Biography.guide
Home › People › Composer › Giovanni Battista Draghi
Portrait of Giovanni Battista Draghi

Giovanni Battista Draghi

1640 – 1708

Italian Baroque composer

Don't just read it — keep itBiographies to ownE-book · Audio · Video From $7 →

About Giovanni Battista Draghi

Lived 1640 – 1708 (aged 67–68). Giovanni Battista Draghi was a German, British and Italian composer and music educator.

Giovanni Battista Draghi (ca. 1640 – buried 13 May 1708) was an Anglo-Italian composer and keyboard player. He may have been the brother of the composer Antonio Draghi.

Draghi was brought to London in the 1660s by King Charles II who was trying, unsuccessfully, to establish Italian opera in England. He remained in England for the rest of his life.

In 1673 Draghi was made first organist of the queen's Catholic chapel in Somerset House. In 1684 he took part in what became known as the Battle of the Organs. He was hired by master organ maker Renatus Harris to demonstrate the superiority of his organ when Harris was trying to gain the contract to build the new organ for the Temple Church. Harris' rival "Father" Bernard Smith hired organists and composers John Blow and Henry Purcell to demonstrate his organ and won the contest.

Draghi was awarded a pension by King William III in 1698.

Biography shop

Don’t just read it —
keep it.

Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.

  • E-book
  • Audio
  • Video
Browse the shop — from $7

Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free

Important facts

Born
1640, Rimini
Birth century
Died
1708, London

People in Giovanni Battista Draghi's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Giovanni Battista Draghi's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Giovanni Battista Draghi?

Italian Baroque composer

When was Giovanni Battista Draghi born?

Giovanni Battista Draghi was born in 1640 in Rimini.

When did Giovanni Battista Draghi die?

Giovanni Battista Draghi died in 1708 in London.

What was Giovanni Battista Draghi's occupation?

Giovanni Battista Draghi was a composer and music educator.

What nationality was Giovanni Battista Draghi?

Giovanni Battista Draghi was German, British and Italian.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Giovanni Battista Draghi

· Wikidata: Q326788

· DBpedia: Giovanni Battista Draghi (composer)

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Giovanni Battista Draghi. https://biography.guide/giovanni-battista-draghi/

MLA: "Giovanni Battista Draghi." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/giovanni-battista-draghi/.

Chicago: "Giovanni Battista Draghi." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/giovanni-battista-draghi/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

Page generated 2026-09-27 05:16 UTC