The consort songs and madrigals of Richard Nicholson

Abstract

When Thomas Morley was compiling The Triumphes of Oriana, a set of madrigals in honour of Queen Elizabeth, he invited several of his fellow composers to contribute to the collection.1 The published work included madrigals from twenty-two composers other than Morley, some of whom are well known for their publications of individual sets of madrigals, e.g., Weelkes, Wilbye, Tomkins and Morley himself. Other leading composers of the day, such as Byrd, Farnaby, Dowland and Holborne are not represented, for one reason or another.2 Among the composers who submitted a madrigal to the collection, but who are otherwise not known by separate publications of madrigals are Hilton (the elder), Marson, Ellis Gibbons, Norcome, Holmes, Hunt, Cobbold, Milton, Lisley, Johnson and Richard Nicholson.3 This article is concerned with the consort songs and madrigals of the last-named composer of this group.