John Keeble (composer) facts for kids

John Keeble (born in 1711 – died December 24, 1786) was an English musician. He was a talented organ player, a composer who wrote music, and a writer who shared his ideas about music.

John Keeble's Life Story

John Keeble was born in 1711 in a city called Chichester, England. When he was young, he sang in the choir at Chichester Cathedral. His teacher there was Thomas Kelway.

Learning About Music

Around 1734 and 1735, John Keeble went to special classes. He studied with a famous musician named Johann Christoph Pepusch. Other future composers like William Boyce and John Travers were also in these classes. These lessons made Keeble very interested in the old Greek ideas about music.

Becoming an Organist

In 1737, Keeble got an important job. He became the organist at St George's, Hanover Square in London. This was a big church, and he took over from another organist named Thomas Roseingrave.

John Keeble also played the organ at Ranelagh Gardens. This was a popular public garden that opened in 1742. People went there for entertainment. Besides playing, Keeble was a teacher. He taught many students how to play the harpsichord, which is like an early piano.

Family and Later Years

In 1747, John Keeble married Hannah Painter. They got married at a church called St Botolph-without-Bishopsgate. John Keeble passed away in 1786 at his home in Conduit Street, London. He wanted to be buried next to his wife in the churchyard of Ramsholt in Suffolk.

John Keeble's Musical Works

John Keeble wrote several important musical pieces and books.

• Select pieces for the organ or harpsichord: These were collections of six musical pieces each. He released four sets of these between 1777 and 1778.
• The Theory of Harmonics, or an Illustration of the Grecian Harmonica: This was a book he wrote in 1784. It explained the ancient Greek ideas about music and how sounds fit together. It looked at the ideas of old thinkers like Euclid and Aristoxenus.
• Forty Interludes to be played between the verses of the Psalms: This book came out in 1795, after he had passed away. It contained short musical pieces meant to be played during church services. John Keeble wrote 25 of these pieces, and Jacob Kirkman wrote the other 15. Kirkman took over Keeble's job at St George's church.