FARNABY, GILES, English composer, was born in the second half of the 16th century, probably at Truro, where his family lived. He began to study music in 158o, according to his own statement in his supplicat (Wood; Fasti, ed. Bliss, i. 257) when he was taking the degree of Mus. B. at Oxford in 1592. Be yond these facts little is known of his life. His son Richard is one of the composers included in the Fitzwilliam Virginal Book. No connection has been traced between Giles and the grammarian and schoolmaster Thomas Farnaby who lived about the same time. The name of Giles Farnaby lives today chiefly in his con tributions to the Fitzwilliam Virginal Book. The Fantasia was his favourite form, but his other pieces bearing such attractive titles as Giles Farnaby's Dream, His Rest, His Humour; Up Tails All, A Maske, A Toye, A Gigge—are full of quaintness and charm. One tiny piece for two virginals is only 8 bars long; others, not much longer, are marvelous in their point and precision and in tensely musical in feeling.
His Canzonets to foure voices, with a song of eight parts were pub lished in 1598. Other works are included in Thomas Este's Whole Booke of Psalmes (1592) and Ravenscroft's Psalter (1621) . The mad rigal Come, Charon, come is in the Royal College of Music, London ; another: Construe my meaning has been edited by W. Barclay Squire. An autograph volume of The Psalmes of David, to fower parts, for viols and voyce, The first Booke, Doricke Motets, The Second, Divine Canzonets, Composed by Giles Farnaby, Bachilor of Musicke with a prelud, before the Psalmes, Chromaticke is in a private library in Philadelphia, U.S.A. See the articles "Farnaby," "Virginals," in Grove: Dictionary of Music and Musicians.