Francis Pilkington (ca. 1565 – 1638) was an English
composer, lutenist and singer. Pilkington received a
B.Mus. degree from Oxford in 1595. In 1602 he became a
singing man at Chester Cathedral and spent the rest of
his life serving the cathedral. He became a minor canon
in 1612, took holy orders in 1614 and was named
precentor of the cathedral in 1623. Although he was a
churchman, Pilkington composed largely secular
music—ayres, madrigals, and lute songs. He died in
Chester.
Franci...(+)
Francis Pilkington (ca. 1565 – 1638) was an English
composer, lutenist and singer. Pilkington received a
B.Mus. degree from Oxford in 1595. In 1602 he became a
singing man at Chester Cathedral and spent the rest of
his life serving the cathedral. He became a minor canon
in 1612, took holy orders in 1614 and was named
precentor of the cathedral in 1623. Although he was a
churchman, Pilkington composed largely secular
music—ayres, madrigals, and lute songs. He died in
Chester.
Francis Pilkington might be regarded as an English
counterpart to the better known Renaissance-era French
composer Clément Janequin. Both were clergymen, the
latter a Roman Catholic priest, Pilkington a minister
in the English Church; and both devoted most of their
compositional energies to vocal music in the secular
realm, with only secondary interest in sacred
composition. Pilkington was obviously the lesser of the
two, though his music exhibits special talent, even if
it lacked exceptional melodic appeal and imaginative
structural features.
Pilkington was born in England, probably in Lancashire
County, around 1570. His father and older brother were
in the service of the Earl of Derby, and it is likely
that the Earl provided the young Pilkington with
extensive musical instruction from his early childhood:
the composer accepted a BMus degree from Lincoln
College in 1595, making reference to his sixteen years
of musical study. By his own account he was an
accomplished lutenist, but it was his vocal and
compositional skills that would forge his
reputation.
In 1602 he was conferred a ‘singing man', or
‘conduct', at Chester Cathedral, and by now was
producing his first songs. The first volume of his
so-called lute-songs appeared in 1605, but soon it
would be more than just the creation and performance of
music that occupied him: in 1612 he became a Canon in
the English Church and two years later was elevated to
the rank of ‘full minister'.
His second volume works appeared in 1613 under the
title, The First Set of Madrigals and Pastorals.
Beginning the following year he accepted several
positions--some held simultaneously--at various
churches in Chester. His appointments included curate
at St. Bridget's, precentor (cantor or choirmaster) at
the Chester Cathedral (a post he maintained until his
death), and rector at Aldford Cathedral (1631).
In 1624 his third volume of works was published, a sort
of sequel to the previous collection, The Second Set of
Madrigals and Pastorals. This effort also contained
instrumental works for viol and a Psalm setting. In the
mid-1630s Pilkington left the Aldford post to focus
primarily on his work at the Chester Cathedral. He had
expressed a desire to compose and publish more music,
but the 1624 collection was the last to appear in his
lifetime. He died in Chester, England, in 1638.
"Look Mistress Mine within This Hollow Breast" is from
the First Book of Aires (No. 12 f.G2v) and although
originally written for Voice & Lute, I created this
arrangement for English Horn and Concert (Pedal) Harp.
SHEET MUSIC