Clarifica me Pater (September 1650)

Thomas Tomkins (1572 – 9 June 1656) was a Welsh born composer of the late Tudor and early Stuart period. In addition to being one of the prominent members of the English Madrigal School, he was a skilled composer of keyboard and consort music, and the last member of the English virginalist school.

Tomkins was born in St David's in Pembrokeshire in 1572. His father, also Thomas, who had moved there in 1565 from the family home of Lostwithiel in Cornwall, was a vicar choral of St David's Cathedral and organist there. When his family moved to Gloucester, he probably became a pupil of William Byrd. In 1607 Tomkins was admitted to the degree of B.Mus. as a member of Magdalen College, Oxford.

In 1596 he had been appointed Organist at Worcester Cathedral. In 1612 Tomkins oversaw the construction in Worcester cathedral of a magnificent new organ by Thomas Dallam, the foremost organ-builder of the day. He continued writing verse anthems, and his collection of 28 madrigals, the Songs of 3, 4, 5 and 6 parts was finally published in 1622. By about 1603 Thomas was appointed a Gentleman Extraordinary of the Chapel Royal. The duties connected with this post included regular journeys between Worcester and London, which Tomkins performed until about 1639. In 1628 Tomkins was named "Composer of [the King's] Music in ordinary" at an annual salary of £40, succeeding Alfonso Ferrabosco the younger who died in March that year. But this prestigious post, the highest honour available to an English musician, was quickly revoked on the grounds that it had been promised to Ferrabosco's son. In 1646 with the choir disbanded and Worcester cathedral closed, Tomkins turned his genius to the composition of some of his finest keyboard and consort music. He was buried in the churchyard of Martin Hussingtree on 9 June 1656.

This performance uses 3 stops: the Prinzipal 8' & Lieblichgedackt of the Positif coupled to the Rohrflöte 8’of the Grand Orgue.

A photo of Worcester Cathedral is attached.