Thomas Ravenscroft

Thomas Ravenscroft (c. 1582 or 1593 in Dodleston, Cheshire, † 1635 in London ) was an English singer, music theorist and composer of the Renaissance.

Life

Very little is handed down to Ravenscroft biography. Probably he was a singer in the choir of St. Paul 's Cathedral in London, where is a " Thomas Raniscroft " occupied for the year 1594. Maybe he sang even around the year 1605 under the direction of Thomas Giles. 1607 awarded him the University of Cambridge, the title of "Bachelor of musicke ".

From 1618 to 1622 he sang in the choir of St. Paul's again under Edward Pearce, whom he described as his teacher. At the same time worked as a music teacher Ravenscroft of Christ's Hospital in London.

He wrote sacred and secular music, especially round songs and ballads, such as "There were three ravens ".

Works

In print, published works:

• Pammelia Musicks Miscellanie or Mixed Varietie of Pleasant Roundelays, and delightfull Catches, of 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10 Parts in one. London, 1609.
• Deuteromelia The Second part of Musicks melody, or melodius Musicke of Pleasant Roundelais; K. H. mirth, or Freemans Songs and delightfull Catches. London, 1609.
• Melismata Music_Major Phansies. Fitting the Court, Citie, and Countrey Humours. To 3, 4, and 5 voyces. London, 1611.
• A letters Discourse of the true ( but neglected ) use of the Charact'ring Degrees by Their Pefection, Imperfection, and Diminution in Measurable Musicke, against the Common Practise and Custome of synthesis Times. London, 1614.
• The Whole Booke of Psalmes, London, 1621

Unpublished manuscripts:

• Four Fantasies for Violenconsort
• 11 Anthems and Motets 3 to 5 votes
• A Treatise of Musick

Pammelia, Deuteromelia and Melismata Collections containing 3 - to 5 -voice song phrases ( " Rounds, Catches, & Freeman's Songs" ) and up to 10 -voice canon (the latter especially in Pammelia ). This is both to own and to foreign rates; the respective authorship is not moor. Pammelia is the earliest English printing of Rounds and Catches, taken together, form the three collections a major source of lore that in the first half of the 17th century typical English folk kind, sociable vocal music.

A Discourse letters, however, is a music theory primarily work. It Ravenscroft defends the correct use of the so-called mensural notation, although this was already displaced in 1600 by a more modern style of music notation. In the appendix of the work, there are 20 vocal compositions, 12 of Ravenscroft himself, 6 by John Bennet and 2 more by Edward Pearce. Among them a curious, small ' Cantata', consisting of 4 vocal pieces with instrumental accompaniment, in which " Hodge Trillindle " vying for the favor of his " Zweet hort Malkyn "; a unique work for the English music scene this time.

The Whole Book of Psalmes contains a total of 105 four-part psalm settings. Of this, 55 Ravenscroft himself, the other among others by John Dowland, Gilles Farnaby and Thomas Tomkins.

Discography

• Thomas Ravenscroft: Songs, Rounds & Catches. The Consort of Musicke, cond: Anthony Rooley. Virgin Records, 1990