Thomas Mace

Thomas Mace ( * 1613 in Cambridge, supposedly † 1709) was an English musician and music writer.

He was a singer ( Clerk ) at Trinity College, Cambridge, stayed in 1644 in York, from 1647 back in Cambridge, and is last detected in 1690 in London, where he - advised by deafness in poverty - sold his library and instruments.

Mace wrote from 1672 his main work Musick 's Monument ( 1676 published in London ). In the three books he dealt with church music, lute and viol consort and the music. Are important in the accurate messages about the English musical practice to 1650th He also reported on their own experiments in instrument.

To maintain a precise tempo while playing music beat Mace ( twenty years before Loulie ) the use of a string pendulum before and may thus be regarded as the spiritual progenitor of the metronome.

In addition to the instrumental pieces contained in Musicks ' Monument is known of him just a few lute pieces and an anthem ( handwritten ).