LANIER, NICHOLAS

Lanier also spelled Laniere (baptized Sept. 10, 1588, London, Eng.d. February 1666, London), English composer, singer, and painter, who probably introduced Italian monody into England. In 1617 he painted the scenery, composed the music for, and sang in Ben Jonson's masque Lovers Made Men, using the new monodic recitative style. In 1626 he became music master to Charles I and after the Restoration (1660) to Charles II. Lanier's use of the Italian recitative style, or stylo recitativo, brought a significant Italian influence to English music. His skillful experimentation with speech rhythms, characteristic of Italian recitative, contributed to the development of the Baroque style, later brought to maturity by John Blow and Henry Purcell.