Thomas Robinson (c1560 - c1609)
English composer, teacher, and lutenist. He flourished during the last two decades of the sixteenth century and the first decade of the seventeenth century. He was responsible for the first wholly English lute tutor, The Schoole of Musicke (London, 1603) which was among the first printed sources of lute music in England. He also published New Citharen Lessons (London, 1609), a book with compositions for the cittern - 47 pieces for four course cittern (including one duet) together with 6 pieces for the 14 course archcittern.
A) From The Schoole of Musicke:
Almayne 23 [PDF] [MIDI] [XML] Grade 05
Bellvedere [PDF] [MIDI] [XML] Grade 08
Galliard 6 [PDF] [MIDI] [XML] Grade 06
Galliard 7 [PDF] [MIDI] [XML] Grade 05
Galliard 17 [PDF] [MIDI] [XML] Grade 05
Gigue 22 [PDF] [MIDI] [XML] Grade 07
Three of Robinson’s five Gigues are in 2/4 rather than 3/8 (or related metres) that are more usually found in the baroque era by which time the gigue was commonly one of the movements in instrumental suites. This gigue is constructed with a figure that repeats with variations in the even strains (so it is in what we might now term rondo form).
Go From my Window [PDF] [MIDI] [XML] Grade 07
Several arrangements of this tune are found in the renaissance lute literature. Go here for Dowland’s version and here for the version by Francis Pilkington.
Merry Melancholy [PDF] [MIDI] [XML] Grade 05
The Queen’s Gigue [PDF] [MIDI] [XML] Grade 06
Another gigue in 2/4 time.
The Spanish Pavan [PDF] [MIDI] [XML] Grade 06
This piece is found in the Cosens Lute book as well as the School of Music. The two versions are very nearly identical. My arrangement includes elements from both versions.
B) From archcittern section of New Citharen Lessons:
Fantasia 2 [PDF] [MIDI] [XML] Grade 07
Robinson’s fantasia for two lutes is quite well-known in transcription for two guitars, but I have not seen (or heard) any arrangements of his four fantasias for archcitteren, two of which I present here.
Fantasia 3 [PDF] [MIDI] [XML] Grade 08
Mr. North, his Nowell [PDF] [MIDI] [XML] Grade 05
A) From The Schoole of Musicke:
Almayne 23 [PDF] [MIDI] [XML] Grade 05
Bellvedere [PDF] [MIDI] [XML] Grade 08
Galliard 6 [PDF] [MIDI] [XML] Grade 06
Galliard 7 [PDF] [MIDI] [XML] Grade 05
Galliard 17 [PDF] [MIDI] [XML] Grade 05
Gigue 22 [PDF] [MIDI] [XML] Grade 07
Three of Robinson’s five Gigues are in 2/4 rather than 3/8 (or related metres) that are more usually found in the baroque era by which time the gigue was commonly one of the movements in instrumental suites. This gigue is constructed with a figure that repeats with variations in the even strains (so it is in what we might now term rondo form).
Go From my Window [PDF] [MIDI] [XML] Grade 07
Several arrangements of this tune are found in the renaissance lute literature. Go here for Dowland’s version and here for the version by Francis Pilkington.
Merry Melancholy [PDF] [MIDI] [XML] Grade 05
The Queen’s Gigue [PDF] [MIDI] [XML] Grade 06
Another gigue in 2/4 time.
The Spanish Pavan [PDF] [MIDI] [XML] Grade 06
This piece is found in the Cosens Lute book as well as the School of Music. The two versions are very nearly identical. My arrangement includes elements from both versions.
B) From archcittern section of New Citharen Lessons:
Fantasia 2 [PDF] [MIDI] [XML] Grade 07
Robinson’s fantasia for two lutes is quite well-known in transcription for two guitars, but I have not seen (or heard) any arrangements of his four fantasias for archcitteren, two of which I present here.
Fantasia 3 [PDF] [MIDI] [XML] Grade 08
Mr. North, his Nowell [PDF] [MIDI] [XML] Grade 05
