George Jeffreys

Full biography George Jeffreys

George Jeffreys was an English Baroque composer who lived in the 17th century. He is known for his secular vocal music, which was heavily influenced by the Italian style of composition. Jeffreys was one of the earliest English composers to experiment with this style of writing. He is also known for setting the words of the Song of Solomon to music.

Not much is known about George Jeffreys' early life or education. It is believed that he was born in the mid-17th century and that he received some musical training, though the details of this are unclear. Jeffreys was active during the restoration period in England, when Charles II returned to the throne after the Commonwealth period.

Jeffreys' secular vocal music is his most well-known work. He wrote several songs in this genre, many of which were written in Italian. Some of his most famous works include "How Wretched is the State," which was written in the 1600s, and "A Child is Born to Save Us." He also set some of the words of the Song of Solomon to music , creating some of his most beautiful and moving works.

George Jeffreys is not as well-known today as many of his contemporaries, such as Henry Purcell and William Byrd. However, his contributions to the development of English Baroque music were important and he remains a figure of interest for those studying this period of music history.