Albertus Bryne

Albertus Bryne (variants: Albert, Bryan, Brian) (c.1621 - 2 December 1668) was an English organist and composer.

Biography

His teacher was John Tomkins, organist of St Paul's Cathedral, a role in which he succeeded his teacher in 1638. He was dismissed from the post by the Puritans and, during the Commonwealth, taught the harpsichord. He returned to St Paul's at the Restoration but was not granted a request to be made organist of the Chapel Royal, Whitehall. He took up a post at Westminster Abbey after the Great Fire of London, and was succeeded by John Blow upon his death in 1668. According to Anthony Wood, he was buried in the cloisters at Westminster Abbey, but his grave has not been found.

He was respected in his time as 'that famously velvet fingered Organist' (J. Batchiler, "The Virgin’s Pattern", 1661) and 'an excellent musitian' (Wood). He was one of the finest English harpsichord composers of the time and exerted a significant influence on later composers. His suites are among the earliest surviving English examples with four movements.

His son, also called Albertus, worked with him at St Paul's Cathedral until January 1671, and was organist at Dulwich College from 1671 to 1677. It was probably he who was organist of All Hallows, Barking-by-the-Tower from 1676 until his death in 1713, though he was referred to as 'Mr Bryan'. His son is not known to have composed.

Compositions

Choral

*Short Service in G, SATB and organ
*3 full anthems, SATB and organ
*2 verse anthems

Harpsichord

All published in "Albertus Bryne – Keyboard Works for Harpsichord and Organ" [http://homepage.ntlworld.com/terence.charlston/Bryne_Interactive_Edition.htm] Edited by T. Charlston (Oslo, 2008)

*5 dance movements, (1678)
*3 suites
*2 suites
*1 suite
*2 movements
*4 suites published in "Recent Researches in the Music of the Baroque Era" LXXXI (Madison, Wisconsin, 1997)
*Voluntary for organ (doubtful)

Further reading

*A. Clark, editor: "The Life and Times of Anthony Wood" (Oxford, 1891–1895)
*B. Cooper: "Albertus Bryne’s Keyboard Music", in "Musical Times" CXIII (1972)
*B. Hodge: "English Harpsichord Repertoire: 1660–1714" (dissertation, University of Manchester, 1989)
*C. Bailey, editor: "Late Seventeenth-Century English Keyboard Music" (Madison, Wisconsin, 1997)
*S. Boyer: "The Cathedral, the City and the Crown: a Study of the Music and Musicians of St Paul’s Cathedral, 1660 to 1697" (dissertation, University of Manchester, 1999)

ources

*B.A.R Cooper: 'Bryne [Bryan, Brian] , Albertus [Albert] ', Grove Music Online ed. L. Macy (Accessed 2007=07-05), http://www.grovemusic.com/