Hingston (also Hingeston, Hinkstone, and Hinkson), John

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Hingston (also Hingeston, Hinkstone, and Hinkson), John

Hingston (also Hingeston, Hinkstone, and Hinkson), John, English organist, viol player, and composer; b. c. 1610; d. London (buried), Dec. 17, 1683. He sang in the choir at York Minster and may have studied with Orlando Gibbons. He then was in the service of Charles I, and subsequently state organist and private musician to Oliver Cromwell (1654–58). After the Restoration, he became viol player and overseer of the court musical instruments (1660). Purcell became his apprentice in 1673. Among his works are fantasias and dances utilizing viols and violins with organ, as well as some for cornetts and sackbut. He also wrote dances for 2 and 3 bass viols.

Bibliography

E. Bock, The String Fantasies of J. Hingeston c. 1610-1683 (diss., Univ. of Iowa, 1956).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire