John Milton (composer)
Encyclopedia
John Milton was an English
composer
and father of poet John Milton
. Early in his life he converted to Protestantism
and his own father, Richard Milton, subsequently disowned him. He moved to London
around 1583 to work as an apprentice scrivener
. His work largely pertained to business matters; often working as a moneylender
or a financial broker
. He registered with the Company of Scriveners on 27 February 1599. Soon after this he started a family, marrying Sara Jeffrey (c.1572–1637) and living in Bread Street
, London
, with her parents. Records show the couple had six children, three of whom reached adulthood. The three surviving children were Anne, John Milton
(the poet) and Christopher Milton (a judge who was later awarded a knighthood).
Similar to his first son of the same name, Milton wrote poetry. Two poems are known to have existed: a sonnet and a poem dedicated to John Lane
— both unpublished. Milton's main creative outlet, however, was composing music. Twenty musical compositions are verified as belonging to Milton. All but one of his compositions contained a religious theme. Milton succeeded in publishing his works in Thomas Morley
's The Triumphs of Oriana
(1601), William Leighton's The Tears or Lamentations of a Sorrowful Soul (1612) and Thomas Ravenscroft
's The Whole Book of Psalms (1621), amongst others. Other works survived as manuscripts under the care of John Browne, a Parliamentary clerk, and Thomas Myriell, a personal friend of the composer.
Milton's work made the family so prosperous that they could afford to employ private tutors of classical languages for their sons and later send them to school and university. This affluence also meant that his eldest son, John Milton
, never had to work and thus spent his time focusing on writing. Milton also ensured that his eldest son was thoroughly educated in music.
In 1631 Milton and his family moved from Bread Street to Hammersmith
where he resided until his retirement in 1636. Thereafter he moved with his wife to Horton, Buckinghamshire
. However, Sara died shortly after on 3 April 1637 and she was buried in the aisle of the parish church. Milton moved to Reading, Berkshire
in 1641 to live with his youngest son but after the Siege of Reading
he moved back to London, living with his eldest son, John Milton. After his son reconciled with his wife the family moved to the Barbican
. He remained there until his death and was buried on 15 March 1647 in St Giles Cripplegate.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and father of poet John Milton
John Milton
John Milton was an English poet, polemicist, a scholarly man of letters, and a civil servant for the Commonwealth of England under Oliver Cromwell...
. Early in his life he converted to Protestantism
Protestantism
Protestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...
and his own father, Richard Milton, subsequently disowned him. He moved to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
around 1583 to work as an apprentice scrivener
Scrivener
A scrivener was traditionally a person who could read and write. This usually indicated secretarial and administrative duties such as dictation and keeping business, judicial, and history records for kings, nobles, temples, and cities...
. His work largely pertained to business matters; often working as a moneylender
Moneylender
A moneylender is a person or group who offers small personal loans at high rates of interest.-See also:* Microfinance - provision of financial services to low-income individuals....
or a financial broker
Broker
A broker is a party that arranges transactions between a buyer and a seller, and gets a commission when the deal is executed. A broker who also acts as a seller or as a buyer becomes a principal party to the deal...
. He registered with the Company of Scriveners on 27 February 1599. Soon after this he started a family, marrying Sara Jeffrey (c.1572–1637) and living in Bread Street
Bread Street
Bread Street is a ward of the City of London and is named from its principal street, which was anciently the bread market; for by the records it appears that in 1302, the bakers of London were ordered to sell no bread at their houses but in the open market...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, with her parents. Records show the couple had six children, three of whom reached adulthood. The three surviving children were Anne, John Milton
John Milton
John Milton was an English poet, polemicist, a scholarly man of letters, and a civil servant for the Commonwealth of England under Oliver Cromwell...
(the poet) and Christopher Milton (a judge who was later awarded a knighthood).
Similar to his first son of the same name, Milton wrote poetry. Two poems are known to have existed: a sonnet and a poem dedicated to John Lane
John Lane
John Lane may refer to:*John Lane *John W. Lane , Texas politician*John Lane , British publisher*John Carey Lane , Mayor of Honolulu...
— both unpublished. Milton's main creative outlet, however, was composing music. Twenty musical compositions are verified as belonging to Milton. All but one of his compositions contained a religious theme. Milton succeeded in publishing his works in Thomas Morley
Thomas Morley
Thomas Morley was an English composer, theorist, editor and organist of the Renaissance, and the foremost member of the English Madrigal School. He was the most famous composer of secular music in Elizabethan England and an organist at St Paul's Cathedral...
's The Triumphs of Oriana
The Triumphs of Oriana
The Triumphs of Oriana is a book of English madrigals, compiled and published in 1601 by Thomas Morley, which first edition has 25 pieces by 23 composers . It was said to have been made in the honour of Queen Elizabeth I...
(1601), William Leighton's The Tears or Lamentations of a Sorrowful Soul (1612) and Thomas Ravenscroft
Thomas Ravenscroft
Thomas Ravenscroft was an English musician, theorist and editor, notable as a composer of rounds and catches, and especially for compiling collections of British folk music.He probably sang in the choir of St...
's The Whole Book of Psalms (1621), amongst others. Other works survived as manuscripts under the care of John Browne, a Parliamentary clerk, and Thomas Myriell, a personal friend of the composer.
Milton's work made the family so prosperous that they could afford to employ private tutors of classical languages for their sons and later send them to school and university. This affluence also meant that his eldest son, John Milton
John Milton
John Milton was an English poet, polemicist, a scholarly man of letters, and a civil servant for the Commonwealth of England under Oliver Cromwell...
, never had to work and thus spent his time focusing on writing. Milton also ensured that his eldest son was thoroughly educated in music.
In 1631 Milton and his family moved from Bread Street to Hammersmith
Hammersmith
Hammersmith is an urban centre in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in west London, England, in the United Kingdom, approximately five miles west of Charing Cross on the north bank of the River Thames...
where he resided until his retirement in 1636. Thereafter he moved with his wife to Horton, Buckinghamshire
Horton, Buckinghamshire
Horton is a hamlet in the parish of Ivinghoe, in Buckinghamshire, England.The name Horton is a common one in England, meaning "dirty or muddy farm"....
. However, Sara died shortly after on 3 April 1637 and she was buried in the aisle of the parish church. Milton moved to Reading, Berkshire
Reading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
in 1641 to live with his youngest son but after the Siege of Reading
Siege of Reading
The Siege of Reading refers to the English Civil War military campaign waged to besiege a Royalist garrison quartered in the town of Reading, Berkshire from 4 November 1642 to 25 April 1643.-Background:...
he moved back to London, living with his eldest son, John Milton. After his son reconciled with his wife the family moved to the Barbican
Barbican Estate
The Barbican Estate is a residential estate built during the 1960s and the 1970s in the City of London, in an area once devastated by World War II bombings and today densely populated by financial institutions...
. He remained there until his death and was buried on 15 March 1647 in St Giles Cripplegate.