ABSTRACT
Thomas Tomkins must have been a man of great energy, for as well as his duties as organist at Worcester and his journeyings between there and London, his output of compositions was considerable. The awakened interest in the writing for instruments amongst Tomkins's predecessors, particularly Byrd, had a considerable influence upon vocal style. Tomkins was no exception to this influence, and there are many examples in the Songs, particularly in It is my well-beloved's voice and Oyez! has any found a lad. He knew well how to make effective use of vocal 'scoring', as in the opening passage of his setting of part of Psalm 120, Woe is me. The entry of the alto and first soprano on the dissonant minor second adds to the dolefulness of the scene. Tomkins's most obvious claim to fame is his Musica Deo sacra, which was published in 1668 and printed by William Godbid.
