Richard Allison
Encyclopedia
Richard Alison (born ca. 1560-1570 died before 1610) was an English composer. He wrote de la Tromba, a fine broken consort
piece which has several professional recordings and first became well known due to the Julian Bream
Consort.
He was known to be in the service of the Countess of Warwick in 1599, and then working for Sir John Scudamore
. His publications are: The Psalms of David in Meter (1599) and An Hour's Recreation in musicke, apt for instruments and voyces, (1606). His work also appears in Michael East
's and Thomas Ravenscroft
's psalters, and Thomas Morley
's broken consort
publication.
He referred in the dedication of his Psalmes to the late Ambrose Dudley, 3rd Earl of Warwick
as 'my good Lord and Master'. Allison is represented by 13 compositions in a set of consort books (dated 1588), from the household of Sir Francis Walsingham
. Ten four-part settings by him appeared in Thomas East's Whole Booke of Psalms (1592), and he contributed a dedicatory poem to Giles Farnaby
's Canzonets to Fowre Voyces (1598).
In 1599, he published his own Psalmes of David in Meter, giving his London address as Dukes Place, near Aldgate
, and describing himself as a 'gentleman' and a 'practitioner' of music. This print also includes his coat of arms, providing much information about his family. In the same year, seven of his instrumental works appeared without attribution in Morley's First Booke of Consort Lessons (claims that Allison may have been the 'gentleman' who financed the publication remain unsubstantiated and seem improbable).
In 1606, he published An Howres Recreation in Musicke, acknowledging Sir John Scudamore (of Holme Lacy
, near Hereford
) as his patron. He is not heard of again, and may well have been dead by the time of Philip Rosseter
's Lessens for Consort (1609) which includes four of his compositions, together with the information that most of the contents are by composers 'whose memorie only remaines'.
Broken consort
A broken consort in English early Baroque musical terminology refers to ensembles featuring instruments from more than one family, for example a group featuring both string and wind instruments...
piece which has several professional recordings and first became well known due to the Julian Bream
Julian Bream
Julian Bream, CBE is an English classical guitarist and lutenist and is one of the most distinguished classical guitarists of the 20th century. He has also been successful in renewing popular interest in the Renaissance lute....
Consort.
He was known to be in the service of the Countess of Warwick in 1599, and then working for Sir John Scudamore
John Scudamore (courtier)
Sir John Scudamore, as the eldest son of William Scudamore, but due to his father's early death was a ward of Sir James Croft of Croft Castle, Herefordshire, whose daughter Eleanor he married in 1563....
. His publications are: The Psalms of David in Meter (1599) and An Hour's Recreation in musicke, apt for instruments and voyces, (1606). His work also appears in Michael East
Michael East (composer)
Michael East was an English organist and composer. He was a nephew of London music publisher Thomas East , although, once it was thought that he was his son....
's and Thomas Ravenscroft
Thomas Ravenscroft
Thomas Ravenscroft was an English musician, theorist and editor, notable as a composer of rounds and catches, and especially for compiling collections of British folk music.He probably sang in the choir of St...
's psalters, and Thomas Morley
Thomas Morley
Thomas Morley was an English composer, theorist, editor and organist of the Renaissance, and the foremost member of the English Madrigal School. He was the most famous composer of secular music in Elizabethan England and an organist at St Paul's Cathedral...
's broken consort
Broken consort
A broken consort in English early Baroque musical terminology refers to ensembles featuring instruments from more than one family, for example a group featuring both string and wind instruments...
publication.
He referred in the dedication of his Psalmes to the late Ambrose Dudley, 3rd Earl of Warwick
Ambrose Dudley, 3rd Earl of Warwick
Ambrose Dudley, 3rd Earl of Warwick, KG was an English nobleman and general, and an elder brother of Queen Elizabeth I's favourite, Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester...
as 'my good Lord and Master'. Allison is represented by 13 compositions in a set of consort books (dated 1588), from the household of Sir Francis Walsingham
Francis Walsingham
Sir Francis Walsingham was Principal Secretary to Elizabeth I of England from 1573 until 1590, and is popularly remembered as her "spymaster". Walsingham is frequently cited as one of the earliest practitioners of modern intelligence methods both for espionage and for domestic security...
. Ten four-part settings by him appeared in Thomas East's Whole Booke of Psalms (1592), and he contributed a dedicatory poem to Giles Farnaby
Giles Farnaby
Giles Farnaby was an English composer and virginalist of the Renaissance and Baroque periods.-Life:Giles Farnaby was born about 1563, perhaps in Truro, Cornwall, England or near London. His father, Thomas, was a Cittizen and Joyner of London, and Giles may have been related to Thomas Farnaby , the...
's Canzonets to Fowre Voyces (1598).
In 1599, he published his own Psalmes of David in Meter, giving his London address as Dukes Place, near Aldgate
Aldgate
Aldgate was the eastern most gateway through London Wall leading from the City of London to Whitechapel and the east end of London. Aldgate gives its name to a ward of the City...
, and describing himself as a 'gentleman' and a 'practitioner' of music. This print also includes his coat of arms, providing much information about his family. In the same year, seven of his instrumental works appeared without attribution in Morley's First Booke of Consort Lessons (claims that Allison may have been the 'gentleman' who financed the publication remain unsubstantiated and seem improbable).
In 1606, he published An Howres Recreation in Musicke, acknowledging Sir John Scudamore (of Holme Lacy
Holme Lacy
-Etymology:Holme Lacy is not from Old Norse holmr "island" like other places of the name Holme, but from the fairly similar Old English hamm "land in a river-bend". The name was recorded as Hamme in the Domesday Book in 1086...
, near Hereford
Hereford
Hereford is a cathedral city, civil parish and county town of Herefordshire, England. It lies on the River Wye, approximately east of the border with Wales, southwest of Worcester, and northwest of Gloucester...
) as his patron. He is not heard of again, and may well have been dead by the time of Philip Rosseter
Philip Rosseter
Philip Rosseter was an English composer and musician, as well as a theatrical manager. From 1603 until his death in 1623 he was lutenist for James I of England. Rosseter is best known for A Book of Aires which was written with Thomas Campion...
's Lessens for Consort (1609) which includes four of his compositions, together with the information that most of the contents are by composers 'whose memorie only remaines'.