Biography

Locke was born in Exeter and was a singer in the choir of Exeter Cathedral, where he worked under Edward Gibbons, the brother of Orlando Gibbons. At eighteen years old, Locke traveled to the Netherlands, and it is possible he converted to Roman Catholicism during this time.

Locke, along with Christopher Gibbons (the son of Orlando), created the music for Cupid and Death, a masque written in 1653 by playwright James Shirley. This is the only surviving musical score from a dramatic work of that era. Locke was one of five composers who contributed music to The Siege of Rhodes (1656), the first opera by Sir William Davenant. Locke also composed music for two later operas by Davenant: The Cruelty of the Spaniards in Peru (1658) and The History of Sir Francis Drake (1659). He wrote the music for the processional march during the coronation of Charles II.

In 1673, Locke published a book on music theory called Melothesia. The title page listed him as "Composer in Ordinary to His Majesty, and organist of her Majesty's chapel," referring to Charles II and Catherine of Braganza. Locke also served as the official composer for wind instruments ("music for the King's sackbutts and cornets") and as the composer for violins. Henry Purcell later took over the violin composer role. Purcell wrote an ode titled What hope for us remains now he is gone? (Z. 472) after Locke's death. Locke was a family friend of Purcell and may have influenced his early musical development. In 1675, Locke composed the music for Psyche, a play by Thomas Shadwell.