John Travers (ca. 1703 – June 1758) was an

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and Defi ...

who held the office of Organist to the Chapel Royal from 1737 to 1758. Before filling several parochial posts in

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

he had been a choir boy at

St. George's Chapel St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle in England is a castle chapel built in the late-medieval Perpendicular Gothic style. It is both a Royal Peculiar (a church under the direct jurisdiction of the monarch) and the Chapel of the Order of the Gart ...

, Windsor, and a pupil of

Johann Christoph Pepusch Johann Christoph Pepusch (1667 – 1752), also known as John Christopher Pepusch and Dr Pepusch, was a German-born composer who spent most of his working life in England. He was born in Berlin, son of a vicar, and was married to Margherita de l ...

Life

He received his early musical education in the choir of St. George's Chapel, Windsor. With the support of

Henry Godolphin Henry Godolphin (1648–1733) was a Provost of Eton College and Dean of St. Paul's Cathedral in London, a position in which he clashed with Sir Christopher Wren in the period when the new cathedral had reached the finishing touches. Life He wa ...

, he was apprenticed to Maurice Greene. He afterwards studied with John Christopher Pepusch, and copied, according to

Charles Burney Charles Burney (7 April 1726 – 12 April 1814) was an English music historian, composer and musician. He was the father of the writers Frances Burney and Sarah Burney, of the explorer James Burney, and of Charles Burney, a classicist a ...

, his style. On Pepusch's death Travers was bequeathed some of his musical library. About 1725 Travers became organist of

St. Paul's, Covent Garden St Paul's Church is a Church of England parish church located in Bedford Street, Covent Garden, central London. It was designed by Inigo Jones as part of a commission for the Francis Russell, 4th Earl of Bedford, 4th Earl of Bedford in 1631 to ...

, and afterwards of

Fulham Fulham () is an area of the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham in West London, England, southwest of Charing Cross. It lies on the north bank of the River Thames, bordering Hammersmith, Kensington and Chelsea. The area faces Wandsworth ...

church. On 10 May 1737 he succeeded Jonathan Martin as organist of the Chapel Royal, a post which he held until his death in 1758. Among his pupils was

Jackson of Exeter William Jackson (29 May 1730 – 5 July 1803), referred to as Jackson of Exeter, was an English organist and composer. Life Jackson was born and died in Exeter, England, the son of an Exeter grocer, who later became master of the city workhouse. ...

Works

His church music (for example the extended anthem ''Ascribe unto the Lord'') was used into the nineteenth century. *''The whole Book of Psalms for one, two, three, four, or five voices, with a thorough bass for the harpsichord'' (1750?) * ''Twelve Voluntaries for Organ or Harpsichord'', London (1769). Among his secular compositions are his ''Eighteen Canzonets'', the words being from

Matthew Prior Matthew Prior (21 July 1664 – 18 September 1721) was an English poet and diplomat. He is also known as a contributor to '' The Examiner''. Early life Prior was probably born in Middlesex. He was the son of a Nonconformist joiner at Wimborne ...

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* * ;Attribution 1703 births 1758 deaths English composers 18th-century composers 18th-century male musicians {{UK-composer-stub