Elizabethan madrigal
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The English Madrigal School was the brief but intense flowering of the musical
madrigal A madrigal is a form of secular vocal music most typical of the Renaissance music, Renaissance (15th–16th c.) and early Baroque music, Baroque (1600–1750) periods, although revisited by some later European composers. The Polyphony, polyphoni ...
in England, mostly from 1588 to 1627, along with the composers who produced them. The English madrigals were a cappella, predominantly light in style, and generally began as either copies or direct translations of
Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional Ita ...
models. Most were for three to six voices.


Style and characteristics

Most likely the impetus for writing madrigals came through the influence of Alfonso Ferrabosco, who worked in England in the 1560s and 1570s in Queen Elizabeth's court; he wrote many works in the form, and not only did they prove popular but they inspired some imitation by local composers. The development that caused the explosion of madrigal composition in England, however, was the development of native poetry—especially the sonnet—which was conducive to setting to music in the Italian style. When
Nicholas Yonge Nicholas Yonge (also spelled ''Young'', ''Younge''; c. 1560 in Lewes, Sussex – buried 23 October 1619 in St Michael, Cornhill, London) was an English singer and publisher. He is most famous for publishing the '' Musica transalpina'' (1588 ...
published '' Musica transalpina'' in 1588, it proved to be immensely popular, and the vogue for madrigal composition in England can be said to truly have started then. ''Musica transalpina'' was a collection of Italian madrigals, mostly by Ferrabosco and
Marenzio Luca Marenzio (also Marentio; October 18, 1553 or 1554 – August 22, 1599) was an Italian composer and singer of the late Renaissance. He was one of the most renowned composers of madrigals, and wrote some of the most famous examples of the f ...
, fitted with English words. They were well-loved, and several similar anthologies followed immediately after the success of the first. Yonge himself published a second ''Musica transalpina'' in 1597, hoping to duplicate the success of the first collection. While
William Byrd William Byrd (; 4 July 1623) was an English composer of late Renaissance music. Considered among the greatest composers of the Renaissance, he had a profound influence on composers both from his native England and those on the continent. He ...
, probably the most famous English composer of the time, experimented with the madrigal form, he never actually called his works madrigals, and shortly after writing some secular songs in madrigalian style returned to writing mostly sacred music. The most influential composers of madrigals in England, and the ones whose works have survived best to the present day, were
Thomas Morley Thomas Morley (1557 – early October 1602) was an English composer, theorist, singer and organist of the Renaissance. He was one of the foremost members of the English Madrigal School. Referring to the strong Italian influence on the Engl ...
,
Thomas Weelkes Thomas Weelkes (baptised 25 October 1576 – 30 November 1623) was an English composer and organist. He became organist of Winchester College in 1598, moving to Chichester Cathedral. His works are chiefly vocal, and include madrigals, anth ...
and
John Wilbye John Wilbye (baptized 7 March 1574September 1638) was an English madrigal composer. Early life and education The son of a tanner, he was born at Brome, Suffolk, England. (Brome is near Diss.) Career Wilbye received the patronage of the Cornwa ...
. Morley is the only composer of the time who set verse by
Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's natio ...
for which the music has survived. His style is melodic, easily singable, and remains popular with ''a cappella'' singing groups. Wilbye had a very small compositional output, but his madrigals are distinctive with their expressiveness and chromaticism; they would never be confused with their Italian predecessors. The last line of Gibbons' " The Silver Swan" of 1612, :"More Geese than Swans now live, more Fools than Wise." is often considered to be a lament for the death of the English tradition. One of the more notable compilations of English madrigals was ''
The Triumphs of Oriana ''The Triumphs of Oriana'' is a book of English madrigals, compiled and published in 1601 by Thomas Morley, which first edition has 25 pieces by 23 composers (Thomas Morley and Ellis Gibbons have two madrigals). It was said to have been made to ...
'', a collection of madrigals compiled by Thomas Morley, which contained 25 different madrigals by 23 different composers. Published in 1601 as a tribute to
Elizabeth I of England Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was Queen of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. Elizabeth was the last of the five House of Tudor monarchs and is sometimes referred to as the "Virgin Queen". Eli ...
, each madrigal contains a reference to
Oriana {{Unreferenced, date=December 2009 Oriana is a given name, primarily of a female, that is widespread in Europe. Variants include ''Orianna'', ''Oriane'' or ''Orianne''. Sometimes ''Orian, Oreste'' or '' Dorian'' may be a male given name or a famil ...
, a name used to reference the Queen. Madrigals continued to be composed in England through the 1620s, but the
air The atmosphere of Earth is the layer of gases, known collectively as air, retained by Earth's gravity that surrounds the planet and forms its planetary atmosphere. The atmosphere of Earth protects life on Earth by creating pressure allowing f ...
and "
recitative Recitative (, also known by its Italian name "''recitativo''" ()) is a style of delivery (much used in operas, oratorios, and cantatas) in which a singer is allowed to adopt the rhythms and delivery of ordinary speech. Recitative does not repeat ...
music" rendered the style obsolete; somewhat belatedly, characteristics of the Baroque style finally appeared in England. While the music of the English Madrigal School is of generally high quality and has endured in popularity, it is useful to remember that the total output of the composers was relatively small: Luca Marenzio in Italy alone published more books of madrigals than the entire sum of madrigal publications in England, and
Philippe de Monte Philippe de Monte (1521 – 4 July 1603), sometimes known as Philippus de Monte, was a Flemish composer of the late Renaissance active all over Europe. He was a member of the 3rd generation madrigalists and wrote more madrigals than any other comp ...
wrote more madrigals (over 1100) than were written in England during the entire period.


