Smith, William

Composer Information

William Smith (27 March 1603 – April 1645) was an English composer from the city of Durham. He is chiefly known for his set of choral preces and responses for the Anglican liturgy of Evening Prayer. Smith's anthems employ the prevalent device of imitative verse sections, and exhibit his predilection for lengthy verse sections and short choruses. For example, in 'Almighty and everlasting God', a concise and effective setting of the text of the Collect for the Purification, the first chorus lasts a total of just eight minim beats. Smith took this verse/chorus proportion to its extreme in his Second Creed which is entirely a verse setting apart from the final ‘amen’. [source from Wikipedia]

Work

Smith, William