Thomas Linley

Thomas Linley the Younger (7 May 1756 – 5 August 1778), also known as Thomas Linley Jr was the eldest son of the composer Thomas Linley and his wife Mary Johnson. He was considered one of the most precocious composers and performers known in England. A highly talented violinist, he started his performance career at the age of seven in Bath, and often appeared alongside his musical siblings. Linley was described as the most promising of all native English composers between Henry Purcell and Edward Elgar, combining prodigious talent with a delightful personality. He was sometimes referred to as the "English Mozart". His early promise was cut short when he drowned in a boating accident, aged just 22 years.