John Hilton (the elder) (1565 – 1609(?)) was an English countertenor, organist and composer of mainly sacred works.

Works

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Hilton is best known for his anthems "Lord, for Thy Tender Mercy's Sake" (which may actually be by one of the Farrants)[1] and "Call to Remembrance".

Life

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Hilton was born in 1565. By 1584 he was a countertenor at Lincoln Cathedral. At the start of 1594 he became organist at Trinity College, Cambridge.

He was the father of John Hilton the younger, also a composer, which makes definitive assignation of their combined sacred works problematic; whereas his only secular work appears to have been the madrigal Fair Oriana, beauty's Queen, which he wrote for The Triumphs of Oriana.[2]

He died, probably in Cambridge, prior to 20 March 1609.[2]

References

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  1. ^ Peter Le Huray: Music and the Reformation in England, Cambridge University Press, 1978, p. 269
  2. ^ a b Peter Le Huray; Ian Payne: Hilton, John (i), New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 1980