Nicholas Yonge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Nicholas Yonge
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| Born | 1560 Lewes, Sussex |
| Origin | England |
| Died | 23 October 1619 |
| Occupation(s) | Singer and publisher |
Nicholas Yonge (born around 1560 in Lewes, Sussex, England – died October 23, 1619, in St Michael, Cornhill, London) was an English singer and publisher. He is best known for publishing a very important music collection called Musica transalpina in 1588. This book was a collection of Italian madrigals. Madrigals are a type of song for several voices, usually without instruments.
What made Yonge's book special was that he translated the Italian words of these songs into English. This made the songs popular in England. The book helped start a big trend of composing and singing madrigals in England. This trend lasted for many years, even into the early 1600s. People loved Musica transalpina so much that a famous person named William Heather even included the book in his portrait around 1627. This shows how long the book's influence lasted.
Contents
What is Musica Transalpina?
Musica transalpina means "Music from beyond the Alps." This name refers to the music coming from Italy, which is across the Alps from England. The book contains 57 different songs. These songs were written by 18 different composers.
Key Composers in the Collection
The composer with the most songs in the book was Alfonso Ferrabosco the elder. He had been living in England until 1578. This might explain why so many of his songs were included. He was not as well-known in Italy. The second most featured composer was Luca Marenzio.
Yonge's Second Book of Madrigals
In 1597, Nicholas Yonge published a second book of madrigals. Its full title was Musica transalpina: the Second Booke of Madrigalles, ... translated out of Sundrie Italian Authors. This book also contained many popular Italian madrigals translated into English.
Influence on English Composers
Both of Yonge's collections were very important for English composers. Musicians like John Wilbye and Thomas Weelkes used the songs in these books as examples for their own music. Yonge's work helped shape the sound of English music during that time.
See also
- Nicholas Yonge para niños (in Spanish)
