MORLEY, THOMAS (1557-1602)

Thomas Morley is a famous 16th century English composer (born 1557, died 1602) who as a youth was a pupil of William Byrd. He was schooled at Oxford University (1588) and became organist at St. Paul's Cathedral. In 1592, he was named Gentleman of the Chapel Royal. He composed many vocal and instrumental works both sacred and secular. They are unusually melodious and many of his madrigals and ballets are still popular, among which are the three chosen for this collection. He was the most famous composer of secular music in Elizabethan England and an organist at St Paul's Cathedral. He and Robert Johnson are the composers of the only surviving contemporary settings of verse by Shakespeare.