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Tier 3 · vertical & regional
Tobias Hume
Person · male · United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland · born 1569 · died 1645 · recording since 1982
Scottish composer, gambist and soldier
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Also known as トバイアス・ヒューム
Timeline
15 events▣ Album 12◦ Birth 1† Death 1★ Debut release 1
1560s
1640s
1980s
· Debut release
Debut release: Musicall Humors
First documented Album in the MusicBrainz discography.
source: musicbrainz
1990s
2000s
2010s
Biography
English biography358 words · 2 sectionssource: wikipedia-en · licence CC BY-SA 4.0 · revision 1311694039
Biography
Tobias Hume (possibly 1579 – 16 April 1645) was a Scottish composer, viol player and soldier.
Little is known of his life. Some have suggested that he was born in 1579 because he was admitted to the London Charterhouse in 1629, a prerequisite to which was being at least 50 years old, though there is no certainty over this. He had made his living as a professional soldier, serving as an officer with the Swedish and Russian armies.
His published music includes pieces for viols (including many solo works for the lyra viol) and songs. They were gathered in two collections, The First Part of Ayres (or Musicall Humors, 1605) and Captain Humes Poeticall Musicke (1607). He was a particular champion of the viol over the then-dominant lute, something which caused John Dowland to publish a rebuttal of Hume's ideas.
Hume was also known as a prankster, as some of his somewhat unusual compositions illustrate. His most notorious 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. This work was notated in tablature and is indeed technically possible to play. His instructions to "drum this with the backe of your bow" in another piece, "Harke, harke," from the First Part of Ayres, constitute the earliest known use of col legno in Western music.
At Christmas 1629 he entered Charterhouse as a poor brother. His mind seems to have given way, for in July 1642 he published a rambling True Petition of Colonel Hume to parliament offering either to defeat the rebels in Ireland with a hundred 'instruments of war,' or, if furnished with a complete navy, to bring the king within three months twenty millions of money. He styles himself 'colonel,' but the rank was probably of his own invention, for in the entry of his death, which took place at Charterhouse on Wednesday, 16 April 1645, he is still called Captain Hume.
In popular culture
Tobias Hume is the main character of the novel Loot and Loyalty written by Jerzy Pietrkiewicz.
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 | 12 | 83.4th |
| Studio albums | 12 | 92.8th |
| Awards recorded | 0 | 0th |
| Timeline events | 15 | 91.2th |
| Recording span (years) | -337 | 1.3th |
| Genres | 1 | 56th |
Percentiles are computed at render time; missing values mean the artist has no data on that axis.
Discography (12 release groups · 12 studio albums)
Albums · 12
1982 · studio album
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Tracklist · 13 tracks · 52:49
1Captaine Humes Pauin8:302A Souldiers Galliard1:323The Duke of Holstones Almaine2:384My hope is decayed3:105Loues farewell4:106Harke, harke2:027Good againe4:558Death5:189Life2:0710Touch me lightly3:0311Beccus an Hungarian Lord his delight, The second part5:4312A Souldiers Resolution3:5913A Pauin5:421987 · studio album
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Tracklist · 13 tracks · 52:46
1Captaine Humes Pauin8:272A Souldiers Galliard1:333The Duke of Holstones Almaine2:384My hope is decayed3:105Loues farewell4:096Harke, harke2:017Good againe4:588Death5:189Life2:0810Touch me lightly3:0211Beccus an Hungarian Lord his delight, The second part5:4112A Souldiers Resolution3:5813A Pauin5:431991 · studio album
