William Brade (1560-1630)was an English composer who spent his entire working life after 1594 abroad: from 1594 - 1596 he was found at the court of the Danish King Christian IV, and thereafter at the Brandenburg Court in Berlin. From 1601 through 1608, and again from 1611 through 1613 he was in the service of Count Ernst III of Holstein-Schaumburg in Bückeberg. From 1608 through 1610, and from 1613 through 1615, he is recorded as a town musician in Hamburg. Subsequently he worked as a town musician in Gottorp, Copenhagen, Halle, Güstrow and again in Berlin. He died in Hamburg.



Brade published five volumes of dances which mark an important stage in the development of the suite, and, like his contemporary Thomas Simpson, was one of the Seventeenth Century English composers who had a strong influence on German ensemble music.