A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Turner, William

TURNER, William, Mus. Doc., born 1651, son of Charles Turner, cook of Pembroke College, Oxford, commenced his musical education as a chorister of Christ Church, Oxford, under Edward Lowe, and was afterwards admitted a chorister of the Chapel Royal under Captain Henry Cooke. Whilst in the latter capacity he joined his fellow choristers, John Blow and Pelham Humfrey in the composition of the 'Club Anthem.' After quitting the choir his voice settled into a fine countertenor, and he became a member of the choir of Lincoln Cathedral. On Oct. 11, 1669, he was sworn in as a gentleman of the Chapel Royal, and soon afterwards became a vicar choral of St. Paul's, and a lay vicar of Westminster Abbey. He graduated as Mus. Doc. at Cambridge in 1696. He composed much church music; 2 services and 6 anthems (including 'The king shall rejoice,' composed for St. Cecilia's Day, 1697, and 'The queen shall rejoice,' for the coronation of Queen Anne) are contained in the Tudway collection (Harl. MSS. 7339 and 7341). Eight more anthems are at Ely Cathedral, and others in the choir books of the Chapel Royal and Westminster Abbey. Boyce printed the anthem 'Lord, Thou hast been our refuge' in his Cathedral Music. Many of Turner's songs were printed in the collections of the period. He died at his house in Duke Street, Westminster, Jan. 13, 1739–40, aged 88, having survived his wife, with whom he had lived nearly 70 years, only 4 days, she dying on Jan. 9, aged 85. They were buried Jan. 16, in one grave in the west cloister of Westminster Abbey. Their youngest daughter, Anne, was the wife of John Robinson, organist of Westminster Abbey. [See Robinson, John.]

[ W. H. H. ]