English composer and lutenist. One of the most talented English composers for the lute, especially when writing in a highly ornamented style, which he shares with Alfonso Ferrabosco II. His Miserere in particular is less a liturgically inspired work than a showpiece for dexterous fingers. He is presented in Barley's tablature of 1596.1
1. In 1596, William Barley printed A new Booke of Tablature for the lute, orpharion and bandora (=pandora) of which the text of the lute section was a new, partial translation of Part II of Le Roy's Instruction de partir toute musique facilement en tablature de luth, the first tablature printed in England (1st Ed. 1563, 2nd Ed. 'englished by J. Alford Londenor' 1568, and 3rd Ed, 1574, translated by 'F. Ke. Gentleman'). The pieces offered by Barley included examples by not only Cutting, but also I.D. (John Dowland). P. R. (Philip Rosseter), etc. Return to Text