Eulogy For Thomas Tallis

Good afternoon, my name Thomas Tallis. I am considered as one of England’s greatest composers of medieval church music. Today I shall be giving a small overview of my past living life and musical career. I was born around 1505, in Kent, maybe. Your historians deem me as a shadowy character, and so they don’t know for sure. Frankly, I don’t remember either, but that’s besides the point. Anyways, moving on, I was a choirboy of the Chapel Royal when I was young, and that’s where I gained most of my musical education. When I was 27 years old, I started my career as an organist at a priory in Dover. That priory was relatively small and poor, so I couldn’t expand on my career there. 5 years later, I found myself again as an organist, but this time at St. Mary-le-Hill in Billingsgate, London. Unfortunately I only lasted for 3 years there before King Henry VIII dissolved it. Fortunately though, I landed a job as a lay clerk at the Canterbury Cathedral soon after. A lay clerk is a professional male singer. However, I didn’t not remain there for long, as I rejoined the Chapel Royal as a Gentleman the very next year. A Gentleman of the Chapel Royal is one who sings church services for the
Did you know that I saw a total of 5 monarchs pass through the throne during my life? Kings Henry VII and VIII, King Edward VI, Lady Jane Grey, Queen Mary I, and Queen Elizabeth I. You should all know that each of these monarchs influenced the changing of the national faith, and so therefore, I was required to compose music to suit each of their tastes. I had started composing in maybe 1530, but was only able start printing them in 1575, when Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth I granted me and my young apprentice William Byrd, a monopoly to print music. Oh yes, a monopoly is a sole license. So obviously, me and my apprentice were both very flattered and are forever indebted to Her