His teacher was
John Tomkins, organist of
St Paul's Cathedral, a role in which he succeeded his teacher in 1638. He was dismissed from the post by the
Puritans and, during the
Commonwealth, taught the
harpsichord. He returned to St Paul's at the
Restoration but was not granted a request to be made organist of the
Chapel Royal,
Whitehall. He took up a post at
Westminster Abbey after the
Great Fire of London, and was succeeded by
John Blow upon his death in 1668. He continued to receive a salary from St. Paul's until his death. According to
Anthony Wood, he was buried in the
cloisters at Westminster Abbey, but his grave has not been found. He was respected in his time as 'that famously
velvet fingered Organist' (J. Batchiler,
The Virgin’s Pattern, 1661) and 'an excellent musician (Wood). He was one of the finest English
harpsichord composers of the time and exerted a significant influence on later composers. His
suites are among the earliest surviving English examples with four movements.
Albertus Bryne II His son, also called Albertus, worked with him at
St Paul's Cathedral until January 1671, and was organist at
Dulwich College from 1671 to 1677. It was probably he who was organist of
All Hallows-by-the-Tower from 1676 until his death in 1713, though he was referred to as 'Mr Bryan'. Bryne (II) is not known to have composed. ==Compositions==