Albertus Bryne

Albertus Bryne (variants: Albert Bryan; Albert Brian) (ca. 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. He continued to receive a salary from St. Paul’s until his death. 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 musician (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. Albertus Bryne II His son, also called Albertus, worked with him at