An excellent violist and da gamba player, little is known of Young's early life but he was a continental musician who served in the court of Ferdinand Karl, the then Governor of the Netherlands. He accompanied Ferdinand and his wife on their trip to Italy visiting a number of cities on the peninsula. Young was also well-received and admired by the then abdicate Queen Christina of Sweden. At this time he was lauded as the greatest viol player in Europe. Though his fantasias for the viol demonstrate an English flavor, many of his compositions were clearly influenced by the music of Italy and Germany. Young was the first Englishman to use the title of "sonata" for a collection of his works and also the term `canzona' on any of his compositions. The 1653 collection of sonatas combines four violins with bass viol and continuo demonstrating the Germanic influence on the structure of Young's sonatas. ~ Keith Johnson, All Music Guide