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Peter Philips
Person · male · Kingdom of England · London · born 1561 · died 1628 · recording since 1985
English composer, organist and Catholic priest in Flanders (1561-1628)
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Also known as Peter Philippe · Peter Philippus · Peter Phillips · Petrus Philippus · Pierre Philippe · Pietro Philippi · +1 more
Timeline
14 events▣ Album 11◦ Birth 1† Death 1★ Debut release 1
1560s
1620s
1980s
· Debut release
Debut release: Harpsichord Music
First documented Album in the MusicBrainz discography.
source: musicbrainz
1990s
2000s
2010s
2020s
Biography
English biography735 words · 3 sectionssource: wikipedia-en · licence CC BY-SA 4.0 · revision 1369332684
Biography
Peter Philips (also Phillipps, Phillips, Pierre Philippe, Pietro Philippi, Petrus Philippus; c.1560–1628) was an eminent English composer, organist, and Catholic priest exiled to Flanders in the Spanish Netherlands. He was one of the greatest keyboard virtuosos of his time, and transcribed or arranged several Italian motets and madrigals by such composers as Lassus, Palestrina, and Giulio Caccini for his instruments. Some of his keyboard works are found in the Fitzwilliam Virginal Book. Philips also wrote many sacred choral works.
Life
Philips was born in 1560 or 1561, possibly in Devonshire or London. From 1572 to 1578 he began his career as a boy chorister at Old St Paul's Cathedral in London, under the aegis of the Catholic master of choristers, Sebastian Westcott (died 1582), who had also trained the young William Byrd some twenty years earlier. Philips must have had a close relationship with his master, as he lodged in his house up to the time of Westcote's death, and was a beneficiary of his will.
In the same year (1582), Philips left England for good, like so many others for reasons of his Catholicism, and stayed briefly in Flanders before traveling to Rome where he entered the service of Alessandro Farnese (1520–1589), with whom he stayed for three years, and was also engaged as organist at the English College in Rome. It was here that in February 1585 he met a fellow Catholic exile, Thomas, third Baron Paget (c. 1544–1590). Philips entered Paget's service as a musician, and the two left Rome in March 1585, traveling over several years to Genoa, Madrid, Paris, Brussels, and finally Antwerp, where Philips settled in 1590 and where Paget died the same year.
After settling, Philips married and gained a precarious living by teaching the virginals to children. In 1593 he went to Amsterdam "to sie and heare an excellent man of his faculties", doubtless Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck, whose reputation had by then long been made. On his way back, Philips was denounced by a compatriot for complicity in a plot on Queen Elizabeth's life, and he was temporarily imprisoned at the Hague, where he probably composed the pavan and galliard Doloroso (Fitzwilliam Virginal Book nos. LXXX and LXXXI). Philips himself translated the accusations made against him during his trial, showing that he could speak Dutch. He was acquitted and released without further charges.
Philips' fortunes took a turn for the better on his return, and in 1597 he was employed in Brussels as organist to the chapel of Albert VII, Archduke of Austria who had been appointed governor of the Spanish Netherlands in 1595. Here, after the death of his wife and his child, he was ordained a priest in either 1601 or 1609; in any case, he received a
canonry at Soignies in 1610, and another at Béthune in 1622 or 1623. His position at court allowed Philips to meet the leading composers of the time, including Girolamo Frescobaldi, who visited the Low Countries in 1607–1608, and his fellow-countryman John Bull, who had fled England on a charge of adultery. His nearest colleague, however, was Peeter Cornet (c. 1575–1633), organist to Archduchess Isabella, wife of Philips' employer, the archduke.
Philips died in 1628, probably in Brussels, where he was buried.
Collections and scores
The Fitzwilliam Virginal Book, J.A. Fuller Maitland and W. Barclay Squire, Dover Publications, New York 1963. SBN 486-21068-5.
Eight Keyboard Pieces by Peter Philips: A collection of all Philips' known music for keyboard instruments contained in sources other than the Fitzwilliam Virginal Book. John Harley (ed.). Stainer & Bell, London 1995.
Complete Keyboard Music. David J Smith (ed.). Stainer & Bell, London 1999.
Cantiones Sacrae Octonis Vocibus (1613). Musica Britannica vol. 61. John Steele (ed.). Stainer & Bell, London 1992.
Select Italian Madrigals. Musica Britannica vol. 29. John Steele (ed.). Stainer & Bell, London 1985.
"75 Motets for Two Solo Voices and Organ Continuo from Paradisus Sacris Cantionibus", Janet E. Hunt (ed.), www.huntmusic.us, 2015. ISBN 978-0-9962221-0-5.
