Composer: Thomas Ravenscroft

From HymnsWithoutWords

Thomas Ravenscroft (c. 1582 - 1635) was an English composer, theorist and editor, notable as a composer of rounds and catches, and especially for compiling collections of British folk music.

Starting his musical career as a member of the choir at Chichester Cathedral he then joined the choir of St. Paul's Cathedral from 1594 to c. 1600, when a "Thomas Raniscroft" was listed on the choir rolls under Thomas Giles, Almoner and Master of the Choristers. He was also a student at Gresham College. He received a Bachelor of Music degree c. 1605 from Cambridge where he copied many Rounds from The Lant Manuscript dating from 1580. This is preserved on a roll of parchement in the library of Kings College, Cambridge. He later taught at Christ's Hospital (1618-22)

Ravenscroft's musical contributions include his collections of folk music, including catches, rounds, street cries, vendor songs, "freeman's songs" and other anonymous music. These were published in three collections:

• Pammelia (1609)
• Deuteromelia or The Seconde part of Musicks melodie (1609) - which includes the first appearance of "Three Blind Mice"
• Melismata (1611)

In 1614 published a treatises on music theory: A Briefe Discourse of the True (but Neglected) Use of Charact'ring the Degrees. A later work, A Treatise of Musick, remains only in manuscript form.

His metrical psalter, The Whole Booke of Psalmes was published in 1621 and was considered one of the most important of its day.

As a composer his works are rarely performed, but they include 11 anthems, 3 motets for five voices and four fantasias for viols.

External Links

• The Music of Thomas Ravenscroft" a web resource written by Greg Lindahl with modern editions, commentary, bibliography, and facsimiles.

Free scores by Thomas Ravenscroft are available at

• Choral Public Domain Library (ChoralWiki)
• Werner Icking Music Archive (WIMA)
• International Music Score Library Project