Thomas Baltzar

Being a German violinist and composer in the court of Queen Christina of Sweden could only earn Baltzar the label of "Swede" when he finally took residence in England. Though few of his compositions survive, it is thought that his compositions for the violin -- such as variations of "John, come kiss me now" and collections of suites -- required technical merits that no one had heretofore witnessed in England. With an ability to double stop and develop facile new positions for the higher notes, Baltzar took English violin playing into the next century.