King, Matthew Peter

1773-1823

English dramatic composer, who spent most of his life in London, the place of his birth and death. Charles Frederick Horn was his teacher in composition. He first wrote three sonatas for the piano; eight songs; and a cantata. Later he produced a treatise on thorough-bass and one on music in general, both of which are valuable. The works for which he is best known are his operas, which were written for the Lyceum Theatre. Some of them were written in collaboration with other composers, as Braham, Kelly and Davy. They are light in character, as suggested by their titles, The Invisible Girl; False Alarms; Up All Night; Oh this Love; and One O'clock, or the Wood Demon. He also wrote an oratorio, The Intercession, given at Covent Garden, and popular glees and duets.