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Thomas Tomkins

Thomas Tomkins (1572 – 9 June 1656) was a Welsh-born composer of the late Tudor and early Stuart period. In addition to being one of the prominent members of the English Madrigal School, he was a skilled composer of keyboard and consort music, and the last member of the English virginalist school.

Tomkins was born in St David’s in Pembrokeshire in 1572. His father, also Thomas, who had moved there in 1565 from the family home of Lostwithiel in Cornwall, was a vicar choral of St David’s Cathedral and organist there. Three of Thomas junior’s half-brothers, John, Giles and Robert, also became eminent musicians, but none attained the fame of Thomas.  In time Thomas and his family had moved to Gloucester, where his father was employed as a minor canon at the cathedral.

It is thought that Thomas studied under William Byrd for a time, for one of his songs bears the inscription: “To my ancient, and much reverenced Master, William Byrd”, and it may have been at this period of his career, since Byrd leased property at Longney, near Gloucester.  Although documentary proof is lacking, it is also possible that Byrd was instrumental in finding young Thomas a place as chorister in the Chapel Royal. In any case, all former Chapel Royal choristers were required to be found a place at university, and in 1607 Tomkins was admitted to the degree of B.Mus. as a member of Magdalen College, Oxford.