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Tier 3 · vertical & regionalfull biography
John Jenkins
Person · male · Kingdom of England · Maidstone · born 1592 · died 1678 · recording since 1991
English composer
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Also known as ジョン・ジェンキンズ
Timeline
11 events▣ Album 8◦ Birth 1† Death 1★ Debut release 1
1590s
1670s
1990s
· Debut release
Debut release: Consort Music for Viols in Six Parts
First documented Album in the MusicBrainz discography.
source: musicbrainz
2000s
2010s
2020s
Biography
English biography707 words · 3 sectionssource: wikipedia-en · licence CC BY-SA 4.0 · revision 1353256129
Biography
John Jenkins (c. 1592–c. 1678), was an English composer of the early Baroque period. He was born in Maidstone, Kent and died in Kimberley, Norfolk.
Biography
Little is known of his early life. The son of Henry Jenkins, a carpenter who occasionally made musical instruments, he may have been the "Jack Jenkins" employed in the household of Anne Russell, Countess of Warwick in 1603. The first positive historical record of Jenkins is amongst the musicians who performed the masque The Triumph of Peace in 1634 at the court of King Charles I. Jenkins was considered a virtuoso on the lyra viol. Charles commented that Jenkins did "wonders on an inconsiderable instrument."
When the English Civil War broke out in 1642 it forced Jenkins, like many others, to migrate to the rural countryside. During the 1640s he was employed as music-master to two Royalist families, the Derham family at West Dereham and Hamon le Strange of Hunstanton. He was also a friend of the composer William Lawes (1602–1645), who was shot and died in battle at the siege of Chester.
Around 1640 Jenkins revived the In Nomine, an archaic form for a consort of viols, based upon a traditional plainsong theme. He wrote a notable piece of programme music consisting of a pavane and galliard depicting the clash of opposing sides, the mourning for the dead and the celebration of victory after the siege of Newark (1646).
In the 1650s Jenkins became resident music-master of Lord Dudley North in Cambridgeshire, whose son Roger wrote his biography. It was in these years, during the Commonwealth under Oliver Cromwell, in the absence of much competition or organised music-making, that Jenkins took the occasion to write more than 70 suites for amateur household players.
After the Restoration he obtained a place as a musician to the Royal Court. Although the viol consort was less fashionable in the court of king Charles II, Roger North wrote:
Tho' he for many years was incapable to attend, the Court musicians had so much value for him, that advantage was not taken, but he received his salary as they were paid.
Something of Jenkins's own temperament is indicated by his setting the religious poetry of George Herbert to music. Like Joseph Haydn, he was a pious, reticent, and private person. Workmanlike and industrious in composition, he wrote dances by the cart-load according to North, who also stated –
he was certainly a happy person,....of an easy temper, superior in his profession, well accepted by all, knew no want, saw himself outrun by the world, and having lived a good Christian, died in peace.
Jenkins is buried in the nave of St. Peter's Church, Kimberley, Norfolk, with this inscription:
Under this Stone Rare Jenkins lie
The Master of the Musick Art
Whom from the Earth the God on High
Called up to Him to bear his part.
Aged eighty six October twenty seven
In anno seventy eight he went to Heaven.
Musical style
Jenkins was a long-active and prolific composer whose many years of life, spanning the time from William Byrd to Henry Purcell, witnessed great changes in English music. He is noted for developing the viol consort fantasia, being influenced in the 1630s by an earlier generation of English composers including Alfonso Ferrabosco the younger, Thomas Lupo, John Coprario and Orlando Gibbons. Jenkins composed numerous 4, 5, and 6 part fantasias for viol consort, almans, courants and pavanes, and he breathed new life into the antiquated form of the In Nomine. He was less experimental than his friend William Lawes; indeed, Jenkins's music was more conservative than that of many of his contemporaries. It is characterised by a sensuous lyricism, highly skilled craftsmanship, and an original usage of tonality and counterpoint.
The musicologist Wilfrid Mellers claimed that J. S. Bach's Orchestral Suites No. 3 and No. 4 in D major (BWV 1068–69) recalled the sensibility of the physician-philosopher Sir Thomas Browne; however, the melancholic pavans, meditative fantasias and vigorous allemands of Jenkins are closer in era, antique style and temperament, to his Norfolk contemporary than Bach. Jenkins may even have socially met or performed in the presence of Browne while employed in his retirement years by Sir Philip Wodehouse of Kimberley as correspondence between Browne and Wodehouse survives.
Discography & profile
Normalised profile
Percentiles are computed over every artist in the database, so a tier-3 artist can still sit in the 95th percentile on a single axis.
| Metric | Value | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Wikipedia language versions | 14 | 70.2th |
| Spotify monthly listeners | — | no data |
| Release groups in DB | 9 | 81.7th |
| Studio albums | 9 | 90th |
| Awards recorded | 0 | 0th |
| Timeline events | 11 | 87.9th |
| Recording span (years) | -313 | 1.6th |
| Genres | 0 | 0th |
Percentiles are computed at render time; missing values mean the artist has no data on that axis.
