English composer and writer on music. Little is known of his early years or education, though Burney states (History, 2) that he traveled to Italy as a youth and later was a pupil of Geminiani. In 1735 he was made organist of St. John's Church, Newcastle, and the following year of St. Nicholas's Church. In 1738 he became director of the town's concert series; he was also an instructor of harpsichord, flute, and violin, and he prepared an edition of Benedetto Marcello's First Fifty Psalms. In 1752 he published the treatise for which he is best known, the Essay on Musical Expression; Burney called it the first piece of English music criticism. It was apparently a collaboration with other writers. He composed mainly concerti grossi (some sixty in all); also chamber sonatas-, a few sacred vocal works; several editions and arrangements.
Useful Link: R. Slade's 18th Century English Music Pages