ROBINSON, THOMAS [SSNE 1366]
Text source
Thomas Robinson (b. ca. 1560)is listed as a lutenist and composer, born in England, but who came to serve as a professional musician at the court of Denmark.
Thomas worked for Thomas Cecil, 1st earl of Exeter (whilst his father worked for Robert Cecil, 1st Earl of Salisbury). However, before 1589 Thomas already worked as private music teacher for Princess Anna of Denmark (who later married King James VI of Scotland, and subsequently became Queen of Great Britain) and her sister Sophie, in Elsinore.
In 1603 he published a book of musical instruction called Medulla Musicke (The Stationer's Company, 1603), but seemingly there are no extant copies. That same year Thomas' second book, The Schoole of Musicke (Thomas Este, 1603), was also published. Yet another book, New Citharen Lessons (London, 1609), was published in 1609.
Sources:
Dictionary of National Biography; see also David Lumsden, 'The Sources of English Lute Music (1540-1620)' (unpublished phd thesis, 1955).
Service record
- ENGLAND, DENMARK
- Arrived 1588-12-01
- Departed 1603-12-31
- Capacity LUTENIST, MUSICIAN, purpose ROYAL SERVANT