Discography (9 release groups · 9 studio albums)
Albums · 9
Consort Music for Viols in Six Parts
1991 · studio album
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Tracklist · 15 tracks · 1:13:22
1The bell Pavan5:532Fantasy No. 44:043Fantasy No. 57:254Fantasy No. 64:585Fantasy No. 75:306In Nomine No. 14:187Fantasy No. 15:568Fantasy No. 23:259Fantasy No. 33:5110Pavan No. 26:1011Fantasy No. 84:2712Fantasy No. 93:5613Fantasy No. 113:5914Fantasy No. 104:4515In Nomine No. 24:451993 · studio album
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Tracklist · 18 tracks · 1:13:18
1Pavan in F major8:262Fantasia in C minor3:113Divisions for Two Basses in C major4:414Fantasia in C minor4:575Fantasia in F major "All in a Garden Green"3:086Newarke Seidge: I. (Pavan)6:117Newarke Seidge: II. Galliard2:518Four-Part Ayres in D minor: I. Ayre3:449Four-Part Ayres in D minor: II. Almaine1:5610Four-Part Ayres in D minor: III. Coranto1:3411Fantasia-Suite in A minor: I. Fantasia8:3612Fantasia-Suite in A minor: II. Air4:0513Fantasia-Suite in A minor: III. Corant2:2214Fantasia in C minor3:4015Fantasia in D major2:5216Fantasia in E minor4:0517Four-Part Ayre in G minor2:5418In Nomine in G minor4:05The Mirrour and Wonder of his Age: Consort Music
1996 · studio album
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Tracklist · 19 tracks · 1:16:53
1Fantasy a 5, No. 162:442Fantasy a 6, No. 83:453Suite No. 4 for 2 trebles, bass & organ: I. Fancy5:444Suite No. 4 for 2 trebles, bass & organ: II. Ayre3:535Fantasy a 4, No. 62:466Fantasy a 5, No. 73:527Pieces for lyra viol: Prelude, Almain, Corant5:158Fantasy a 4, No. 124:079In nomine a 6, No. 24:2510Pavan for 2 bass viols4:5911Fantasy a 4, No. 53:0512Fantasy a 6, No. 33:3413Suite No. 7 for treble, 2 basses & organ: I. Fancy5:3914Suite No. 7 for treble, 2 basses & organ: II. Almain2:1315Suite No. 7 for treble, 2 basses & organ: III. Corant1:2916Pavan a 6, No. 27:3217Divisions for 2 bass viols3:4718Fantasy a 5, No. 83:4719In nomine a 6, No. 14:172002 · studio album
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Tracklist · 15 tracks · 1:11:35
1Fantasias and Airs: No. 2 in A minor3:532Fantasias and Airs: No. 5 in F major4:323Fantasias and Airs: No. 6 in Bb major4:214Fantasias and Airs: No. 1 in D minor4:325Fantasias and Airs: No. 14 in F major5:046Fantasias and Airs: No. 9 in D major4:537Fantasias and Airs: No. 11 in G minor5:178Fantasias and Airs: No. 8 in C major4:369Fantasias and Airs: No. 10 in A minor5:2310Fantasias and Airs: No. 12 in C minor4:5311Fantasias and Airs: No. 15 in A major6:1812Fantasias and Airs: No. 13 in A major4:2413Fantasias and Airs: No. 7 in E minor4:0514Fantasias and Airs: No. 4 in G minor4:2715Fantasias and Airs: No. 3 in D major4:572006 · studio album
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Tracklist · 16 tracks · 1:06:01
1Fantasy No. 9 in D minor3:262In Nomine No. 1 in G minor3:583Fantasy No. 2 in C minor3:064Pavan in F major7:095Fantasy No. 8 in A minor3:366Fantasy No. 4 in D minor3:147Fantasy No. 11 in G minor3:258Fantasy No. 3 in C minor3:379Fantasy No. 1 in C minor4:4810In Nomine No. 2 in E minor3:5011Fantasy No. 12 in A minor3:5112Fantasy No. 5 in D minor4:4813Fantasy No. 10 in E minor3:2614Bell Pavan in A minor5:2015Fantasy No. 6 in D minor3:5116Fantasy No. 7 in A minor4:36Complete Four-Part Consort Music
2018 · studio album
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Tracklist · 19 tracks · 1:22:58
Disc 11Fantasia no. 13:242Fantasia no. 23:573Fantasia no. 34:034Fantasia no. 43:395Pavan in D minor6:096Fantasia no. 53:317Fantasia no. 62:528Fantasia no. 75:009Fantasia no. 84:0610Fantasia no. 95:52Disc 21Fantasia no. 103:582Fantasia no. 113:303Fantasia no. 124:184Fantasia no. 133:165Fantasia no. 143:446Pavan in E minor6:397Fantasia no. 154:358Fantasia no. 164:569Fantasia no. 175:29Consort Music for Viols in Five Parts
2019 · studio album
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Tracklist · 17 tracks · 1:06:38
