William Smith (composer)

William Smith (c. 27 March[1] 1603 – April[2] 1645) was an English composer from the city of Durham.

He is chiefly known for his set of choral preces and responses for the Anglican liturgy of Evening Prayer.

[4] In addition to the well known Preces and Responses, Smith composed seven verse anthems, five festal psalms, two communion services, and a Kyrie, ‘10: severall wayes’.

For example, in 'Almighty and everlasting God', a concise and effective setting of the text of the Collect for the Purification, the first chorus lasts a total of just eight minim beats.

Smith took this verse–chorus proportion to its extreme in his Second Creed, which is entirely a verse setting, apart from the final ‘amen’.