Thomas East facts for kids

Thomas East (born around 1540 – died January 1609) was an important English printer. He was especially known for printing music. Even though some people call him a publisher, his main job was printing. He made a big difference to music in England. For example, he printed a very important collection of songs called Musica Transalpina in 1588.

His work was sometimes tricky because of special permissions called patents. These were like exclusive rights given by the King or Queen to people like William Byrd and Thomas Morley to print music. East worked closely with William Byrd. He printed many of Byrd's religious songs, including some for Roman Catholic church services.

Thomas East's Career

Thomas East became a full member of the Stationers' Company on December 6, 1565. This company was like a guild for printers and booksellers. His name first appeared as a printer in 1576. He printed a book called Christmas Recreacons by Humphrey Robinson. After this, he often printed many different kinds of books.

Printing Music for Everyone

East didn't print music until 1587. This was after another printer named Thomas Vautrollier, who specialized in music, passed away. Vautrollier's business continued, but not the music printing part. Thomas East bought the special printing equipment for music.

In 1587, the Stationers' Company recorded a set of music books. These were called "Bassus. Sonnettes and Songs made into musick of fyve parts. By William Burd." This was likely an early version of Byrd's Psalmes, Sonets, and Songs of Sadnes and Pietie. In the 1588 edition of this book, East was described as printing in Aldersgate Street. He was also called Byrd's "assignee," meaning he had Byrd's permission to print his music.

The Famous Musica Transalpina

In 1588, a very important collection of Italian madrigals was published. It was called Musica Transalpina. This book helped make madrigals very popular in England. Madrigals are a type of song for several voices, usually without instruments. This book helped start the amazing English madrigal school.

Other Important Books East Printed

In 1589, East printed Byrd's Songs of Sundrie Natures. He also printed the first book of Byrd's Cantiones Sacræ. These were printed at his shop, "at the sign of the Black Horse in Aldersgate Street." The next year, Byrd added two madrigals to Thomas Watson's First Sett of Italian Madrigalls Englished. He had also done this for Musica Transalpina. In 1591, East printed the second set of Byrd's Cantiones Sacræ.

In 1591, East printed a new version of the psalter by William Damon. A psalter is a book of psalms, which are religious songs. The first version of this book was printed in 1579. This new version was special because it showed two ways to harmonize tunes for church singing. One way put the main tune in the tenor voice (a lower male voice). The other way put the tune in the treble voice (a higher voice), which is how we usually do it today.

It seemed that people didn't immediately like the new way of harmonizing. So, in 1592, East printed his own psalter. He seemed to be the editor of this one. In his book, the main tune was in the tenor part, like in older psalters. Ten famous composers helped harmonize the tunes. These included Richard Allison, John Douland, and John Farmer. The first edition of this book was titled:

The Whole Booke of Psalmes: with their wonted tunes, as they are song in Churches, composed into four parts: All which are so placed that foure may sing ech one a seueral part in this booke. Wherein the Church tunes are carefully corrected, and thereunto added other short tunes vsually song in London, and other places of this Realme. With a Table in the end of the booke of such tunes as are newly added, with the number of ech Psalme placed to the said Tune. Compiled by sondry authors who haue so laboured heerin, that the vnskilful with small practice may attaine to sing that part which is fittest for their voice.

This book was an early example of what musicians now call a "score." A score shows all the parts of a song together. Before this, people used "part-books," where each book only had one voice part. So, you needed a whole set of books to sing a madrigal. This book also started the practice of giving tunes different names, like "Glassenburie Tune." East dedicated the psalter to Sir John Puckering.

In 1593, Thomas Morley's Canzonets, or Little Short Songs to three Voyces was printed. In 1594, Morley's Madrigalls to foure Voyces followed. The next year, his five-part ballets and two-part canzonets were published.

On January 22, 1596, William Byrd's special printing permission (patent) ended. For the next two years, East printed books on his own. In September 1596, a book called A brief introduction to the skill of songe was transferred to East. In November, he printed George Kirbye's madrigals.

After the printing monopoly ended, many music books were published. In the next few years, many great English madrigals were printed. In 1597, Nathaniell Patrick's Songs of Sundry Natures was published. The second edition of Musica Transalpina also came out. The next year, Wilbye's first madrigals were published. Also, Morley's madrigals and canzonets, and works by Orlando di Lasso and Weelkes, were printed.

A new patent was given to Thomas Morley in 1598. Even though Morley had this new patent, East continued to print important music. In July 1600, Dowland's Second Book of Songs was printed by East.

In 1601, Jones's First Book of Ayres was published. The big collection of madrigals called The Triumphs of Oriana was also printed. This collection was made to honor Queen Elizabeth I. The idea might have come from a similar collection from Antwerp. The English collection was dedicated to the Earl of Nottingham. It is thought that the Queen liked the name Oriana. However, the book was not actually published until after the Queen's death in 1603. This might be because the name "Oriana" had been used in a way that offended her earlier. This explains why some songs in the collection end with "In Heaven lives Oriana" instead of "Long live fair Oriana."

In 1603, Michael East's contribution arrived too late for the main collection. It was placed right after the dedication. Bateson's song When Oriana walked to take the air was also too late. It was printed in Bateson's first set of madrigals, which East published later in 1603. Other books published in 1603 included Weelkes's second set of madrigals. In 1604, Michael East's first set of madrigals and Francis Pilkington's First Book of Songs or Ayres were published.

Other books printed by East include Byrd's Gradualia in 1605, Youll's Canzonets, and Croce's Musica Sacra in 1607.

What Happened to East's Business After He Died?

The second set of Wilbye's Madrigals (1609) says it was printed by "Thomas East, alias Snodham." This made some people think that East changed his name. But actually, Thomas Snodham was East's nephew and used to be his apprentice. Snodham took over East's business after he died. He kept using East's well-known name on his books for a while to help with sales.

Thomas East left some of his books to his widow, Lucretia East, to help her. She passed away in 1631.