A Plaine and Easie Introduction to Thomas Morley

A Plaine and Easie Introduction to Practicall Musicke 1597

Source: Internet Archive

Thomas Morley, a contemporary of Shakespeare, was born in England in 1557. His father a brewer, he may have smelled with beer at the local cathedral where he sang as a boy in Norwich. His career picks up in London in the early seventies where he studied under William Byrd, he apparently employed as a singer in London as well. It's assumed that studies with Byrd as a teenager included composition. Morley took a bachelor's degree from Oxford in 1588, soon thereafter becoming an organist at St. Paul's Cathedral back in London. Nicholas Yonge had meanwhile published his 'Musica Transalpina' in 1588, a collection of Italian madrigals w English lyrics that put England under the spell of the madrigal, particularly those favoring Protestant Tudor queen, Elizabeth I, who reigned from 1558 to her passing in 1603. The English madrigal pretty much described music in England at the wane of the Renaissance prior to the baroque period, the latter arriving roundly about 1600. Also popular in England was the ayre.

Morley also composed canzonets distinguished by him as a lighter style of madrigal. Morley addressed the canzonet in his first published work of 1593, 'Canzonets or little short songs to three voices', printed by Thomas Este in London. Come 'Madrigals to four voices' in 1594, also by Este.

'April is in my mistress' face'   Madrigal a 4 by Thomas Morley

No.1 of 'Madrigals to four voices'   1594

The Cambridge Singers

'April is in my mistress' face'   Madrigal a 4 by Thomas Morley

No.1 of 'Madrigals to four voices'   1594

The Douglas Frank Chorale   2000

Come another volume of canzonets, 'The first book of canzonets to two voices', in 1595.

'The first book of canzonets to two voices'   Canzonets a 2 by Thomas Morley

'The first book of canzonets to two voices'   1595

Mandolin: David Munrow

'Leave now mine eyes lamenting'   Canzonet a 2 by Thomas Morley

No.10 of 'The first book of canzonets to two voices'   1595

Viol: Ernst Stolz

Morley also published the 'First Book of ballets to five voices' in 1595. The term "ballet" derives from "ballare" which is "to dance" in Latin. It was at least a century old by the time of Morley's volume, having developed out of the ballroom dance, thus of aristocratic heritage, thus to later temporarily disappear during the years of the French Revolution. Choreographed dance originated in Italy in the fifteenth century to spread to France. By the time of Catherine de Médici (1519-1589) ballet was being developed in Russia.

'Now is the month of Maying'   Ballet a 5 by Thomas Morley

No.3 of 'The first book of ballets to five voices'   1595

Cambridge Singers

'Sing We and Chant It'   Ballet a 5 by Thomas Morley

No.4 of 'The first book of ballets to five voices'   1595

The Douglas Frank Chorale

The year after Morley's book of ballets in 1595 Queen Elizabeth granted him the monopoly on printing music in England upon the expiration of William Byrd's patent. 'A Plaine and Easie Introduction to Practicall Musicke' ensued the next year in 1597 in dedication to Byrd. This book of three sections addressed the fundamentals of song, descant counterpoint and composition for three or more parts. Morley taught that music ought emotively imitate lyric, that is, word painting, a practice in continental Europe as well that continued into the baroque.

In addition to vocal madrigals Morley left behind numerous instrumental and consort works. The term "concert" arises from the consort and broken consort, in which Morley was key in shaping during the transition from late Renaissance to early baroque. The consort simply refers to a group of instruments all of the same family. The broken consort refers to a group of instruments consisting of different families, later shifting to what would become known as chamber music at the height of baroque. Morley's broken consort pieces in 'The First Booke of Consort Lessons' published in 1599 are a collection of sextets by various composers.

Various sextets from 'The First Booke of Consort Lessons'   1599

Collection of various by Thomas Morley for broken consort

The Early Music Consort of London directed by David Munrow

'Phillis, I fain would die now'   Ballet a 5 by Thomas Morley

No.21 of 'First book of ballets to five voices' Edition 2   1600

The Clerkes of Oxenford / David Wulstan

Morley's final book of original compositions was 'The First Booke of Ayres' in 1600.

'It was a lover and his lass'   Ayre a 2 by Thomas Morley

No.6 of 'First book of ayres'   1600

Soprano: Valeria Mignaco   Lute: Alfonso Marin   Belgium

In 1601 Morley published his compilation of English madrigals by various composers called 'The Triumphs of Oriana'. He died the next year in October of 1602, the same year Giulio Caccini published compositions baroque in 'Le Nuove Musiche'.