Instruments for the journey
Composer lifelines
On this page we’ve charted the lives of 73 composers referenced by our authors in the full (book) versions of their essays, including those whose dates and careers lie outside the English Baroque. Our focus period of 1660-1760 is illuminated on the timeline, which you can also search and filter by the reigning English monarch. Where available, we’ve added a link to each composer on Spotify; click/tap on a composer to find out more.
Drag the year to see who was alive and who was on the throne.
1674 — 40 of 73 alive · Charles II
Emphasise
Text size
Henry VIIIEdward VIMary IElizabeth IJames ICharles ICouncil of StateOliver CromwellRichard CromwellCouncil of StateCharles IIJames IIWilliam III & Mary IIWilliam IIIAnneGeorge IGeorge IIGeorge IIIGeorge IV
154015601580160016201640166016801700172017401760178018001820
- in the focus period, 1660-1760
- outside it — still shown in full, never shortened
- date uncertain — we know roughly when, not exactly
- date open-ended — the life ran at least this far
- reign added for context, beyond the book’s own chart
Composers not shown on this chart
Not shown because their lifeline falls outside the period, or only a birth, death or floruit date is known.
- Jacques Bochan (d.1653)
- Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)
- Benjamin Britten (1913-1976)
- Nicolas Confesse (fl.1610-1635)
- Edward Elgar (1857-1934)
- John Gamble (d.1687)
- Jacques Gaultier (fl.1617-1649)
- Thomas Greeting (fl.1675)
- Orlande de Lassus (1532-1594)
- Luca Marenzio (1554-1599)
- Nicola Matteis (d.1713)
- Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (1525-1594)
- Henry Purcell Senior (d.1664)
- Nicholas Staggins (d.1700)
- Thomas Tallis (1505-1585)
- William Topham (fl.1709)
- Richard Wagner (1813-1883)