William Croft

William Croft, an English composer and organist who followed John Blow into the post of organist at Westminster Abbey, earned the Doctorate of Music from Oxford and served as Chapel Royal composer at the court of Queen Anne. Observers have suggested that his publication of "Musicus apparatus academicus" arose from fears that Handel might displace him. Croft’s output encompassed services, anthems, instrumental sonatas, and an organ voluntary. Alongside Blow, Piggott, Clarke, and Barrett he issued the collection "Ayres for the Harpsichord or Spinnett". His scores remained free of pretension and mirrored his personal character. He maintained an admiration for earlier polyphony while possessing a clear grasp of Baroque traits, and he avoided complicating any chosen style by fusing it with others.