A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Damon, William

DAMON, WILLIAM, one of the musicians to Queen Elizabeth, harmonised for the use of a friend the psalm tunes then in common use, to the number of about forty. His friend, in 1579, published them under the following title:—'¶ The Psalmes of David in English Meter with Notes of foure partes set unto them by Guilielmo Damon, for John Bull [who is called in the preface, 'Citezen and Goldsmith of London '], to the use of the godly Christians for recreatyng themselves in stede of fond and unseemly Ballades. At London, Printed by John Daye. Cum privilegio.' This work seems to have been but ill received, and Damon set himself to work to reharmonise the tunes. The new work was published in 1591 with the title of '¶ The former Booke of the Musicke of M. William Damon, late one of her Majesties Musitions, containing all the tunes of David's Psalms, as they are ordinarily soung in the Church: most excellently by him composed into 4 partes. In which sett the Tenor singeth the Church tune. Published for the recreation of such as delight in Musicke by W. Swayne, Gent. Printed by T. Este, the assigne of W. Byrd, 1591.' The work is in two parts, the second being entitled '¶ The second Booke of the Musicke of M. William Damon, containing all the Tunes of David's Psalms, differing from the former in respect that the highest part singeth the Church tune.'

[ W. H. H. ]