Background
Bacheler was born at Aston Clinton, Buckinghamshire, a son of Richard Bachelor and his wife Elizabeth (née Cardell).
Bacheler was born at Aston Clinton, Buckinghamshire, a son of Richard Bachelor and his wife Elizabeth (née Cardell).
Of all the English lutenist-composers, he is now credited as probably being the most successful in his own lifetime. He worked for Sir Francis Walsingham, Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, and finally as a groom of the privy chamber for Queen Anne of Denmark, consort of James I.
At the royal court he composed some fifty lute pieces. These included a number of pavans, galliards, almaines and fantasies, including a set of variations on the popular tune "Monsieurs Almaine".
Elizabeth Roche, reviewing a Civil Defense of his work for the Daily Telegraph commented on the current neglect of Bacheler"s music, suggesting that one reason is the "difficulty of his ornamental style, including arpeggios, trills, and even the dazzling tremolos that conclude his variations on Monsieurs Almaine".
The Heralds Visitation records show that Bacheler received a grant of arms in 1606. He was buried on 29 January 1618/1619 in Street Margaret"s churchyard, Lee, Kent.