Composers/John Stewart Goldsmith was an English composer and organist born 15 April 1660. He was the son of a London music publisher and learned the violin as a child. At the age of 12 he became a student at the Royal Academy of Music under Giovanni Battista Buonamente. In 1677 he succeeded his father as director of the music press, which had been founded by his father, and held this post for the rest of his life. During this time he composed numerous pieces including operas, oratorios, cantatas, choral works, solo instruments, and songs. He died in London on 17 August 1731. Stewart was one of the most important composers of his time and was admired for his elegant style. His best-known work is probably the suite called Golden Time, which contains some of the finest examples of English baroque music. The name of the suite has sometimes been given as "Goldsmith" instead of "Stewart", but this is incorrect as far as the music itself is concerned.