Alfonso Ferrabosco (1543 - 1588) was from a Bolognese
musical family, but served intermittently between 1562
and 1578 in the court of Elizabeth 1. He is known as a
composer of both vocal and instrumental work including
lute music and music for the bandora. His half dozen
known (or attributed) compositions represent a fair
proportion of the surviving solo repertory for the
instrument and the following are two of his bandora
pieces.
Alfonso Ferrabosco the younger (b. Greenwich, c. 1575;
b...(+)
Alfonso Ferrabosco (1543 - 1588) was from a Bolognese
musical family, but served intermittently between 1562
and 1578 in the court of Elizabeth 1. He is known as a
composer of both vocal and instrumental work including
lute music and music for the bandora. His half dozen
known (or attributed) compositions represent a fair
proportion of the surviving solo repertory for the
instrument and the following are two of his bandora
pieces.
Alfonso Ferrabosco the younger (b. Greenwich, c. 1575;
bur. Greenwich, March 11, 1628) was an English composer
and viol player of Italian descent. He straddles the
line between the Renaissance and Baroque eras. He was
the illegitimate son of the Italian composer Alfonso
Ferrabosco the Elder. His mother might have been
Susanna Symons, whom Alfonso the elder later married.
Ferrabosco the younger was left under the guardianship
of Gomer van Awsterwyke, a member of the queen's court.
Although Alfonso the elder asked for Alfonso the
younger to be sent to him in Italy, where he had moved
with his wife, the queen insisted that he stay in
England. Ferrabosco remained in Gomer van Awsterwyke's
care until his death in 1592. At this time he started a
long career as a court musician, including as the
private music tutor of Prince Henry.
Although created for Chorus, I created this arrangement
for Woodwind Quintet (Flute, Oboe, Bb Clarinet, French
Horn & Bassoon).