John Abell was a composer, lutenist, singer and occasional violinist. His comings and goings from the court of England were contingent upon the relationship between the church and the state as Abell was pro-Catholic. He was most known for his exceptional counter-tenor voice and was a member of the King's Private Music. A number of anecdotes survive telling of the high quality of his voice and the impressions he made both at home and abroad. His greatest contributions to composition were scored between 1701 nd 1703. These works include "A Collection of Songs, in Several Languages," "A Collection of Songs in English," and "A Choice Collection of Italian Ayres." It is clear that his works were influenced by his travels in Italy. Abell's compositions are, unfortunately trite at best. He is rememebred primarily as a singer. [One wonders if his counter-tenor range might better be described as castrato.] ~ Keith Johnson, All Music Guide