Kirbye, George

-1634

English writer of madrigals, of whom the first positive record is a Whole Book of Psalms published in 1592, Kirbye having been one of the composers employed to furnish the music of the volume. The date of his birth is unknown. The place was probably Bury St. Edmunds. In 1597 he became the ho  use musician of Sir Robert Jermyn of Rushbrooke, and later he dedicated to his employer's daughters his next published work, The First Fruites of my Poore Knowledge of Musicke, the first set of English madrigals. He next composed two madrigals for the Triumphs of Oriana, in 1601, his last published work. In 1626 his home was in St. Mary's parish, Bury St. Edmunds, where he died in 1634. The manuscript of many of his works may be found at The Royal College of Music and the Bodleian Library.

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