Talk:Giles Farnaby

Date and place of birth

Giles Farnaby's year of birth is sometimes given as: 1565

• http://www.hoasm.org/IVM/Farnaby.html

sometimes as 1562

• http://www.musicweb.uk.net/classrev/2006/Mar06/Farnaby_Fantasias_8570025.htm

sometimes as 1563

• http://www.musicweb.uk.net/classRev/2003/Nov03/farnaby.htm

What is the basis for claiming his year of birth was 1560? Ogg 16:15, 9 December 2006 (UTC)

Thanks for pointing this out. A 1560 source is

• http://www.music.vt.edu/musicdictionary/appendix/Composers/F/GilesFarnaby.html

but on looking further than the end of my nose I see that there are plenty of differing opinions. In fact, Musica Britannica puts "c.1566", the extreme other end of the dates you cite. What do you suggest? "1560-1566" or "c.1563"?

MB also states he was born in or near London. I thought the Farnaby family hailed from the west country (but see below), but there is no solid evidence I can find for his birth in Truro. Apparently no parish records at that date.

A very interesting [paper] on the Tregian MSS reads:

The [Tregian] manuscripts also contain some works by Protestant composers such as Giles Farnaby but if FVB [Fitzwilliam Virginal Book] were written by or for someone at court, then the appearance of music by Farnaby is puzzling. All but two of his pieces are found exclusively in FVB, so his keyboard music was not in general circulation. Farnaby was a joiner by trade, so is unlikely to have had court connections. Cole found references to Farnaby in her examination of the Tregian papers, and assumed that he was a tenant on the Tregian estates [in Cornwall]. From what is known of his biography, this seems unlikely, but if one of his relations lived on the Tregian estates, then this could be the link. Anthony Wood [1632-1695, biographer of Thomas Farnaby] believed that Giles was `of the family of Farnaby of Truro in Cornwall':29 assuming that Wood is correct, the Cornish connection is sufficient to explain why Farnaby's music should appear in FVB but in few other keyboard sources of the period.30

Notes:

29. Quoted in R. Marlow & 0. Memed: 'Farnaby, Giles', in The new Grove dictionary of music and musicians, edd. S. Sadie, J. Tyrrell (2nd edition; London, 2000).

30. Richard Marlow lists the sources in G. Farnaby and R. Farnaby: Keyboard Music, ed. R. Marlow (Musica Britannica 24; London, 1965), p.139.

Nick Michael 21:46, 30 January 2007 (UTC)

Decided to make the changes, putting "c.1563" for birth date and adding London as possible place of birth.
Nick Michael 22:43, 30 January 2007 (UTC)

Gosh, a very full reply. I didn't notice it until today. My apologies for the delay. The changes are excellent. Ogg 19:41, 31 January 2007 (UTC)