Thomas Tomkins’ “When David Heard"
Throughout September, the Daily Classical Music Post celebrates the music of 15th-, 16th-, and 17th-century England. https://youtu.be/eEkx_q4eqoU Thomas Tomkins (1572–1656) was born in Wales. His father was a vicar choral and organist at St David’s Cathedral. When Tomkins was still quite young, the family moved to Gloucester, where Tomkins may have studied with William Byrd. Tomkins became a chorister in the Chapel Royal, and later studied for his BMus at Magdalen College, Oxford. He spent many years as organist of Worcester Cathedral. Tomkins was a highly respected composer of madrigals, keyboard music, and lute songs, as well as anthems and many other sacred choral works. Peter Phillips says, “Tomkins . . . was an early example of that well-known phenomenon which has characterised the careers of some of the greatest British composers. They all made a significant contribution to the music of their time, but did so in a style which, when they came to take it up, had been thoroughly exp...