Gentleman of the Chapel Royal is the office of an adult male singer of the

Chapel Royal The Chapel Royal is an establishment in the Royal Household serving the spiritual needs of the sovereign and the British Royal Family. Historically it was a body of priests and singers that travelled with the monarch. The term is now also appl ...

, the household choir of the monarchs of

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe ...

Notable holders

15th century

* Gilbert Banester *

Robert Fayrfax Robert Fayrfax (23 April 1464 – 24 October 1521) was an English Renaissance composer, considered the most prominent and influential of the reigns of Kings Henry VII and Henry VIII of England. Biography He was born in Deeping Gate, Lincol ...

* William Newark

16th century

John Bull John Bull is a national personification of the United Kingdom in general and England in particular, especially in political cartoons and similar graphic works. He is usually depicted as a stout, middle-aged, country-dwelling, jolly and matter- ...

William Byrd William Byrd (; 4 July 1623) was an English composer of late Renaissance music. Considered among the greatest composers of the Renaissance, he had a profound influence on composers both from his native England and those on the continent. He ...

* Thomas Causton *

Richard Edwardes Richard Edwardes (also Edwards, 25 March 1525 – 31 October 1566) was an English poet, playwright, and composer; he was made a Gentleman of the Chapel Royal, and was master of the singing boys. He was known for his comedies and interludes. He ...

Richard Farrant Richard Farrant (c. 1525 – 30 November 1580) was an English composer, musical dramatist, theater founder, and Master of the Children of the Chapel Royal. The first acknowledgment of him is in a list of the Gentlemen of the Chapel Royal in 1 ...

* Edmund Hooper * William Hunnis * William Mundy * Thomas Palfreyman * Robert Parsons * John Sheppard * Robert Stone *

Thomas Tallis Thomas Tallis (23 November 1585; also Tallys or Talles) was an English composer of High Renaissance music. His compositions are primarily vocal, and he occupies a primary place in anthologies of English choral music. Tallis is considered one o ...

17th century

* Ralph Amner *

Elway Bevin Elway Bevin (c.1554-1638) was a Welsh-born organist and composer. Briefly a vicar choral at Wells Cathedral, in 1585 he was appointed Master of the Choristers at Bristol Cathedral. He was sworn a gentleman-extraordinary of the Chapel Royal on 3 J ...

John Blow John Blow (baptised 23 February 1649 – 1 October 1708) was an English composer and organist of the Baroque period. Appointed organist of Westminster Abbey in late 1668,William Child William Child (160623 March 1697) was an English composer and organist. Early life 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 ...

* Henry Cooke *

Christopher Gibbons Christopher Gibbons ( bapt. 22 August 1615 – 20 October 1676) was an English composer and organist of the Baroque period. He was the second son, and first surviving child of the composer Orlando Gibbons. Life and career Background Chri ...

Orlando Gibbons Orlando Gibbons ( bapt. 25 December 1583 – 5 June 1625) was an English composer and keyboard player who was one of the last masters of the English Virginalist School and English Madrigal School. The best known member of a musical fam ...

* John Gostling *

William Heather William Heather (c. 1563 – 1627) was a musician, and founder of the position of the Heather Professor of Music at the University of Oxford. Life and career William Heather was born in Harmondsworth,DNB and sang in the choir of Westminster Abbey ...

* Pelham Humfrey * Robert Jones *

Henry Lawes Henry Lawes (1596 – 1662) was the leading English songwriter of the mid-17th century. He was elder brother of fellow composer William Lawes. Life Henry Lawes (baptised 5 January 1596 – 21 October 1662),Ian Spink, "Lawes, Henry," ''Grove Musi ...

John Lenton John Lenton (before 4 March 1657 – May 1719) was an English composer, violinist, and singer. Scholars believe he may have been the John Linton baptized on 4 March 1657 at St Andrew, Holborn.Holman, Peter. "Lenton, John". Grove Music Online'' (s ...

Matthew Locke Matthew Locke may refer to: * Matthew Locke (administrator) (fl. 1660–1683), English Secretary at War from 1666 to 1683 * Matthew Locke (composer) (c. 1621–1677), English Baroque composer and music theorist * Matthew Locke (soldier) (1974–2 ...

Francis Pigott Francis Pigott ( 1665 – 15 May 1704) was an England, English Baroque music, Baroque composer and organist. Career He was a choirboy at the Chapel Royal in London from at least August 1678 to Michaelmas 1683. A record at St John's College, Oxfor ...

Henry Purcell Henry Purcell (, rare: September 1659 – 21 November 1695) was an English composer. Purcell's style of Baroque music was uniquely English, although it incorporated Italian and French elements. Generally considered among the greatest E ...

Thomas Day Thomas Day may refer to: Sports * Tom Day (rugby union) (1907–1980), Welsh rugby union player * Tom Day (American football) (1935–2000), American football player * Tom Day (footballer) (born 1997), English footballer Others * Thomas Day (wri ...

Thomas Tomkins Thomas Tomkins (1572 – 9 June 1656) was a Welsh-born composer of the late Tudor and early Stuart period. In addition to being one of the prominent members of the English Madrigal School, he was a skilled composer of keyboard and consort m ...

* William Turner * Michael Wise

18th century

Edmund Ayrton Dr. Edmund Ayrton (1734 – 22 May 1808) was an English organist who was Master of the Children of the Chapel Royal. Early life Edmund Ayrton was born in Ripon and baptised on 19 November 1734. His father was Edward Ayrton (1698-1774), a 'ba ...

* Richard Bellamy *

William Croft William Croft (baptised 30 December 1678 – 14 August 1727) was an English composer and organist. Life Croft was born at the Manor House, Nether Ettington, Warwickshire. He was educated at the Chapel Royal under the instruction of John Blow ...

* Richard Elford * Luke Flintoft *

John Sale John Sale (1758 – 11 November 1827) was an English bass singer of church music, and a singer and composer of glees. Life He was born in London in 1758, the son of John Sale (1734–1802). From 1767 to 1775 Sale was a chorister of St George's ...

William Savage William Savage (1720 – 27 July 1789) was an English composer, organist, and singer of the 18th century. He sang as a boy treble and alto, a countertenor, and as a bass. He is best remembered for his association with the composer George Fride ...

John Stafford Smith John Stafford Smith (bapt. 30 March 175021 September 1836) was a British composer, church organist, and early musicologist. He was one of the first serious collectors of manuscripts of works by Johann Sebastian Bach. Smith is best known for ...

* John Weldon

19th century

* William Beale *

William Hayman Cummings William Hayman Cummings (22 August 1831 – 5 June 1915) was an English musician, tenor and organist at Waltham Abbey. Cummings was born in Sidbury (near Sidmouth) in Devon. He was educated at St Paul's Cathedral Choir School and the City o ...

Charles Smart Evans Charles Smart Evans (1778 – 4 January 1849) was an English vocalist and composer. Evans was a chorister under Dr. Edmund Ayrton, and in 1808 a gentleman of the Chapel Royal. His name appears among the alto singers in the chorus of the "Ancient ...

* William Hawes * William Knyvett * Edward Lloyd * Henry Wylde Sr

20th century

* James Bowman

References

Notes

{{notelist Positions within the British Royal Household Gentlemen of the Chapel Royal English male singers