William Child

Born in Bristol, Child was a chorister in the cathedral under the direction of Elway Bevin. In 1630 he began his lifetime association with St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, becoming first a lay-clerk and, from 1632, Master of the Choristers there until the dissolution of the chapel in 1643. After the Restoration of Charles II in 1660, Child was re-appointed to St. George's, became Master of the King's Wind Music and a Gentleman of the Chapel Royal.

His output of church music is understandably considerable, including a set of psalms (1639), many anthems and 17 service settings. He was often influenced by the Italian 'tastes' of his time, but also wrote anthems in more conventional English forms.

Little secular music of Child survives, namely, a number of catches and instrumental pieces.

• Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians, Centennial Edition. Nicolas Slonimsky, Editor Emeritus. Schirmer, 2001.

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• {{IMSLP|Child, William|William Child}}
• {{ChoralWiki}}

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{{s-ttl|title=First Organist of the Chapel Royal

| years = 1660-1697}}

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Category:1606 births

Category:1697 deaths

Category:English Baroque composers

Category:Gentlemen of the Chapel Royal

Category:Musicians from Bristol

Category:17th-century English classical composers

Category:English male classical composers

Category:17th-century male musicians

Category:17th-century English composers