In his mid-twenties he was appointed organist of Magdalen College, Oxford where he began to compose.
One of his first engagements was to complete the concluding Masque for Act V of the semi-opera The Indian Queen, the preceding music for which had been written by Henry Purcell during the early months of 1695.
In 1701, he came third in a competition for the best musical setting of William Congreve's masque, The Judgment of Paris.
In 1713, at the age of 49 he was appointed organist of St Andrew's, Holborn, a position he held until his death.
The most frequently performed of his compositions are probably the Magnificat and Nunc dimittis in E minor, liturgical pieces written for use in the Church of England service of Evensong.