Philip Knapton

Philip Knapton (20 October 1788 – 20 June 1833) was an English organist and composer, active in the musical life of York.

Life Knapton was born in York in 1788, son of Samuel Knapton, an organist and double bass player, and a music publisher. He received his musical education at Cambridge, studying under Charles Hague, but did not graduate from the university.

He returned to York, where he was a resident until his death. In about 1812 he became organist of St Saviour's Church, York, the first after the installation of the organ. Soon afterwards, feeling that psalmody had fallen into neglect, he produced A Collection of Tunes for Psalms and Hymns, Selected as a Supplement to those now used in several Churches in York and its Vicinities, published in York in 1816; he selected tunes that he considered had neither a "gloomy style" nor a "light and indecorous style". It went into at least three editions.

He was one of the assistant conductors at the York festivals of 1823, 1825, and 1828.