Thomas Morley

Church Music:

Morley wrote music for the liturgy of the Church of England, service settings, psalm settings and a number of Latin motets, under the influence of Byrd and a possible indication of his own religious sympathies at the time. Of particular interest is the setting of the De profundis, Out of the deep, in a second setting as a verse anthem, a peculiarly English form derived from the consort song of the period, involving the contrast of solo voices with the choir, with instrumental accompaniment from the organ or other groups of instruments.



Madrigals:

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 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 Music:

Morley added to the contemporary repertoire for virginals, the general term for the harpsichord of the period. Keyboard music of this kind includes paired pavans and galliards, song variations, including a set of variations on the popualr 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.



Instrumental Music:

Following the custom of the time Morley also wrote for lute and for various groups of instruments, including arrangements of music by other composers.