"17 Motets for Three Solo Voices and Organ Continuo from Paradisus Sacris Cantionibus", Janet E. Hunt (ed.), www. huntmusic.us, 2016. ISBN 978-0-9962221-2-9.
Gemmulae Sacrae (1613). Janet E. Hunt (ed.), www.huntmusic.us, 2023.
Philips' SSATB motet "Ascendit Deus" from Cantiones Sacrae (1612) appears in:
Le Huray, Peter, ed. (1982). The Treasury of English Church Music 1545–1650. Cambridge: Cambridge university press. ISBN 0521284058. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
Morris, Christopher, ed. (1978). The Oxford Book of Tudor Anthems. Oxford University Press, Music Dept. ISBN 0193533251.
Discography & profile
Normalised profile
Percentiles are computed over every artist in the database, so a tier-3 artist can still sit in the 95th percentile on a single axis.
| Metric | Value | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Wikipedia language versions | 13 | 67.6th |
| Spotify monthly listeners | — | no data |
| Release groups in DB | 11 | 82.8th |
| Studio albums | 11 | 91.9th |
| Awards recorded | 0 | 0th |
| Timeline events | 14 | 90.5th |
| Recording span (years) | -357 | 1th |
| Genres | 1 | 56th |
Percentiles are computed at render time; missing values mean the artist has no data on that axis.
Discography (11 release groups · 11 studio albums)
Albums · 11
1985 · studio album
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Tracklist · 6 tracks · 47:40
1Pavana & Galiarda dolorosa10:522Amarilli (di Julio Romano)4:553Fantasia in G major9:284Pavana3:485Fantasia in F major5:376Passamezzo Pavana & Galiarda13:001988 · studio album
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Tracklist · 10 tracks · 1:02:05
1Amarilli di Julio Romano3:572Pavana Doloroso Tregian / Galiarda Dolorosa9:443Pavana (in G)3:294Galliardo1:015Fantasia (in F)5:596Pavana Pagget / Galiarda9:087Tirsi di Luca Marenzio. 1a parte / Freno. 2a parte / Cosi moriro. 3a parte7:198Almand4:149Chi fara fede al Cielo di Allessandro Striggio4:0510Passamezzo Pavana / Galiarda Passamezzo13:091988 · studio album
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Tracklist · 21 tracks · 50:11
1Pavan And Galliard: Pavan2:452Pavan And Galliard: Galliard1:083Pavan3:174Paget Pavan and Galliard: Pavan3:585Paget Pavan and Galliard: Galliard1:246Aria del Gran Duca1:527Galliard0:498Bassano Galliard1:059Morley Pavan and Galliard: Pavan2:2710Morley Pavan and Galliard: Galliard1:3411Bassano Pavan and Galliard: Pavan1:2512Bassano Pavan and Galliard: Galliard0:5713Dolorosa Pavan and Galliard: Pavan3:4114Dolorosa Pavan and Galliard: Galliard2:0115Divisions on the Dolorosa Pavan7:1016Alman Tregian1:2217Balla d’Amore3:0918Pavan and Galliard in F: Pavan3:0319Pavan and Galliard in F: Galliard1:1920Aria1:2821Passamezzo Pavan4:17Keyboard Music by Peter Philips
1993 · studio album
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Tracklist · 18 tracks · 1:11:29
1Intabulation of a five-part madrigal by Alessandro Striggio: Chi fara fed’al ciele (FVB9)4:532Pavan 1580 (FVB16)3:243Galliard (FVB18)1:044Intabulation of a five-part madrigal by Luca Marenzio: Tirsi morir volea2:405Intabulation of a five-part madrigal by Luca Marenzio: Freno Tirsi il desio2:356Intabulation of a five-part madrigal by Luca Marenzio: Così morirò1:447Variations on a passage from a ballo by Emilio de’ Cavalieri: Aria del Gran Duca2:048Pavan and Galliard Pagget: Pavan (FVB5)5:259Pavan and Galliard Pagget: Galliard (FVB6)2:0610Veni Sancte Spiritus5:0211Intabulation of a six-part madrigal by Philips: Fece de voi partita (FVB4)3:0612Pavan and Galliard “Doloroso Tregian”: Pavan (FVB11)6:1113Pavan and Galliard “Doloroso Tregian”: Galliard (FVB12)2:0414Intabulation of a four-part chanson by Orlande de Lassus: Bon jour mon cueur (FVB10)3:2415Almande Tregian3:1416Passamezzo Pavan and Galliard: Pavan (FVB7)8:0817Passamezzo Pavan and Galliard: Galliard (FVB8)4:4918Fantasia in G (FVB15)9:36Cantiones sacrae quinis vocibus
