Thomas Ravenscroft's "Three Blinde Mice"

Throughout September, the Daily Classical Music Post celebrates the music of 15th-, 16th-, and 17th-century England.

https://youtu.be/AMjPA2_CNdc

The English composer Thomas Ravenscroft (c. 1588–1635) was particularly notable for his rounds and catches. He was a chorister at St Paul's Cathedral, and he did compose some well-known sacred music, including the Christmas carol "Remember, O Thou Man," but it is his secular music that really shines.

I don't think that there can be anyone who hasn't heard of, and probably sung, some version of "Three Blind Mice." What most people will NOT know is that the rhyme was most likely written by Ravenscroft, and he also wrote the music. This lovely little ditty became a staple of childhood literature in the mid-19th century -- with very different words. There is speculation that the original text -- "Three Blinde Mice, / Three Blinde Mice, / Dame Iulian, / Dame Iulian, / the Miller and his merry olde Wife, / she scrapte her tripe licke thou the knife." -- had something to do with three Protestants (the mice) who were executed by the Catholic queen Mary I, but that hasn't been proven.

My classical music post for today is Thomas Ravenscroft's "Three Blinde Mice."

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