Maurice Greene (12 August 1696 – 1 December 1755) was an English composer and

organist An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ. An organist may play solo organ works, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumental soloists. In addition, an organist may accompany congregational ...

Biography

Born in

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

, the son of a clergyman, Greene became a

choirboy A choirboy is a boy member of a choir, also known as a treble. As a derisive slang term, it refers to a do-gooder or someone who is morally upright, in the same sense that "Boy Scout" (also derisively) refers to someone who is considered honora ...

St Paul's Cathedral St Paul's Cathedral is an Anglicanism, Anglican cathedral in London and is the seat of the Bishop of London. The cathedral serves as the mother church of the Diocese of London. It is on Ludgate Hill at the highest point of the City of London ...

under Jeremiah Clarke and Charles King. He studied the organ under Richard Brind, and after Brind died, Greene became organist at St Paul's. With the death of William Croft in 1727, Greene became organist at the

Chapel Royal The Chapel Royal is an establishment in the Royal Household serving the spiritual needs of the sovereign and the British Royal Family. Historically it was a body of priests and singers that travelled with the monarch. The term is now also appl ...

, and in 1730 he became Professor of Music at

Cambridge University , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...

. In 1735 he was appointed Master of the King's Musick. At his death, Greene was working on the compilation ''Cathedral Music'', which his student and successor as Master of the King's Musick, William Boyce, was to complete. Many items from that collection are still used in Anglican services today. He wrote very competent music in the Georgian style, particularly long Verse Anthems. His acknowledged masterpiece, ''Lord, let me know mine end'', is a representative example. Greene sets a text full of pathos using a polyphonic texture over a continuous instrumental walking bass, with a particularly effective treble duet in the middle of the work. Both this section and the end of the anthem contain superb examples of the

Neapolitan sixth chord In Classical music theory, a Neapolitan chord (or simply a "Neapolitan") is a major chord built on the lowered ( flatted) second (supertonic) scale degree. In Schenkerian analysis, it is known as a Phrygian II, since in minor scales the chord is b ...

. He died in 1755 aged 59 and was initially buried at

St Olave Old Jewry St Olave's Church, Old Jewry, sometimes known as ''Upwell Old Jewry'', was a church in the City of London located between the street called Old Jewry and Ironmonger Lane. Destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666, the church was rebuilt by t ...

until after the church's demolition in 1887 when he was reburied in

."Memorials of St Paul's Cathedral" Sinclair, W. p. 471: London; Chapman & Hall, Ltd; 1909.

Works

Greene wrote a good deal of both sacred and secular vocal music, including: * the

anthem An anthem is a musical composition of celebration, usually used as a symbol for a distinct group, particularly the national anthems of countries. Originally, and in music theory and religious contexts, it also refers more particularly to short ...

'' Hearken Unto Me, Ye Holy Children'' (1728) * the

oratorio An oratorio () is a large musical composition for orchestra, choir, and soloists. Like most operas, an oratorio includes the use of a choir, soloists, an instrumental ensemble, various distinguishable characters, and arias. However, opera is mus ...

''The Song of Deborah and Barak'' (1732) * the

''Jephtha'' (1737) * the

opera Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a libre ...

'' Florimel'' (1734) * settings of

sonnet A sonnet is a poetic form that originated in the poetry composed at the Court of the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II in the Sicilian city of Palermo. The 13th-century poet and notary Giacomo da Lentini is credited with the sonnet's inventio ...

s from Edmund Spenser's ''Amoretti'' (1739) * a collection of

s (1743), of which the best-known is ''Lord, let me know mine end''. * the opera ''

Phoebe Phoebe or Phœbe may refer to: __NOTOC__ People and characters * Phoebe (given name), a list of people, mythological, biblical and fictional characters * Phoebe (Greek myth), several characters * Phoebe, an epithet of Artemis/ Diana and Selene/ L ...

'' (completed 1747) He also published keyboard music, including: *''Choice Lessons'', for harpsichord or spinet (London, 1733) *''6 Overtures … in Seven Parts'', arranged for harpsichord or spinet (London, 1745) *''A Collection of Lessons'', for harpsichord (London, 1750) *''Twelve Voluntarys'', for organ or harpsichord (London, 1779)

References

* Johnstone, H. Diack. "Greene, Maurice",
Grove Music Online
' ed. L. Macy (Accessed 4 October 2004).

External links

Free scores

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Greene, Maurice 1696 births 1755 deaths 18th-century classical composers 18th-century English composers 18th-century keyboardists 18th-century British male musicians Professors of Music (Cambridge) British male organists Cathedral organists Classical composers of church music English Baroque composers English classical composers English male classical composers English opera composers English classical organists Male opera composers Masters of the King's Music Members of the Academy of Ancient Music Musicians from London People educated at St. Paul's Cathedral School Male classical organists