Thomas Oliphant (lyricist)

Thomas Oliphant (1799-1873) was a Scottish musician, composer, and translator, best known for his English lyrics adapted to existing musical works, particularly Italian madrigals and German part-songs. He served as the Secretary of the Madrigal Society of London from 1830 until his death, and played a significant role in popularizing this genre of music in England.

Oliphant's translations often aimed to make the foreign texts more accessible and appealing to English audiences while preserving the spirit of the original compositions. He wrote English words for numerous pieces by composers such as Luca Marenzio, Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, Orlando di Lasso, and others.

His efforts contributed significantly to the choral music repertoire in England during the 19th century, and many of his lyric adaptations remain in use today. He also composed original music, though these works are less widely known than his adaptations. Oliphant also published musical treatises and collections of songs.