Ferdinando Richardson (also known as Sir FerdinandoHeyborne)^[1] (c. 1558–1618) was an English composer, musician, and courtier.

He was a pupil ofThomas Tallis,^[2] and various works for the keyboard by him survive in the manuscript collection known as theFitzwilliam Virginal Book. He wrote a letter toSir Michael Hicks enclosing some exercises for the virginal for Hick's daughter in 1611. Her teacher was to copy the music and send back the original. He signed this letter "Fer: Heyborn."^[3]

As a courtier, Richardson held the post ofGroom of the Privy Chamber under bothElizabeth I of England andJames I of England. The epitaph on his family tomb, inAll Hallows' Church,Tottenham, reads:"Here also resteth in peace the body of Sir Ferdinando Heyborne, Knight, justice of the peace and coram in the county of Middlesex. He waited at the feet of Queen Elizabeth of famous memory and our soveraign Lord King James in their privy chamber. He was a careful magistrate without respect of persons and a true friend to the cause of the poor."

AComplete Works for Harpsichord was recorded in 2013 by American keyboardistGlen Wilson for theNaxos label, receiving a 2014Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik.^[4]

• Richard Marlow,Sir Ferdinando Heyborne. alias Richardson,The Musical Times, cxv (1974)

• Free scores by Ferdinando Richardson at theInternational Music Score Library Project (IMSLP)

• 1550s births
• 1618 deaths
• English Renaissance composers
• 17th-century English classical composers
• 16th-century English composers
• English male classical composers
• 16th-century classical composers
• 17th-century English male musicians
• Grooms of the Chamber

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