Orlando Gibbons

Gibbons was an English composer, virginalist and organist of the Golden Century of English music. His career started in Cambride, after which he was named organist of the Chapel Royal. Later, he became of the Virginals of Jams I and in 1623 he was named organist of the Westminster Abbey.  Gibbons wrote a large number of madrigals and plenty of sacred music, yet he is mostly known for his instrumental music. He is seen as the succesor of William Byrd. Gibbons died of an acute stroke. His son, Christopher Gibbons, grew to fame too, as he composed Cupid and Death together with Mathew Locke, a masque on a libretto by James Shirley, which is now considered as one of the first English operas.