All the above have been noted in earlier sections except Monteverdi (see sec. 77) and Luca Marenzio (d. 1599), who was born near Brescia and a pupil there of Contino, in the service of Cardinal Luigi d' Este, first at Triest and from 1580 at Rome, where from 1595 he was organist in the Papal Chapel. Although also a sacred writer, his renown rests on his incomparable madrigals, canzonette and villanelle (almost 20 vols. from 1580).
The English development of the madrigal was prompt and
rich, but marked by an instinctive effort to merge the madrigal
proper with the lighter and gayer styles of the part-song and
the dance. For convenience, the more famous writers are here
grouped together, though their activity reached far into the
17th century.
The earliest MS. specimens date from about 1560, but the greater number
come after 1590, being stimulated by reprints of Italian works. During the
next 40 years about 2000 madrigals were published, and more remain in MS.
In many cases competent composers wrote little else, so that at the opening of
the 17th century the English school really devoted itself to this form. To
the pioneers Edwards and Byrd, already mentioned, the following should be
added:—
Thomas Morley (d. c. 1602), born in 1557 and a pupil of Byrd, entered the Chapel Royal in 1592, after being for a time organist at St. Paul's, and succeeded to Byrd's monopoly in 1598. His canzonets (from 1593), madrigals (from 1594), ballets (1595) and ayres (1600) constitute the best of his work, though his instrumental pieces and limited sacred music are also notable. His theoretical treatise (1597) was influential.
John Dowland (d. 1626), born in 1563, was exclusively a secular composer, and famous as a virtuoso upon the lute. Partly because of his Catholic associations in early life, he spent much time abroad from 1580, visiting France, Germany and Italy, besides being employed in 1598-1606 with peculiar honors at the Danish court. On returning to England, he held two or three positions, the last as court-lutist. His madrigals and ayres (1596-1621) have remained in use to the present. He also issued a popular set of instrumental pavans (1605) and a translation of Ornithoparchus' book (1609), with a short addition of his own.
George Kirbye (d. 1634) is known from one book of fine madrigals (1597) and others scattered in collections or MS. Thomas Weelkes, who also entered the field with success in 1597 with several books, was organist successively at Winchester College and at Chichester. John Wilbye gained the title of 'the chief of English madrigalists' by some 65 famous specimens (from 1598). John Bennet issued one book (1599) of exquisite beauty, with some other pieces, including a few anthems and hymn-tunes (till 1614). Thomas Bateson (d. 1630), organist at Chester from 1599 and at Dublin from 1609, was almost equally expert (works, 1604-18). Michael Este, choirmaster at Lichfield, not only wrote many fine madrigals (1604-38), but considerable instrumental music and some anthems. Francis Pilkington was connected with Chester Cathedral (ayres and madrigals, 1605-24). Thomas Ford (d.