2001 · studio album
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Tracklist · 18 tracks · 1:08:54
1Cantiones sacrae quinis vocibus: Factum est silentium3:572Cantiones sacrae quinis vocibus: O crux splendidior6:023Cantiones sacrae quinis vocibus: Ascendit deus2:494Cantiones sacrae quinis vocibus: Modo veniet Dominator Dominus2:515Cantiones sacrae quinis vocibus: Ave verum Corpus4:096Cantiones sacrae quinis vocibus: Cantantibus organis3:157Cantiones sacrae quinis vocibus: Gaudent in coelis2:418Cantiones sacrae quinis vocibus: Hodie sanctus benedictus3:429Cantiones sacrae quinis vocibus: Mulieres sedentes5:2910Cantiones sacrae quinis vocibus: O beatum et sacrosanctum diem2:5511Cantiones sacrae quinis vocibus: Simon petre3:5412Cantiones sacrae quinis vocibus: Gaudeamus omnes3:2113Cantiones sacrae quinis vocibus: O nomen jesu3:1614Cantiones sacrae quinis vocibus: Iste est Iohannes4:5215Cantiones sacrae quinis vocibus: Cantabant sancti3:2416Cantiones sacrae quinis vocibus: Surgens Jesus2:2317Cantiones sacrae quinis vocibus: Stella, quam viderant magi4:5418Cantiones sacrae quinis vocibus: Hodie beata virgo Maria5:00Cantiones Sacrae / Quinis Vocibus
2002 · studio album
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Tracklist · 16 tracks · 1:11:29
1Salve Regina7:252Conceptio tua3:133Hodie beata Virgo Maria: Hodies beata Virgo Maria4:354Gaude Maria Virgo5:025Alma Redemptoris Mater4:286Iste est Joannes: Iste est Johannes4:137O nomen Jesu3:358Ave Maria gratia plena: Ave gratia plena3:099Cantabant sancti canticum novum: Cantabant Sancti3:3710Stella, quam viderant Magi5:1711Tibi laus, tibi gloria4:1012Salve, salutaris Victima4:3613O Maria Mater6:5214Mulieres sedentes5:5215Surgens Jesus Dominus2:0916Christus resurgens3:162006 · studio album
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Tracklist · 16 tracks · 1:18:03
1Fantasia in F major7:322Amarilli, mia Bella4:043Chi farà fed' al cielo6:374Pavan in G major3:285Deggio dunque partire3:526Io partirò3:087Ma voi, caro ben mio3:318Paget Pavan and Galliard in C minor: Pavan7:169Paget Pavan and Galliard in C minor: Galliard2:4310Bonjour mon cœur4:4011Le Rossignuol5:1012Margot, labourez les vignes2:4813Fantasia in D minor3:4814Fece da voi partita4:1815Passamezzo Pavan and Galliard in G minor: Pavan9:3116Passamezzo Pavan and Galliard in G minor: Galliard5:372010 · studio album
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Tracklist · 25 tracks · 1:16:35
1Cantiones Sacrae 1612, Volume I: No. 1. In Festo Nativitatis Domini. O beatum et sacrosanctum diem2:342Cantiones Sacrae 1612, Volume I: No. 4. In Festo SS. Innocentium. Cantabant Sancti2:573Cantiones Sacrae 1612, Volume I: No. 5. In Festo S. Thomæ Martyris. Gaudeamus omnes2:464Cantiones Sacrae 1612, Volume I: No. 6. In Festo Circumcisionis Domini. O nomen Jesu2:425Cantiones Sacrae 1612, Volume I: No. 7. In Festo Circumcisionis Domini. Modo veniet Dominator2:196Cantiones Sacrae 1612, Volume I: No. 9. In Festo Conversionis S. Pauli. Tu es vas electionis2:547Cantiones Sacrae 1612, Volume I: No. 11. In Festo Purificationis B. Mariæ. Hodie beata Virgo Maria4:358Cantiones Sacrae 1612, Volume I: No. 16. In Festo Resurrectionis Domini. Christus resurgens3:149Cantiones Sacrae 1612, Volume I: No. 17. In Festo Resurrectionis Domini. Surgens Jesus2:1310Cantiones Sacrae 1612, Volume I: No. 18. In Festo SS. Philippi et Jacobi. Gentes Philippus ducit3:4811Cantiones Sacrae 1612, Volume I: No. 20. In Festo Ascensionis Domini. Ascendit Deus2:2912Cantiones Sacrae 1612, Volume I: No. 24. In Festo Corporis Christi. Ave verum Corpus3:4813Cantiones Sacrae 1612, Volume I: No. 28. In Festo Joannis Baptistæ. Gabriel Angelus2:5014Cantiones Sacrae 1612, Volume I: No. 32. In Festo S. Annæ. Ave gratia plena3:1415Cantiones Sacrae 1612, Volume I: No. 33. In Festo S. Petri ad Vincula. Surge Petre3:3116Cantiones Sacrae 1612, Volume II: No. 38. In Festo Nativitatis B. Mariæ. Cam