FERRABOSCO or FERABOSCO, the name of a family of musicians of Italian origin settled in England in the 16th century. The father, DOMENICO MARIA (1513-1574) was choirmaster at Bologna and at the Basilicana Vaticana, Rome, and then a singer in the Papal chapel. He wrote madrigals and motets.
His son ALFONSO (d. 1588), madrigalist, settled in England be fore 1567, when he received a pension from the Queen, and be came intimate with William Byrd. He returned to Italy in later life, and died at Turin. His madrigals were printed at Venice in 1587. He was highly esteemed in England, and Peacham, in his Compleat Gentleman, says that "in judgment and depth of skill he was inferior unto none." Many of his madrigals and motets found their way into English collections, such as Yonge's Musica Transalpina, Leighton's Teares and Lamentations.
His son ALFONSO (d. 1628) lutanist and composer, was born and died at Greenwich. He was one of the king's musicians for the violin under James I. He wrote the music for five masques by his friend Ben Jonson between 16o5 and 1609. He was music master to Prince Henry and then to Prince Charles (Charles I.), and, when Charles came to the throne, became "composer of the king's music." He published a book of Ayres containing songs written for Jonson's masques, and Lessons for z, 2 and 3 viols His son, also named ALFONSO (d. c. 166o), succeeded (1628) his father as a viol player in the king's band. He and his brother Henry jointly held the post of musician in ordinary to the king. Both the brothers died before July 4, 1661. John Ferrabosco, organist at Ely cathedral, who died in 1682, belonged to the same family.