Michael Wise (1648–1687) was an English organist and composer.

He sang as a child in the choir of the Chapel Royal and served as a countertenor in St George's Chapel, Windsor, from 1666 until, in 1668, he was appointed Organist and Choirmaster at Salisbury Cathedral.
In 1676, he became a Gentleman of the Chapel Royal and in the last year of his life held the post of Master of the Children at St Paul's Cathedral.
During a violent struggle with the Salisbury night watch, following a domestic dispute, he sustained a blow to the head, "which broke his skull, of the consequence whereof he died."

Music

As well as Service Settings, his compositions include anthems such as:
How are the mighty fallen
Awake up my Glory
The ways of Zion do mourn
Blessed is he that considereth the poor and needy
Prepare ye the way of the Lord
Awake, put on thy strength

A number of movements within the jubilant Prepare ye the way of the Lord were parodied by George Frederic Handel in the oratorio Messiah.

Wise also composed some catches and at least one once famous drinking song, Old Chiron.

He often composed for the unusual combination of a duet of bass and treble voices – for instance, in Old Chiron and The Ways of Zion do mourn. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.