# Tobias Hume (c1579 - 1645)



## Taggart (Feb 14, 2013)

Hume was a Scottish composer, viol player and soldier. Wiki https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tobias_Hume there's another good article here : Tobias Hume: A question of Identity

Little is known of his life. He made his living as a professional soldier, serving as an officer with the Swedish and Russian armies. He published two collections, _The First Part of Ayres_ (or _Musicall Humors_, 1605) and _Captain Humes Poeticall Musicke_ (1607). He entered the London Charterhouse - an almshouse - in 1629. A condition of entry was to be at least 50 - hence his putative birth date.

Hume was also known as a prankster. His most curious piece was "An Invention for Two to Play upone one Viole", also known as Prince's Almayne. Two bows are required and the smaller of the two players is obliged to sit in the lap of the larger player.






Definitely music on the edge.

The earliest known use of _col legno_ in Western music is to be found in a piece entitled "Harke, harke," from the _First Part of Ayres_, where he instructs the gambist to "drum this with the backe of your bow".

Jordi Savall has a collection of Hume's music here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvN1opXDoNs

Concerto Caledonia have also done a CD of Hume. Here is a sample


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