jucunditate2:5817Cantiones Sacrae 1612, Volume II: No. 39. In Festo S. Michælis. Factum est silentium3:1718Cantiones Sacrae 1612, Volume II: No. 41. In Festo Omnium Sanctorum. Sancti mei3:0619Cantiones Sacrae 1612, Volume II: No. 42. In Festo S. Martini. O beatum Martinum3:0120Cantiones Sacrae 1612, Volume II: No. 44. In Festo S. Cæciliæ. Cantantibus organis2:5721Cantiones Sacrae 1612, Volume II: No. 48. [Commune Apostolorum] Tempore Paschali. Tristitia vestra2:0522Cantiones Sacrae 1612, Volume II: No. 50. In Natalis plurimorum Martyrum. Gaudent in cælis2:3523Cantiones Sacrae 1612, Volume II: No. 56. Antiphona B. Mariæ. Ave Regina cælorum3:4424Cantiones Sacrae 1612, Volume II: No. 58. Antiphona B. Mariæ [Prima Pars]. Salve, Regina3:4125Cantiones Sacrae 1612, Volume II: No. 68. [Ad Placitum]. Ne reminiscaris, Domine3:17Cantiones sacrae quinis et octonibus vocibus
2011 · studio album
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Tracklist · 20 tracks · 1:05:09
1Christus resurgens3:452Disciplinam et sapientiam2:273Loquebantur variis linguis2:514Ne reminiscaris, Domine2:525Gabriel Angelus apparuit3:076Viæ Sion lugent3:137Ave Jesu Christe3:538Pater noster3:409Beata Agnes4:0910Elegerunt Apostoli3:2111Media vita3:4012Ave Regina caelorum3:3813Ave gratia plena3:0014Ecce vicit Leo3:5015Ne timeas, Maria1:5316Gaude Maria virgo3:0717Virgo prudentissima3:3418Cum jucunditate3:1119Salve Regina2:5120Eia ergo3:07Cantiones sacrae octonis vocibus
2013 · studio album
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Tracklist · 16 tracks · 1:11:59
1Benedictus Deus noster3:332O quam suavis est a 8 II4:583Jubilate Deo omnis terra3:344Benedictus Dominus3:505Veni Sancte Spiritus4:396Beati estis3:107Ecce panis angelorum a 84:508Salve regina, vita, dulcedo6:029Regina caeli laetare a 84:0110Panis sancte, panis vive3:5811Caecilia virgo7:3312Veni Sancte Spiritus5:3113Gaudens gaudebo3:1014Beata Dei genitrix a 83:4315Alma redemptoris mater a 84:1716Hodie nobis de caelo5:102023 · studio album
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Tracklist · 16 tracks · 1:01:08
1Ecce vicit Leo a 83:122Loquebantur variis linguis a 52:573Jesu dulcedo cordium a 55:494Pavan and Galliard Dolorosa5:295Factum est silentium a 62:576Ave Jesu Christe a 83:507Virgo prudentissima a 62:468Ut re mi fa sol la2:509Jubilate Deo a 82:5010O bone Jesu a 56:1711Gaudens gaudebo a 82:3712Fantasia a 54:0413Christus resurgens a 53:2014Salve Regina a 55:5515Paduan a 44:0916Quem vidistis pastores a 62:06
Stats & PK
Percentile within all 23,672 published artists.Put Peter Philips head-to-head →
| Metric | Value | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Wikipedia language versions | 13 | 67.6th |
| Spotify monthly listeners | — | no data |
| Release groups in DB | 11 | 82.8th |
| Studio albums | 11 | 91.9th |
| Awards recorded | 0 | 0th |
| Timeline events | 14 | 90.5th |
| Recording span (years) | -357 | 1th |
| Genres | 1 | 56th |
Awards & honours
Where this record comes from
portrait—Wikimedia Commons · Public domain · retrieved 11 October 2026
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:PierrePhilippeOrganiste.gifaliases/urls—musicbrainz · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://musicbrainz.org/artist/95c9b3a3-7100-4b83-969e-e17c0d42d301discography—musicbrainz · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://musicbrainz.org/artist/95c9b3a3-7100-4b83-969e-e17c0d42d301core—wikidata · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1930460seed-list—wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Philipsbiography—wikipedia-en · CC BY-SA 4.0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Philips
Why this artist is in the database
- List of composers by name
Tier rule: curated genre/region list
Image: 17th Century · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
Wikidata: Q1930460 · MusicBrainz: 95c9b3a3-7100-4b83-969e-e17c0d42d301