived in London, and may have had some association with the court of Henry VIII. Most likely he was chorus master at St. Mary Newarke Hospital and College in Leicester between 1525 and 1548. He was an applicant for the position of chorus master at Cardinal Wolsey's new Cardinal College, but Wolsey chose John Taverner instead. His exact date of death is not known, but he was buried on 17 November 1558 in Leicester, at St. Margaret's parish. Additional records show that a pension was paid to him up until that date. His works were included in the Peterhouse partbooks (Cambridge University), of which the tenor partbook is missing and pages are also missing from parts of the treble partbook.

View the Wikipedia article on Hugh Aston.

List of choral works

• Ave Domina Sancta Maria -- only treble part survives, thought to be for 3 voices
• Ave Maria ancilla trinitatis a 5v -- missing treble and tenor parts
• Ave Maria divae matris Anne a 5v - missing tenor part
• Gaude mater matris Christi a 5v -- a/k/a Gaude virgo mater Christi -- complete
• Missa Te Deum Laudamus a 5v -- a/k/a Te matrem -- complete
• Mass Videte manus meas a 6v -- complete
• O baptista vates christi a 5v -- missing treble and tenor parts, but at least one reconstructed edition exists
• Te Deum laudamus a 5v -- a/k/a Te matrem dei laudamus -- complete

Two instrumental pieces are known to exist by Aston (Maske and A Hornepype). Additional anonymous pieces exist which are likely to be by Aston, including instrumental pieces and possibly an incomplete Mass for voices that uses a cantus firmus taken from the instrumental piece Maske by Aston.

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External links

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