William Corbett (18 June 1680 – 7 March 1748) was an

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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 ...

violin The violin, sometimes known as a ''fiddle'', is a wooden chordophone (string instrument) in the violin family. Most violins have a hollow wooden body. It is the smallest and thus highest-pitched instrument (soprano) in the family in regular ...

ist, and concert performer. The Director of New Theatre (Lincoln's Inn Fields, London) from 1700, Corbett was appointed orchestra director of King's Theatre,

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in 1705 and became a member of the Royal Orchestra in 1709. In 1716, he was appointed Director of the King's Band. From 1715 to 1726, Corbett lived in

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, returning to London in 1727. It has been speculated that while abroad, Corbett was possibly acting as an agent for the Crown.

Extant works

*''Henry VI by Betterton'' (1699) *''Twelve Sonatas a tre'' for 2 violins and b.c op. 1 (1700) *''As You Find It'' (1703) *'' Love Betray'd, or The Agreeable Disappointment'' (1703) *''The Instrumental Musick for January, February and March'', for 2 flutes and b.c (1703) *''Six Sonatas for 2 flutes and b.c'' op. 2 (1705) *''British Enchanters, or No Magick Like Love'' (1706) *''Six Sonatas a 3 for Two Flutes or German Flutes and a Bass. Consisting of Preludes, Allemands, Corants, Sarabands, Gavots & Jiggs. Dedicated to ye ... Earle of Portland ...'' Opera Quarta. Libro Primo. eparate Parts. ondon: L. Pippard, for ye Author, 712.A copy is in the British Library: music collections h.50.(1). *''Six Sonatas a 3 for two Violins & Thro'-bass for the Spinet or Harpsicord. Consisting of preludes, allemands, corants, sarabands, gavots and jiggs ... Opera quarta. Libro secondo.'' arts.London : L. Pippard for the author,

712 __NOTOC__ Year 712 ( DCCXII) was a leap year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. The denomination 712 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era be ...

An incomplete copy of the score is in the British Library: music collections h.50.(2) *Concerto No. 7 "Alla Portugesa" in B-Flat Major, Op. 7 *''Le Bizzarie Universali'' in Four Parts op. 8 (1728) *''Le Bizzarie Universali'' in Seven Parts (Concerti Grossi) (1742)

External links

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William Corbett
at kantor.acc.de 1680 births 1748 deaths English classical composers English Baroque composers 18th-century classical composers 18th-century British male musicians 18th-century English composers English male classical composers {{UK-composer-stub