A Fancy

These three works are taken from "Three Seventeenth-Century Transcripts", edited and arranged by Arthur Veal, and published by Novello in 1983.

Arthur Veal (1905-1989) was a student of Edward C. Bairstow and G. D. Cunningham. He was an organist and teacher in Bedford, and later music advisor to the Nottingham Education Committee.

In all three "transcriptions," the 17th century style has been "filled out," making the effect a combination of both 17th century and 20th century sounds and effects.

The notes are taken almost directly from the foreword in the score.

"A Fancy"

The source of this work is the British Library in which it appears in its original form of a keyboard duet.

The Fancy (Fantasia) belonged to the late 16th and 17th centuries and was related to the "ricercare" in its use of contrapuntal devices. Antiphonal effects between upper and lower registers were another common feature of the style which preceded the fugue.

Thomas Tomkins (1572-1656), a member of a large and musical family, was a pupil of William Byrd and organist of the Chapel Royal. He later became organist of Worcester Cathedral and was a prolific composer greatly in advance of his time.

I found this one the most difficult to play of the set of three, since the texture combines very "thick" at the end, with large chords, despite the fact that the quick tempo is essentially maintained until almost the very end.

Since these works are still copyright, I have not included the score, but if you are interested in having it, please feel free to let me know. :-)

A painting of Thomas Tomkins is attached below.