William Child

An English composer and organist who received his Bachelors Degree from Oxford and the Doctorate from Christ's Church, Oxford. He served the court of England (except during the Revolution/Commonwealth). He played and served in the courts of Charles I, Charles II, James II and William and Mary (playing at the coronations of the latter three). The majorty of Child's compositions were anthems and psalms. He also composed a number of full services. For the most part, Child's music has been dismissed for its torpidity and qualities which were merely surface distinctions. More recent assessments of his few exceptional works illustrate a spiritedness and an interest in conveying the significance of the textual data. ~ Keith Johnson