Thomas Ravenscroft

As a youth, Ravenscroft was a member of the choir at Chichester Cathedral and later at St. Paul's Cathedral. At St. Paul's, he was active in the renewal of of drama for children and participated by writing music, as well as performing as an actor-singer and instrumentalist. He received his higher education at Cambridge and Gresham. In his capacity as editor and theorist, Ravenscroft is responsible for many compilations of songs, including Pammelia, the earliest collection of rounds and catches ever printed, and The Whole Book of Psalms, a psalter that is considered one of the most important of it's time. As a composer, Ravenscroft was not especially memorable, though he earned the respect of his contemporaries. His most important contribution to the music world lies in his collections of traditional rounds and partsongs that offer an understanding of the popular music of his time.