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Tracklist · 17 tracks · 58:19
1Start. The Lady of Sussex delight2:432The King of Denmarks delight2:313A French Almaine. The Duke of Lenox delight2:374A Mery Conceit. The Queen delight2:215What greater griefe4:336Sweet Musicke. The Earle of Salisburies favoret5:067Sweet Ayre. The Earle of Arundels favoret4:508Fain would I change that note2:189The Earle of Pembrookes Galiard2:4810The Souldiers Song2:1211An Almaine. The Lady Canes delight3:0812The Pashion of Musicke. Sir Christopher Hattons choice4:2713An Almaine. The Duke of Holstones delight1:5114Alas poore men9:3615A Masque3:0116Tobacco2:5117A Jigg for Ladies1:26Captain Humes Poeticall Musicke Volume 1
1997 · studio album
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Tracklist · 15 tracks · 1:01:09
1Cease Leaden Slumber, The Queenes New-Yeares Gift6:332The King of Demarkes Delight2:303A Mery Conceit, The Q Delight3:364My Hope Is Revived, The Lady of Suffolkes Delight4:125My Joyes Are Comming, The Lady of Bedfords Delight1:586Musicke and Mirth, The Lady Hattons Delight4:347The Earle of Mountgomeries Delight2:218Start, The Lady of Sussex Delight2:499An Almaine, The Lady Canes Delight3:1610An Almaine, The Duke of Holstones Delight, The Dukes Almaine3:4811A Maske, The Earle of Sussex Delight3:5412A French Almaine, The Duke of Lenox Delight3:5413An Almaine, M.S. Georges Delight2:0714What Greater Griefe8:1315Sweete Musicke, The Earle of Salisburies Favoret7:24Captain Humes Poeticall Musicke, Volume 2
1997 · studio album
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Tracklist · 10 tracks · 1:01:04
1The State of Gambo: The Earle of Worcesters Favoret9:512The Virgins Muse: The Lady Arbellaes Favoret4:543Sweet Ayre: The Earle of Arundels Favoret5:034Musickes Delight: The Earle of Southamptons Favoret6:135The Earle of Pembrookes Galiard3:096A Spanish Humor: The Lord Hays Favoret7:337The Spirit of Gambo: The Lord Dewys Favoret3:328The Pashion for Musicke: Sir Christopher Hattons Choice10:109The King of Denmarkes Health4:4210The Hunting Song5:571999 · studio album
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Tracklist · 13 tracks · 52:46
1Captaine Humes Pauin8:272A Souldiers Galliard1:333The Duke of Holstones Almaine2:384My hope is decayed3:105Loues farewell4:096Harke, harke2:017Good againe4:588Death5:189Life2:0810Touch me lightly3:0211Beccus an Hungarian Lord his delight, The second part5:4112A Souldiers Resolution3:5813A Pauin5:43A Souldiers Resolution: The First Part of Ayres
2000 · studio album
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Tracklist · 19 tracks · 1:01:57
1A Pavin5:382Faine Would I Change That Note1:413A Souldiers Resolution5:144A Question2:105An Answere2:196Death5:447Life1:508Good Againe4:589What Greater Griefe3:3710Rosamond1:1611The Duke of Holstones Almaine2:1312My Mistresse Hath a Prettie Thing3:5813Adue Sweete Love2:1514Be Merry a Day Will Come0:2515Tobacco1:4316Beccus an Hungarian Land His Delight2:5117The Second Part1:0618Loves Farewell4:5119Captaine Humes Pavin8:082004 · studio album
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Tracklist · 20 tracks · 1:09:45
1A humorous Pavin4:302Captaine Humes Galliard3:063My hope is decayed2:454Captaine Humes Pavin7:215Harke, harke2:016A Souldiers Galliard1:247The Spirit of Gambo3:078A Pavin5:309Touch me lightly2:5110Beccus an Hungarian Lord3:0811The Second part2:3312Love's farewell3:4013The Duke of Holstones Almaine2:4114Death5:2415Life1:5616A Question2:3717An Answere3:4318The new Cut2:3419A Souldiers Resolution3:4720Good againe5:072005 · studio album
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Tracklist · 17 tracks · 1:06:37
