John Taverner was born in South Lincolnshire, probably in the area around Tattershall. In 1525, he was serving as clerk of the local collegiate church. It is believed that he spent part of his early career in London. His growing reputation led to his appointment in November 1526 as Informator Choristarum at the newly established Cardinal College, Oxford. Shortly thereafter, Taverner found himself in a precarious position due to his sympathies with Lutheran supporters, but he escaped punishment. After Wolsey's downfall in 1529, the future of Cardinal College was temporarily uncertain. In April 1530, Taverner left the institution, which was finally reconstituted by Henry VIII in 1532. After settling in Boston, Lincolnshire, he acted as an advisor to Thomas Cromwell in the lead-up to the Dissolution of the Monasteries. Contrary to claims that he was a zealous persecutor, there is concrete evidence that Taverner carried out his duties with empathy and compassion.
He died in Boston on October 18, 1545, and was laid to rest beneath the famous tower of the parish church.
The musical works from before Taverner's era, such as the extensive Magnificats and antiphons in the Eton Choirbook, represent the culmination of a predominantly insular culture that flourished in the important choral institutions of the 15th century. Some of Taverner's compositions remain deeply rooted in this late medieval tradition, although his style evolved in some aspects. Other works, presumably his later ones, reveal a growing awareness of contemporary musical trends on the continent, particularly evident in the systematic use of imitation, clearer structuring, and simplified rhythms and melodies.
Taverner's three festive masses, "Gloria tibi Trinitas," "Corona Spinea," and "O Michael," represent a high point in the development of this distinctly English genre. Each of these masses was composed for a six-part choir, with particular emphasis on the high treble voices—a characteristic feature of English music of the period. The cantus firmus forms the foundation of each composition. "Corona Spinea," created for special ceremonies, is distinguished by lavish ornamentation in the treble part and a balanced structure. In this mass, the contrast between the highest and lowest vocal ranges is used to particularly effective effect.
Marian antiphons such as "Gaude plurimum" served devotional rather than liturgical purposes. Taverner drew on established traditions to create a contrast between passages for two or three voices and a full choir. His compositions exhibit stylistic imitations and a concentrated quality, with melismas occurring predominantly at the end of a section.
"In pace," Taverner's setting of the Lenten responsory for Compline, is written for medium voices, two countertenors, and bass. The chant is sung as the cantus firmus in the highest voice.