1. Thomas Tomkins

2. Overview
 1572 – 9 June 1656
 English composer and organist
 Born in St David’s in Pembrokeshire
 English composer during the late Tudor and early Stuart periods.
 Prominent member of the English Madrigal School
 Last member of the Virginalist School

3. Contemporaries
 Almost certainly studied under William Byrd
 One of his songs bears the inscription: "To my ancient, and much
reverenced Master, William Byrd”
 Knew Thomas Morley, also a pupil of Byrd
 Worked with Orlando Gibbons at the Chapel Royal

4. Compositions
 Wrote keyboard, consort music, madrigals, anthems, and liturgical
music
 Conservative in style. Paid no mind to the Baroque styles that were
rising around him and did not compose in the “popular forms” of his
time such as lute songs or ayres.
 Known for some text painting and chromaticism.
 Prolific composer of verse anthems.

5. Composition Style
 Skillful balancing of imitative phrases with different text (ex: Then
David Mourned)
 Similar to Palestrina
 Text painting (When David Heard)

6. History
 Affiliated with Magdalen College, Oxford
 Attended to music for the death of James I and the coronation of
Charles I, along with other Gentlemen of the Chapel Royal
(Gibbons died)
 Caught up in English civil war. His cathedral, organ, house, and a
number of manuscripts were damaged by Parliamentarians.
 Remained a royalist and composed songs for some of his friends
who had been beheaded by Parliamentarians.