Thomas Ryan (1827-1903) was born in Ireland. He moved to the United States at age 17 and studied music in Boston. He became a virtuoso on the clarinet and viola, and was co-founder of the Mendelssohn Quintette Club, an ensemble pioneering the highest class of chamber music. The ensemble would visit towns of any size in the United States. He also co-founded the short-lived “National College of Music”, headquartered at Boston’s Tremont Temple. He died in New Bedford, Massachusetts. His compositions include quintets, quartets, songs, and part-songs.

All are mixed chorus unless noted; some contain divisi.