Thomas East

Thomas East, (also spelled Easte, Est, or Este) (c.1540 – January 1609), was an English music publisher.

His career was complicated by the existence of patents, monopolies granted by the crown to William Byrd and Thomas Morley. This restricted his ability to publish what he chose, but he nevertheless made an important contribution to musical life in England. He printed the significant collection of madrigals Musica Transalpina which appeared in 1588.

East had a close association with William Byrd. He printed religious compositions by Byrd (including some clearly intended for Roman Catholic services, masses and Gradualia).

Publishing career

East was made a freeman of the Stationers' Company on 6 December 1565. The first appearance of his name as a printer occurs in the registers of the company in 1576, when he issued Robinson's 'Christmas Recreacons of Histories and Moralizacons aplied for our solace and consolacons.' After this date his name is of frequent occurrence as a printer of general literature, but he does not appear as a printer of music until 1587 when the death occurred of William Byrd's printer, Thomas Vautrollier. Under the date of 6 November 1587, the Stationers Company recorded a set of part-books entitled, according to the register, 'Bassus. Sonnettes and Songs made into musick of fyve parts. By William Burd.' This is taken to be identical with the undated edition of Byrd's 'Psalmes, Sonets, and Songs of Sadnes and Pietie', the dated edition of which appeared in 1588. In this 1588 edition East is described as publishing in Aldersgate Street and as Byrd's assignee.