Orlando Gibbons

( Originally Published 1923 )

Born 1583 ; died 1625. He was the son of one of the City Waits of Cambridge--a body of players and singers attached to the Mayor and Corporation. Two of Orlando's brothers became professional musicians. Orlando began life as a choir-boy at King's College (his brother Edward being Master of the Choristers). Then, at twenty-one, he became Organist of the Chapel Royal, and nineteen years later of Westminster Abbey. His death took place at Canterbury, where he was in attendance on Charles I, who had gone there to receive his bride on her arrival from the Continent, and he is buried in the Cathedral there, where a bust of him is to be seen. He left a great many pieces of fine Church Music, a smaller number of Madrigals, many ` Fancies' or ` Fantasias' for Viols, and some Virginals Music. His Church Music is of especial importance.

FURTHER READING. Articles by J. A. Fuller-Maitland, in Grove's Dictionary ; chapters in Fellowes' English Madrigal Composers, and Bridge's Twelve Good Musicians and Anderton's Early English Music ; passages in Walker and in Davey.

PRINTED MUSIC. Various ANTHEMS, SERVICES, MADRIGALS, &c. in Novello's catalogue. The complete Madrigal Works have appeared in Dr. Fellowes' edition, published by Stainer & Bell : the Church Music is to appear in the Carnegie Trust's edition, published by the Oxford University Press. A selection of the KEYBOARD MUSIC has been edited by Pauer (Augener, 4s.) : it is, for the most part, somewhat more severe in style than the companion selections of music by Byrd and Bull (a large amount of Gibbons' keyboard music is as yet unpublished). A useful volume of easy pieces is edited by Margaret H. Glyn (Joseph Williams, 2s. 6d.).