Who was the 1st freelance composer?

Both the 1st composer to receive the title of music director and the 1st freelance composer were Johann Sebastian Bach. Though specific details are unknown, it is common belief that Bach was employed by Prince Leopold of Cöthen between 1717-23. Between these years, he just missed being eligible for "the 1st composer to receive the title of music director" because it's thought that regulation for this criteria was established in or around 1612 during Thomasteras or Macpherson's era.

This is a difficult question as there is no concrete definition as to what makes one a "freelance composer." One theory, proposed by Blake for instance, states that one must have been an independent entrepreneur not employed by any other agency from the beginning. Another more recent idea has been proposed looking back historically and inferred from primary sources. It demonstrates a conscious split between composer and performer across the medieval period, which would indicate a dependence on publishers for selling music rather than patronage networks made up of aristocratic players who might commission pieces.

William Slater was the first composer to make a living composing music. He is considered by some to be the father of private tutoring. Slater's son Sydney became one of the most successful composers in England during that time, and he helped found Trinity College, London. William Slater ran his own business for over 40 years out of Manchester, where he sold musical instruments and gave virtuoso performances on violins, harpsichords and pianos before large audiences until 1804 when he turned 73 years old. After retiring from performing at weekends so that children could attend their lessons unhindered by his melodies, Slater lived out his final decades writing essays for various magazines on subjects ranging from Shakespeare to health cures.

In the not so distant past, freelance composers were able to place their work with major publishers and be paid a fair day's pay for a fair day's work. This is no longer the case as many musicians have moved into becoming full-time freelancers with full-time jobs performing ordinary, every day tasks. Freelance composers who had hoped to make it big were none too pleased when the company "downsized" them and eliminated their position completely. It has been said that they mourned this musical death like they would any other stressful event such as divorce or losing a loved one perpetually gone from our mortal coils of mortality.

The 1st freelance composer could feasibly be Leonardo da Vinci. He was a member of the wealthy Milanese high-society, who still chose to work as an independent artist, inventor, scientist and all-around Renaissance man. Despite being surrounded by people interested in his skillset, he chose to use them on his own terms, since there really wasn't much of an option other than serfdom back then. His contract negotiations were with rich families where he would work for years at a time while waiting for their funding to run out because they didn't have any interest in science or art.

The first freelance composer was John Eccles. He worked about 40 years ago in the film industry composing for movies. John later asked, "Are you asking me who I think was the first full-time self-employed composer?" And if so, he said Morten Laurids Barnum likely came closer to being a full-time, self-employed composer than any other before him because of their limited opportunities. When offered to support themselves solely through performance, most artists are forced to turn at least one commission down due to scheduling or money issues.