1Fantasy III3:572Fantasy XIII3:483Fantasy XV3:194Fantasy VI3:395Fantasy VIII3:556Fantasy IX3:197Fantasy VII4:508Fantasy XII3:449Fantasy I3:3810Fantasy XVI3:0711Fantasy IV4:4412Fantasy XIV3:5013Fantasy V3:2314Fantasy X4:2415Fantasy II4:2116Fantasy XI4:2517Fantasy XVII4:152022 · studio album
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Tracklist · 19 tracks · 1:16:14
1Fantasy No. 12 in D4:182Fantasy No. 16 in D4:113Fantasy No. 14 in D3:254Fantasy No. 10 in A3:415Fantasy No. 13 in D3:226Pavan in D5:187Fantasy No. 15 in C4:288Fantasy No. 8 in C4:159Pavan in E5:5210Fantasy No. 11 in A3:2911Fantasy No. 4 in D3:5412Fantasy No. 1 in C3:3813Fantasy No. 6 in F2:5314Fantasy No. 7 in C5:1415Fantasy No. 5 in F3:3216Fantasy No. 9 in C3:5217Fantasy No. 2 in C3:5718Fantasy No. 3 in C2:5219Fantasy No. 17 in F4:03Late Consort Music by John Jenkins
— · studio album
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Tracklist · 28 tracks · 59:36
1Fantasia Suite in C major No 8 -- 1. Fantasia3:012Fantasia Suite in C major No 8 -- 2. Alman2:153Fantasia Suite in C major No 8 -- 3. Corant1:294Fantasia Suite in A minor No 2 -- 1. Fantasia3:175Fantasia Suite in A minor No 2 -- 2. Almain1:586Fantasia Suite in A minor No 2 -- 3. Corant1:127Lyra Consort in C major the Six Bells -- 1. Air1:518Lyra Consort in C major the Six Bells -- 2. The Six Bells1:409Lyra Consort in C major the Six Bells for Violin, Lyra Viol, Great Bass Viol and Continuo (Theorbo, Harpsichord) -- 3. The Mourners1:0610Lyra Consort in C major the Six Bells for Violin, Lyra Viol, Great Bass Viol and Continuo (Theorbo, Harpsichord) -- 4. The Ringers1:0111Fantasia Suite in E minor for 3 Violins, Bass Viol and Continuo (Organ): No 10 -- 1. Fantasia2:2512Fantasia Suite in E minor for 3 Violins, Bass Viol and Continuo (Organ): No 10 -- 2. Alman2:2313Fantasia Suite in E minor for 3 Violins, Bass Viol and Continuo (Organ): No 10 -- 3. Saraband1:1714Fantasia Suite in D major for 2 Violins, 2 Bass Viols and Continuo (Theorbo, Organ): No 8 -- 1. Fantasia3:0815Fantasia Suite in D major for 2 Violins, 2 Bass Viols and Continuo (Theorbo, Organ): No 8 -- 2. Alman1:5716Fantasia Suite in D major for 2 Violins, 2 Bass Viols and Continuo (Theorbo, Organ): No 8 -- 3. Corant1:2117Lyra Consort in G major -- 1. Pavan5:1218Lyra Consort in G major -- 2. Air I2:1719Lyra Consort in G major -- 3. Air II2:1520Lyra Consort in G major -- 4. Corant I1:3121Lyra Consort in G major -- 5. Corant II1:1222Lyra Consort in G major -- 6. Saraband0:4823Fantasia Suite in F major No 6 -- 1. Fantasia3:1324Fantasia Suite in F major No 6 -- 2. Almain4:1825Fantasia Suite in F major -- 3. Corant1:1526Fantasia Suite in F major No 6 -- 1. Fantasia2:5127Fantasia Suite in F major No 6 -- 2. Alman2:0328Fantasia Suite in F major No 6 -- 3. Saraband1:20
Stats & PK
Percentile within all 23,672 published artists.Put John Jenkins head-to-head →
| Metric | Value | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Wikipedia language versions | 14 | 70.2th |
| Spotify monthly listeners | — | no data |
| Release groups in DB | 9 | 81.7th |
| Studio albums | 9 | 90th |
| Awards recorded | 0 | 0th |
| Timeline events | 11 | 87.9th |
| Recording span (years) | -313 | 1.6th |
| Genres | 0 | 0th |
Awards & honours
Where this record comes from
aliases/urls—musicbrainz · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://musicbrainz.org/artist/9c595c86-0041-4d62-950d-3e585c6ad7a6discography—musicbrainz · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://musicbrainz.org/artist/9c595c86-0041-4d62-950d-3e585c6ad7a6core—wikidata · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1509098seed-list—wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Jenkins_%28composer%29biography—wikipedia-en · CC BY-SA 4.0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Jenkins_%28composer%29
Why this artist is in the database
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Wikidata: Q1509098 · MusicBrainz: 9c595c86-0041-4d62-950d-3e585c6ad7a6