A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Blitheman, William

BLITHEMAN, William, was in 1564 a member of the choir and master of the choristers of Christ Church, Oxford, and also a gentleman and one of the organists of the Chapel Royal. He died on Whitsunday 1591, and was buried in the church of St. Nicholas Olave, Queenhithe, where a brass plate was placed with a metrical epitaph recording not only his skill as an organist and musician, but also that he was the instructor of John Bull. An organ piece by him is printed in the appendix to Hawkins's History, and MS. compositions of his are extant in the Mulliner MS., Queen Elizabeth's Virginal Book, etc.

[ W. H. H. ]