Receiving his Doctorate in Music from Cambridge in 1504, Fayrfax became a Doctor of Music at Oxford in 1511. He was an important lay clerk in England during his life as his name tops the list -- for those in this office -- at the funeral of Henry VII, the coronation of Henry VIII, the burial of young Prince Henry and the ceremonies involved in the Field of The Cloth of Gold. Compostions ascribed to him include masses, magnificats, motets, secular songs, and instrumental pieces (mostly puzzle canons). Fayrfax is notable for his early development of the mass cycle. The variance in his music was accomplished primarily through organizational and metrical changes. For example, in his doctoral mass he composed "O quam glorifica" with the tenor and treble parts in different meters than the bass and contratenor: the former in duple meter the later in triple. Though not favorable towards counterpoint or melody, Fayrfax's innovations occurred with strong cadential harmonies. ~ Keith Johnson, Rovi