Robert Jones

Robert Jones received his Bachelor of Music degree from Cambridge in 1597. He had completed the first of his five books of lute songs by 1601 and made a madrigalian contribution to Morley's The Triumphes of Oriana. As a composer, his music technically and harmonically was mediocre and, at best, pre-madrigalian. The movement of the music was almost sluggish, and melodic lines were characteristically non-effective. Though he did make occasional attempts at onomatopoeia (such as bird sounds in "Sweete Philomell") he was not consistent in his use of effective or expressive music. Even the lyric melodies that Jones composed in some of his songs were not encountered on any regular basis. His simple songs were the best, including solos and duets. ~ Keith Johnson