Composers

The following list includes almost all of the composers of the English Madrigal School who published works. Many of these were amateur composers, some known only for a single book of madrigals, and some for an even smaller contribution. *
Thomas Bateson Thomas Bateson, ''Batson'' or ''Betson'' (c. 15701630) was an Anglo-Irish writer of madrigals in the early 17th century. Life He is said to have been organist of Chester Cathedral Chester Cathedral is a Church of England cathedral and the ...
(c 1570–1630) * John Bennet (c 1575–after 1614) *
John Bull John Bull is a national personification of the United Kingdom in general and England in particular, especially in political cartoons and similar graphic works. He is usually depicted as a stout, middle-aged, country-dwelling, jolly and matter- ...
(1562–1628) *
William Byrd William Byrd (; 4 July 1623) was an English composer of late Renaissance music. Considered among the greatest composers of the Renaissance, he had a profound influence on composers both from his native England and those on the continent. He ...
(1543–1623) *
Thomas Campion Thomas Campion (sometimes spelled Campian; 12 February 1567 – 1 March 1620) was an English composer, poet, and physician. He was born in London, educated at Cambridge, studied law in Gray's inn. He wrote over a hundred lute songs, masques ...
(1567–1620) *
Richard Carlton Richard Carlton (c. 1558 – c. 1638) was an English composer and vicar. He is known mainly for his madrigals and was a contemporary of John Wilbye. Life and career Born c. 1558, Richard Carlton graduated from Clare College, Cambridge in ...
(c 1558–?1638) *
Michael Cavendish Michael Cavendish (c. 1565 – 1628) was an English composer of the Elizabethan and Jacobean periods. A grandson of the writer George Cavendish and second cousin to Arabella Stuart, he spent much time at court and was for a time composer t ...
(c 1565–1628) *
John Dowland John Dowland (c. 1563 – buried 20 February 1626) was an English Renaissance composer, lutenist, and singer. He is best known today for his melancholy songs such as "Come, heavy sleep", " Come again", "Flow my tears", " I saw my Lady weepe", ...
(1563–1626) * Michael East (c 1580–c 1648) * John Farmer (c 1565–1605) *
Giles Farnaby Giles Farnaby (c. 1563 – November 1640) was an English composer and virginalist whose music spans the Transition from Renaissance to Baroque in instrumental music, transition from the Renaissance to the Baroque period. Life Giles Farnaby was ...
(c 1560–c 1620) * Alfonso Ferrabosco (1543–1588) (Italian, but worked in England for two decades) * Ellis Gibbons (1573–1603) *
Orlando Gibbons Orlando Gibbons ( bapt. 25 December 1583 – 5 June 1625) was an English composer and keyboard player who was one of the last masters of the English Virginalist School and English Madrigal School. The best known member of a musical fami ...
(1583–1625) * Thomas Greaves (fl. c 1600) * William Holborne ( fl. 1597) * John Holmes (d. 1629) * John Jenkins (1592–1678) * Robert Jones (fl. 1597–1615) * George Kirbye (c 1565–1634) * Henry Lichfild (fl. 1613, d. after 1620) * John Milton (1562–1647) *
Thomas Morley Thomas Morley (1557 – early October 1602) was an English composer, theorist, singer and organist of the Renaissance. He was one of the foremost members of the English Madrigal School. Referring to the strong Italian influence on the Engl ...
(1557–1603) * John Mundy (c 1555–1630) *
Peter Philips Peter Philips (also ''Phillipps'', ''Phillips'', ''Pierre Philippe'', ''Pietro Philippi'', ''Petrus Philippus''; ''c.''1560–1628) was an eminent English composer, organist, and Catholic priest exiled to Flanders. He was one of the greatest ke ...
(c 1560–1628) (lived and published in the Netherlands, but wrote in an English style) * Francis Pilkington (c 1570–1638) *
Thomas Tomkins Thomas Tomkins (1572 – 9 June 1656) was a Welsh-born composer of the late Tudor and early Stuart period. In addition to being one of the prominent members of the English Madrigal School, he was a skilled composer of keyboard and consort mus ...
(1572–1656) * Thomas Vautor (c 1580-?) * John Ward (1571–1638) *
Thomas Weelkes Thomas Weelkes (baptised 25 October 1576 – 30 November 1623) was an English composer and organist. He became organist of Winchester College in 1598, moving to Chichester Cathedral. His works are chiefly vocal, and include madrigals, anth ...
(1576–1623) *
John Wilbye John Wilbye (baptized 7 March 1574September 1638) was an English madrigal composer. Early life and education The son of a tanner, he was born at Brome, Suffolk, England. (Brome is near Diss.) Career Wilbye received the patronage of the Cornwa ...
(1574–1638)


Further reading

* ''
The Oxford Book of English Madrigals ''The Oxford Book of English Madrigals'' was edited by Philip Ledger, and published in 1978 by the Oxford University Press. It contains words and full music for some 60 of the madrigals and songs of the English Madrigal School. When selecting ...
'', ed. Philip Ledger. Oxford University Press, Oxford, England, 1978. (Issued with recordings of 38 of these madrigals by Pro Cantione Antiqua (augmented) under Philip Ledger - OUP 151/2)


Sources

*
Gustave Reese Gustave Reese ( ; 29 November 1899 – 7 September 1977) was an American musicologist and teacher. Reese is known mainly for his work on medieval and Renaissance music, particularly with his two publications ''Music in the Middle Ages'' (1940) ...
, ''Music in the Renaissance''. New York, W.W. Norton & Co., 1954. * Article "Madrigal" in ''The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians'', ed. Stanley Sadie. 20 vol. London, Macmillan Publishers Ltd., 1980. {{Composition schools 16th century in England 17th century in England Renaissance music Composition schools