William Corbett (1680-1748) was an English composer, violinist, and concert performer. As a violinist, from 1705 on he was the band leader of the orchestra at the Queen’s Theatre in the Haymarket: among the musicians there were William Babell, Nicola Francesco Haym, Jean-Baptiste Loeillet, Jacques Paisible and Johann Christoph Pepusch. In addition to numerous songs and works for the stage, Corbett composed mainly trio sonatas and quartets. The Sonatas op. 2 and the first part of op. 4, set for recorders or flutes, are actually suites, for their movements are primarily dances.
