John Coprario

John Coprario (c. 1570–80 – c. June 1626), also known as Giovanni Coprario or Coperario, was an English composer, viol player and teacher. Life and career According to later commentators, such as John Playford and Roger North, he changed his name from either Cowper or Cooper to Coperario in the early 17th century (at least as early as February 1601), although he himself spelled his name “John Coprario”. Anthony Wood said he changed his name after an extended visit to Italy, and though he is documented as having visited the Low Countries in 1603, evidence confirming his presence in Italy has not been found. Among Coprario’s works are fantasias, suites, and other works for viols and violins, and two collections of songs, Funeral Teares (1606) and Songs of Mourning: Bewailing the Untimely Death of Prince Henry (1613). Coprario wrote songs for The Somerset Masque performed on 26 December 1613. He also penned a treatise on composition, Rules how to Compose (c. 1610–1616). Ninety-six fantasias for three up to six voices, most of them in two Oxford and Royal College of Music collections, were known to exist by Coprario (as of 1946). Meyer also notes that most of Coprario’s five- and six-p