Thomas Morley (1557 - 10/1602)

It is as a composer of madrigals that Morley is widely known. The Canzonets, or Little Short Songs to Three Voyces published in 1593 were followed by a collection of four-part madrigals in 1594 and a series of other publications during the decade, some of them adaptations and arrangements of Italian madrigals. In 1601 Morley published the collaborative The Triumphs of Oriana, a tribute to Queen Elizabeth for which he collected madrigals by 23 composers as an offering to the aging Arcadian Queen of the Shepherds. Well-known madrigals by Morley include Aprill is in my mistris face, My bonny lasse shee smyleth, Now is the month of maying, O sleep, fond fancy, Sing wee and chaunt it, Sweet nymphe, come to thy lover and Though Philomela lost hir love. Solo songs by Morley include It was a lover and his lasse, a song that appears in Shakespeare’s pastoral comedy As You Like It.

Keyboard and Other Instrumental Music

Morley added to the contemporary repertoire for the virginals. Keyboard music of this kind includes paired pavans and galliards, song variations, including a set of variations on the popular song Go from my window, and a Passymeasures pavan, a title that recalls the words of Sir Toby Belch in Shakespeare’s comedy Twelfth Night. Following the custom of the time, Morley also wrote for lute and for various groups of instruments, including arrangements of music by other composers.