Music in The Elizabethan Era - Composers

Composers

Many composers of the period are still known by name, today. William Byrd (1539–1623) was considered by most modern authorities “the greatest of all the Elizabethan composers (from Gail B. Stuart’s Life in Elizabethan London).” He was the leading composer of religious music. Many of his songs still exist today. William Byrd was the chief organist and composer for Queen Elizabeth. Also during the 16th century were John Bull (1562–1628), best-known organist of the Elizabethan era, and John Dowland (1563–1626), leading composer of lute music. John Dowland published his first book of songs or Ayres in 1597. It became a bestseller.

Music was starting to be taught in schools and universities such as The English Madrigal School. A madrigal was the most common form of secular vocal music. “The poetic madrigal is a lyric consisting of one to four strophes of three lines followed by a two-line strophe (www.encyclopedia.com).” The madrigal school was brief but contributed to the intense growth of the music in England. Many famous and less famous composers emerged from the Madrigal School. The English Madrigals were a cappella, light in style, and generally began as either copies or direct translations of Italian models. Most were for three to six voices. Other composers include Robert Johnson, John Taverner, Thomas Morley, Orlando Gibbons, and John Blitheman.