Thomas Tomkins
Biography
Member of a musical family, English composer Thomas Tomkins (1572-1656) was a student of William Byrd. From 1596, Tomkins was organist at Worcester Cathedral, a post he would hold nearly his whole life. In the 1620s, Tomkins shared organist duties at the Chapel Royal with Orlando Gibbons, but never achieved the post of Composer of the King's Music. Civil unrest ultimately absorbed the reign of Charles I; Charles' beheading in 1649 inspired Tomkins' most famous composition, "Pavane for These Distracted Times." Predominantly known for his keyboard music, Tomkins was also prolific in producing madrigals, sacred anthems, Latin service music and songs.