Thomas Ravenscroft

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

Life

Very little is known about Ravenscroft's biography. He was probably a singer in the choir of St Paul's Cathedral in London , where a "Thomas Raniscroft" is documented for 1594. It is possible that he sang there around 1605 under the direction of Thomas Giles . In 1607 the University of Cambridge awarded him the title of "Bachelor of musicke".

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

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

Works

Title page of the "Whole Book of Psalmes" from 1621

Works published in print:

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 melodie, or melodius Musicke of Pleasant Roundelais; KH mirth, or Freemans Songs and delightfull Catches. London, 1609.
Melismata Musicall Phansies. Fitting the Court, Citie, and Countrey Humours. To 3, 4, and 5 Voyces. London, 1611.
A Briefe Discourse of the true (but neglected) use of Charact'ring the Degrees by their Perfection, Imperfection, and Diminution in Measurable Musicke, against the Common Practice and Custome of these Times. London, 1614.
The Whole Booke of Psalmes , London, 1621

unpublished manuscripts:

four fantasies for viola consort
11 anthems and 3 motets with 5 voices
A Treatise of Musick

Pammelia, Deuteromelia and Melismata contain collections of 3 to 5-part song sets ("Rounds, Catches, & Freemans Songs") as well as up to 10-part canons (the latter especially in Pammelia ). These are both your own and other people's sentences; the respective authorship is not to be determined. Pammelia is considered to be the earliest English print of Rounds and Catches. Taken together, the 3 collections form an important source of the tradition of popular, sociable vocal music typical of England in the first half of the 17th century.

A Letters Discourse , on the other hand, is primarily a work of music theory. In it Ravenscroft defends the correct use of the so-called mensural notation , although this was superseded by a more modern type of musical notation as early as 1600. The appendix to the work includes 20 vocal compositions, 12 by Ravenscroft himself, 6 by John Bennet and 2 more by Edward Pearce . Including a curious little 'cantata', consisting of 4 vocal pieces with instrumental accompaniment, in which "Hodge Trillindle" vies for the favor of his "Zweet hort Malkyn"; a unique work for the English music creation of this time.

The Whole Book of Psalmes contains a total of 105 four-part psalm settings. 55 of these are from Ravenscroft itself, the rest and others. a. by John Dowland , Gilles Farnaby, and Thomas Tomkins .

Discography

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

Web links

Comprehensive collection of sources on Ravenscroft, facsimiles, modern editions

Sheet music and audio files by Thomas Ravenscroft in the International Music Score Library Project

Sheet music in the public domain by Thomas Ravenscroft in the Choral Public Domain Library - ChoralWiki (English)

Thomas Ravenscroft and ancestors in 'Welsh Biography Online'

Individual evidence

↑ The exact year and place of birth of Ravenscroft are not known. In his tract "A Briefe Discourse", published in 1614, his age is given as 22, so he would have been born in 1592. Against this, however, is that he received his doctorate in Cambridge as early as 1607 (other sources even claim 1605) as a "Bachelor of Musicke", which according to the customs of the time was only possible when he was 24 years old. Therefore, 1582 is sometimes given as the year of birth, but speculation remains. Ravenscroft's father, Roger Ravenscroft, was the principal in Dodleston, Cheshire. Accordingly, Thomas could also have been born there. Other sources cite Hawarden / Flintshire as Thomas' birthplace. See the entry in 'Welsh Biography online' (see web links)
↑ cf. Article on Thomas Ravenscroft in Music in Past and Present (Volume 11, 1963) and the article on Ravenscroft in the English language Wikipedia.
^ "Maister Edward Pearce the first, sometimes Maister of the Children of Saint Paules in London, and there my Maister" , cf. third page of the preface ('The Preface') to A Letters Discourse

personal data
SURNAME	Ravenscroft, Thomas
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	English composer, music theorist and singer
DATE OF BIRTH	around 1593
PLACE OF BIRTH	Dodleston , Cheshire
DATE OF DEATH	around 1635
Place of death	London

[1] The exact year and place of birth of Ravenscroft are not known. In his tract "A Briefe Discourse", published in 1614, his age is given as 22, so he would have been born in 1592. Against this, however, is that he received his doctorate in Cambridge as early as 1607 (other sources even claim 1605) as a "Bachelor of Musicke", which according to the customs of the time was only possible when he was 24 years old. Therefore, 1582 is sometimes given as the year of birth, but speculation remains. Ravenscroft's father, Roger Ravenscroft, was the principal in Dodleston, Cheshire. Accordingly, Thomas could also have been born there. Other sources cite Hawarden / Flintshire as Thomas' birthplace. See the entry in 'Welsh Biography online' (see web links)

[2] . Article on Thomas Ravenscroft in Music in Past and Present (Volume 11, 1963) and the article on Ravenscroft in the English language Wikipedia.

[3] "Maister Edward Pearce the first, sometimes Maister of the Children of Saint Paules in London, and there my Maister" , cf. third page of the preface ('The Preface') to A Letters Discourse