William Croft Sheet Music
- Born:c. 30th December 1678
- Died: 14th August 1727
- Birthplace: Nether Ettington, Warwickshire, England
William Croft was an English composer and organist. Croft was born at the Manor House, Nether Ettington, Warwickshire. He was educated at the Chapel Royal, under the instruction of John Blow, and remained there until 1698. Two years after this departure, he became organist of St. Anne's Church, Soho. In 1707, he took over the Chapel Royal's "Master of the Children" post, which had been left vacant by the suicide of Jeremiah Clarke (one of Croft's pupils in this capacity was Maurice Greene). The following year, Croft succeeded Blow (who had lately died) as organist of Westminster Abbey. He composed works for the funeral of Queen Anne (1714) and for the coronation of King George I (1715). Perhaps Croft's most notable legacy is the suite of Funeral Sentences which have been described by music historian Matthias Range as a "glorious work of near genius". First published as part of the Burial Service in Musica Sacra, the date and purpose of their composition is uncertain. The seven Sentences themselves are from the Book of Common Prayerand are verses from various books of the Bible, intended to be said or sung during an Anglican funeral.