Thomas Ravenscroft

Life

Born: 1592

Died: 1633

Biography Thomas Ravenscroft was an English musician, theorist and editor, notable as a composer of rounds and catches, and especially for compiling collections of British folk music. Ravenscroft's principal contributions are his collections of folk music, including catches, rounds, street cries, vendor songs, "freeman's songs" and other anonymous music, in three collections: Pammelia (1609), Deuteromelia or The Seconde Part of Musicks Melodie (1609) and Melismata (1611), which contains one of the best-known works in his collections, The Three Ravens. Some of the music he compiled has acquired extraordinary fame, though his name is rarely associated with the music; for example Three Blind Mice first appears in Deuteromelia. He also published a metrical psalter (The Whole Booke of Psalmes ) in 1621.

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List of choral works

1. Secular songs

Ale and tobacco And seest thou my cow As I went by the way Banbury Ale A Belman's Song Brooms for old shoes Browning Madame By a bank Canst thou love Come drinke to me Come follow me merrily The courtiers courtship to his mistris; the mistris to the courtier The courtiers good morrow to his mistris The crowning of Belphebe The Cryer's Song of Cheape-Side Dery ding, dig, dasson The Fayries Daunce Go no more to Brainford Go to Joane Glover The great bells of Oesney Haste, haste, post haste A Hawkes up, for a Hunts up Hawking for the Partridge

He that will an ale-house keepe Hey down a down/Ut, re, mi, fa, sol, la Hey downe a downe Hey ho, to the greene wood Hey, ho, nobody at home Hodge Trillindle to his Zweet hart I am a-thirst I have a house and land in Kent I lay with an old man I pray good Mother In Five Four In the merry spring Joan, come kiss me now Kit and Tom chid a Lady come downe Leave of Hymen Malkinz anzwer to Hodge Trillindle The marriage of the frogge and the mouse Maults come down Mercuries song, the messenger of the gods My master is so wise My mistress will not be content New oysters new

Now flowres Of Ale Of all the birds that ever I see Of Beare Oh my love A round of three country dances in one The Satyres Daunce Seruants out of Seruice Sing we now merrily A Song of Pages Their Goncluzion There were three ravens Three Blinde Mice Tomorrow the fox will come to town Toss the pot The Urchins Daunce Ut Re Me We be souldiers three We be three poore mariners Where are you faire Maides Will ye love me The wind blows out of the west

2. Sacred songs

2a. From Pammelia, 1609

• Exaudi Domine orationem meam   (canon)

2b. From Melismata, 1611

• Remember, O Thou Man   (A Christmas Carol)

2c. From The Whole Booke of Psalmes, 1621

All laud and praise with heart and voice   (Psalm 30) The complaint of a sinner (Where righteousness doth say) Give thanks unto the Lord our God   (Psalm 107) Give to the Lord, ye potentates   (Psalm 29) In God the Lord I put my trust   (Psalm 11) I will give laud and honor both (Psalm 34) Lord, bow thine ear to my request   (Psalm 86) Lord, keep me, for I trust in Thee   (Psalm 16) My Lord my God in all distresse (Psalm 71) My shepherd is the living Lord (Psalm 23)

Now Israel may say, and that truly   (Psalm 124) Nunc Dimittis (Song of Simeon) O all ye nations of the world   (Psalm 117) O God, my God, wherefore dost Thou   (Psalm 22) O God our Lord how wonderful   (Psalm 8) O God, that art my righteousness   (Psalm 4) O Lord, give ear to my just cause   (Psalm 17) O Lord, how are my foes increased   (Psalm 3) Praise ye the Lord   (Psalm 147)

Remember David's troubles, Lord (Psalm 132) Psalm Before Evening Prayer   (Behold, now give heed) That man is blest whose wickedness   (Psalm 32) Thou, Lord, hast been our sure defense   (Psalm 90) Why did the Gentiles tumults raise   (Psalm 2) The wicked with his works unjust   (Psalm 36) With heart and mouth unto the Lord   (Psalm 9) Ye children which do serve the Lord   (Psalm 113) Ye righteous in the Lord, rejoice (Psalm 33)

Editions of whole collections

Deuteromelia (Edited by Andreas Stenberg)   (   ) Pammelia; The three part canons (Edited by A.Stenberg)   (   )

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Publications

• Pammelia. Musicks Miscellanie. (1609)
• Deuteromelia: Or The Second part of Musicks melodie. (1609)
• Melismata. Musicall Phansies. Fitting the Court, Citie, and Countrey Humours. To 3, 4, and 5. Voyces. (1611)
• A briefe discourse Of the true (but neglected) use of Charact'ring the Degrees by their Perfection [...] (1614)
• The Whole Booke of Psalmes: With The Humnes Evangelicall, and Songs Spiritual. [...] (1621)

External links

The Music of Thomas Ravenscroft: The best online resource for modern editions, facsimiles, discography and bibliography.