Thomas Farthyng

Thomas Farthyng has the least number of surviving works of any composer in this collection. He must have been born around 1475 since he was listed as a chorister at King’s College, Cambridge, in 1483. His association with music at King’s continued at least to 1500 when he received the MusB from Cambridge. By 1511 Thomas Farthyng was included in the list of Gentlemen of the Chapel Royal and was still there at the Field of the Cloth of Gold in May of 1520 . . . but his will is dated November of that year, and it is thought that he died soon after. Most of his few remaining works are found in the ‘Henry VIII Manuscript’ (British Lib. Add.31922).

Hey, now, now

This round from ‘Henry VIII Manuscript’ (British Lib. Add.31922) has been ‘arranged’ and text added.

Thomas Farthyng "Hey, now, now"

by Concentus Musicus MN, Arthur Maud, dir. | 'Cloth of Gold' sess. 1972

Hey, now, now Summer is come

and every spray now springs,

In May, that lusty season

Another round from ‘Henry VIII Manuscript’.

Thomas Farthyng "In May, that lusty season"

by Concentus Musicus MN, Arthur Maud, dir. | Concentus Cantorum 'Garden Green' 1990

In May, that lusty season, To gather the

flowers down by the meadows green.

The birds sang on every branch,

So merrily it joyed my heart.

They toyned so clean.

The nightingale sang on high joyfully,

So merrily among the thornes keen.