BATTISHILL

battishill, jonathan (1738-1801), one of the best 18th century english composers of church music. until 1764 he wrote chiefly for the theatre (incidental songs, pantomime music, and an opera in collaboration with michael arne, the son of thomas arne), but his later compositions are chiefly glees, part-songs and church music. in 1763 he had married a singer at covent garden theatre where he was harpsichordist. she retired from her profession when she married; and her death in 1777 so crushed him that he composed no more.