WILLIAM CROFT  

A chorister in the Chapel Royal under John Blow, William Croft represents a musical link between the England of Purcell and that of the early Hanoverians. As an adult he served as organist to the Chapel Royal and in 1708 succeeded Blow as Master of the Children of the Chapel Royal and composer, also holding the position of organist at Westminster Abbey. His compositions include works for organ, instrumental and secular vocal music, with a quantity of church music, including services and anthems. His Burial Service was published in his Musica Sacra of 1724.