Martin Peerson
from Lambs, Cambridgeshire, England
January 1, 1572 - January 15, 1651 (age 79)
Biography
As an organist and virginalist quite active in London, Peerson's musical compositions are informed by keyboard methods and idiosyncrasies. He wrote instrumental and vocal music but the import of his works are the experimental procedures he attempted including dissonances, and unusual chord progressions, preparations and harmonies. Formal structures at the hand of Peerson were also pushed to the limits of late sixteenth and early seventeenth century music. Peerson can be appreciated for his contributions found in his two books of secular vocal pieces where he synthesizes six vocal parts with aspects of the ayre, madrigal, consort song, verse anthems and instrumental accompaniment. The second book is indicative of Peerson's own outlook with sober and somber anthems achieved, in part, with unusually low tones in the bass voicings. This latter book is also the first English collection published with figured bass. ~ Keith Johnson, Rovi
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