1The Soldiers Song1:592A Souldiers Galiard1:443Fain Would I Change That Note2:464Tobacco is Like Love1:475M.S. Georges Delight2:216Cease Leaden Slumber5:217The Passion of Musick3:488What Greater Griefe4:219Captain Hume Lamentation8:2810Hark, Hark2:0211I'm Falling1:2112Beccus an Hungarian Lord His Delight4:4413Captain Hume Pavin8:3214A Souldiers Resolution4:1115Death5:2116Life1:5617A Pavin5:552008 · studio album
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Tracklist · 28 tracks · 1:17:56
1Cease Leaden Slumber5:042The Spirite Of Musicke5:203The Pashion Of Musicke4:034An Almaine3:055Start1:526A Pollish Vilanell2:087The Spirit Of Gambo2:568Sweet Ayre4:139A Mery Conceit1:5510Captaine Humes Pavan4:4511A Jigge1:0612A Souldiers Resolution4:0613The Earle Of Pembrookes Galiard2:1914Deth6:3715Life1:3216Captaine Humes Galliard2:3217The Sport Is Ended1:2818My Joyes Are Comming1:4919Fain Would I Chainge That Nate2:2320My Mistresse Hath A Pritty Thing2:2021Touch Me Lightly2:1322Tickle Me Quickly0:4423She Loves It Well0:2224Hit In The Middle1:0725Adue Sweet Love2:1426I Am Melancholy4:1027What Greater Griefe4:1128Loves Pastime1:222010 · studio album
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Tracklist · 18 tracks · 1:10:34
1Loves Pastime6:542A Jigge1:583Harke, Harke2:504Now I Come2:145Rossamond4:046Touch Me Lightly2:387The Duke of Holstones Almayne2:248A Souldiers Resolution5:289I Am Melancholy7:0610Tickell, Tickell2:1411A French Ayre1:3512Deth7:3013Life1:5114The Spirit of Gambo3:4415Tinckeldum, Twinckeldum1:5816Captain Humes Pavan9:0317A Souldiers Galliard1:4418Loves Farewell5:19« Harke, harke! » Lyra Violls Humors & Delights
2014 · studio album
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Tracklist · 25 tracks · 1:10:27
1Start « The Lady of Sussex Delight »1:592An Almaine « The Lady Canes Delight »2:293A Humorous Pavin4:454Captaine Humes Galliard2:405A Jigge0:406Good Againe4:587The Pashion of Musicke « Sir Christopher Hattons Choice »2:598A Soldiers Resolution4:339A Soldiers Galiard1:0610What Greater Griefe4:1711Touch Me Sweetely2:5012Touch Me Lightly1:5713Tickle Me Quickly0:3914Tickell, Tickell1:2115The Earle of Pembrooke His Galliard1:5216Alas Poore Men8:5817Sweet Ayre « The Earle of Arundels Favoret »5:1118Musicke and Mirth « The Lady Hattons Delight »2:3719A Careles Humor1:4020Harke, Harke1:3121The Spirit of Gambo « The Lord Dewys Favoret »2:0122My Mistress Fath a Pritty Thing2:3523Loves Farewell2:5424Fain Would I Change That Note2:2425This Sport Is Ended1:31
Stats & PK
Percentile within all 23,672 published artists.Put Tobias Hume head-to-head →
| Metric | Value | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Wikipedia language versions | 13 | 67.6th |
| Spotify monthly listeners | — | no data |
| Release groups in DB | 12 | 83.4th |
| Studio albums | 12 | 92.8th |
| Awards recorded | 0 | 0th |
| Timeline events | 15 | 91.2th |
| Recording span (years) | -337 | 1.3th |
| Genres | 1 | 56th |
Awards & honours
Where this record comes from
aliases/urls—musicbrainz · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://musicbrainz.org/artist/6d6f5ef8-2ece-4740-a0c7-a43809a36bf9discography—musicbrainz · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://musicbrainz.org/artist/6d6f5ef8-2ece-4740-a0c7-a43809a36bf9core—wikidata · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q938499seed-list—wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tobias_Humebiography—wikipedia-en · CC BY-SA 4.0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tobias_Hume
Why this artist is in the database
- List of composers by name
Tier rule: curated genre/region list
Image: no portrait (not displayed: the licence credit is missing)
Wikidata: Q938499 · MusicBrainz: 6d6f5ef8-2ece-4740-a0c7-a43809a36bf9
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