East, Thomas

Thomas East, East also spelled Easte, Est, or Este, (born c. 1540, London, Eng.—died January 1609, London), prominent English music publisher whose collection of psalms (1592) was among the first part-music printed in score rather than as individual parts in separate books.

East was licensed as a printer in 1565 and later became an assignee in the music-publishing monopoly granted by Elizabeth I to the composers William Byrd and Thomas Tallis. His first publication was Byrd’s Psalmes, Sonets and Songs of Sadnes and Pietie (1588). In 1592 he edited The Whole Booke of Psalmes, With Their Wonted Tunes, harmonizations of psalm tunes by prominent musicians. His madrigal books included collections by Thomas Weelkes, John Wilbye, and Thomas Morley.