Read e-book online Thomas Tomkins: The Last Elizabethan PDF

Thomas Tomkins (1572-1656), an enormous determine of the Golden Age of British song, was once arguably the best of all Welsh-born composers. residing via probably the most innovative classes in British background, his specialist lifestyles used to be spent within the provider of the Crown and the Church at either the Chapel Royal and Worcester Cathedral. Surviving the Civil warfare, the suppression of the track of the English Church, the closure of the Chapel Royal, the destruction of his organ at Worcester and the devastation of the town, Tomkins was once capable of finding the power and suggestion to proceed composing secular song of excellent caliber. a lot of Tomkins's output has survived, together with his choice of tune for the Anglican ceremony, Musica Deo Sacra, released posthumously in 1668. His paintings embraced either sacred and secular vocal song, items for keyboard and for viol consort, thereby proving him to be some of the most flexible figures of English Renaissance song. the 1st a part of the publication presents an soaking up biography of Tomkins, atmosphere his existence into interesting old context. the second one and 3rd elements comprise significant essays on Tomkins by means of Denis Stevens, Bernard Rose, Peter James and David Evans, all gurus at the track of the interval with every one delivering perceptive insights into Tomkins's tune. the result's a profitable piece of collective paintings that appropriately areas Tomkins and his achievements in his time and allows readers to reconsider him accurately on the subject of his elders and contemporaries. Tomkins has nonetheless now not reached the 'household identify' prestige of his nice instructor, William Byrd, or of his shut pal and colleague, Orlando Gibbons, yet he's absolutely worthwhile of a lot higher acceptance. The publication enhances the expanding variety of stay performances and recordings of Tomkins's track, either sacred and secular, and one of these entire account of the guy and his paintings should still entice early track students, performers and track fans alike.