Thomas Simpson

Full biography Thomas Simpson

Thomas Simpson was an English composer who lived in the early 17th century. He was born in Kent in 1582 and is thought to have died around 1628. Very little is known about his life, but it is believed that he worked in Germany at some point in his career.

Simpson's surviving compositions are all instrumental, and they are contained mostly in manuscript collections held in various archives. One of the largest single sources of his music is the manuscript known as the Dublin Virginal Book, in which there are ten works attributed to him.

Despite his relatively obscure status, Simpson's music is notable for its sophisticated, highly ornamented style, which shows the influence of the English keyboard tradition as well as continental models. His works are often characterized by lively rhythms, florid passagework, and rich harmonies.

Due to the scarcity of information about his life and career, Thomas Simpson remains a somewhat enigmatic figure in the history of English music. Nonetheless, his surviving works are held in high esteem by scholars and performers today, and they continue to be performed and recorded alongside those of better-known composers of his time.