Farrant, Richard
Farrant, Richard
Farrant, Richard, English organist and composer;b. c. 1527; d. London, Nov. 30, 1580. He was a Gentleman of the Chapel Royal. In 1564 he became master of the choristers at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor, where he also was a lay clerk and organist. From 1567 he presented a play annually with the Windsor boys before Queen Elisabeth I. In 1569 he became master of the choristers of the Chapel Royal while retaining his Windsor position. In 1577 he combined the boys with the Chapel Royal choristers to form the Windsor-Chapel Royal Co. His Service in A minor for 4 voices is often confused with John Farrant’s Magnificat, sometimes designated as “Farrant in G minor,” Among other extant works are the anthems Hide Not Thou Thy Face and Call to Remembrance, both for 4 voices, and the verse anthem When as We Sat in Babylon for 1 to 4 voices.
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire