William Child [Chyld]

(1606 - 1697)

English organist and composer. His early musical studies were at Bristol Cathedral, where he sang in the choir, and at Oxford, where he completed a degree in 1631 The following year he was made organist at St. George's Chapel, Windsor, where he had served as clerk since 1630. He was expelled from the chapel during the Interregnum; after the Restoration (1660) he was given back his post and was eventually made musician to the chapel royal, serving as organist between 1660 and his death in 1697, when he was replaced by Francis Piggott. He graduated DMus (Oxford) 1660. He was appointed Musician in Ordinary in the King's Music for the wind instruments 1672; he had already been appointed in 1660 Composer for Wind Instruments, succeeding Henry Ferrabosco. He composed some twenty services and eighty anthems, as well as instrumental music, publishing A First Set of Psalmes (1639).



A Partial William Child Discography | Guide to English Keyboard Composers through 1635 | Index of Keyboard Composers |  IV M: England Through 1635