Henry Purcell (, rare: September 1659 – 21 November 1695) was an English composer.
Purcell's style of
Baroque music
Baroque music ( or ) refers to the period or dominant style of Western classical music composed from about 1600 to 1750. The Baroque style followed the Renaissance period, and was followed in turn by the Classical period after a short transiti ...
was uniquely English, although it incorporated
Italian
Italian(s) may refer to:
* Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries
** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom
** Italian language, a Romance language
*** Regional Ita ...
and
French elements. Generally considered among the greatest English opera composers, Purcell is often linked with
John Dunstaple
John Dunstaple (or Dunstable, – 24 December 1453) was an English composer whose music helped inaugurate the transition from the medieval to the Renaissance periods. The central proponent of the ''Contenance angloise'' style (), Dunstaple was ...
and
William Byrd
William Byrd (; 4 July 1623) was an English composer of late Renaissance music. Considered among the greatest composers of the Renaissance, he had a profound influence on composers both from his native England and those on the continent. He ...
as England's most important
early music composers. No later native-born English composer approached his fame until
Edward Elgar,
Ralph Vaughan Williams,
Gustav Holst
Gustav Theodore Holst (born Gustavus Theodore von Holst; 21 September 1874 – 25 May 1934) was an English composer, arranger and teacher. Best known for his orchestral suite ''The Planets'', he composed many other works across a range ...
,
William Walton
Sir William Turner Walton (29 March 19028 March 1983) was an English composer. During a sixty-year career, he wrote music in several classical genres and styles, from film scores to opera. His best-known works include ''Façade'', the cantat ...
and
Benjamin Britten
Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten (22 November 1913 – 4 December 1976, aged 63) was an English composer, conductor, and pianist. He was a central figure of 20th-century British music, with a range of works including opera, other ...
in the 20th century.
Life and work
Early life
![Purcell portrait](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/16/Purcell_portrait.jpg)
Purcell was born in St Ann's Lane, Old Pye Street,
Westminster
Westminster is an area of Central London, part of the wider City of Westminster.
The area, which extends from the River Thames to Oxford Street, has many visitor attractions and historic landmarks, including the Palace of Westminster, Bu ...
– the area of London later known as Devil's Acre, a notorious slum – in 1659. Henry Purcell Senior, whose older brother Thomas Purcell was a musician, was a gentleman of 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 applie ...
and sang at the coronation of King
Charles II of England
Charles II (29 May 1630 – 6 February 1685) was King of Scotland from 1649 until 1651, and King of England, Scotland and Ireland from the 1660 Restoration of the monarchy until his death in 1685.
Charles II was the eldest surviving child of ...
. Henry the elder had three sons: Edward, Henry and Daniel.
Daniel Purcell
Daniel Purcell (c. 1664 – buried 26 November 1717) was an English Baroque composer, the younger brother or cousin of Henry Purcell.
Biography
Like Henry Purcell before him, Daniel Purcell joined the choir of the Chapel Royal at about the age ...
, the youngest of the brothers, was also a prolific composer who wrote the music for much of the final act of ''
The Indian Queen'' after his brother Henry's death. The family lived just a few hundred yards west of
Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, is an historic, mainly Gothic church in the City of Westminster, London, England, just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is one of the United ...
from 1659 onwards.
After his father's death in 1664, Purcell was placed under the guardianship of his uncle Thomas, who showed him great affection and kindness. Thomas arranged for Henry to be admitted as a chorister. Henry studied first under Captain
Henry Cooke,
Master of the Children
Master of the Children is a title awarded to an adult musician who is put in charge of the musical training, and in some cases the general education (which sometimes gets offered as a priceless perk to recruit the best singers) of choir boy (or si ...
, and afterwards under
Pelham Humfrey
Pelham Humfrey (''Humphrey, Humphrys'') (1647 in London – 14 July 1674 in Windsor) was an English composer. He was the first of the new generation of English composers at the beginning of the Restoration to rise to prominence.
Life and career
...
, Cooke's successor. The composer
Matthew Locke Matthew Locke may refer to:
* Matthew Locke (administrator) (fl. 1660–1683), English Secretary at War from 1666 to 1683
* Matthew Locke (composer) (c. 1621–1677), English Baroque composer and music theorist
* Matthew Locke (soldier) (1974–2 ...
was a family friend and, particularly with his
semi-opera
The terms "semi-opera", "dramatic opera" and "English opera" were all applied to Restoration entertainments that combined spoken plays with masque-like episodes employing singing and dancing characters. They usually included machines in the manne ...
s, probably also had a musical influence on the young Purcell. Henry was a chorister in the Chapel Royal until his
voice broke
'
A voice change or voice mutation, sometimes referred to as a voice break or voice crack, commonly refers to the deepening of the voice of men as they reach puberty. Before puberty, both sexes have roughly similar vocal pitch, but during puberty ...
in 1673 when he became assistant to the organ-builder
John Hingston
John Hingston (1612–1683) was an English composer, organist and viol player who served Charles I of England, the Protector Oliver Cromwell and Charles II of England.
Biography
Born in 1612, little is known about Hingston's early life. A pup ...
, who held the post of keeper of wind instruments to the King.
Career
Purcell is said to have been composing at nine years old, but the earliest work that can be certainly identified as his is an ode for the King's birthday, written in 1670, when he was eleven. The dates for his compositions are often uncertain, despite considerable research. It is assumed that the three-part song ''Sweet tyranness, I now resign'' was written by him as a child. After Humfrey's death, Purcell continued his studies under Dr
John Blow
John Blow (baptised 23 February 1649 – 1 October 1708) was an English composer and organist of the Baroque period. Appointed organist of Westminster Abbey in late 1668,[Westminster School
(God Gives the Increase)
, established = Earliest records date from the 14th century, refounded in 1560
, type = Public school Independent day and boarding school
, religion = Church of England
, head_label = Hea ...]
and in 1676 was appointed copyist at Westminster Abbey. Henry Purcell's earliest
anthem, ''Lord, who can tell'', was composed in 1678. It is a
psalm
The Book of Psalms ( or ; he, תְּהִלִּים, , lit. "praises"), also known as the Psalms, or the Psalter, is the first book of the ("Writings"), the third section of the Tanakh, and a book of the Old Testament. The title is derived ...
that is prescribed for Christmas Day and also to be read at morning prayer on the fourth day of the month.
![Henry Purcell - When on my sick bed I languish](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bc/Henry_Purcell_-_When_on_my_sick_bed_I_languish._%28BL_Add_MS_30930_f._6v%29.jpg)
In 1679, he wrote songs for
John Playford
John Playford (1623–1686/7) was a London bookseller, publisher, minor composer, and member of the Stationers' Company, who published books on music theory, instruction books for several instruments, and psalters with tunes for singing in churc ...
's ''Choice Ayres, Songs and Dialogues'' and an anthem, the name of which is unknown, for the Chapel Royal. From an extant letter written by Thomas Purcell we learn that this anthem was composed for the exceptionally fine voice of the Rev.
John Gostling
John Gostling (1644–1733) was a 17th-century Church of England clergyman and bass singer famed for his range and power. He was a favourite singer of Charles II and is particularly associated with the music of Henry Purcell.
Background
John Gos ...
, then at
Canterbury
Canterbury (, ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, situated in the heart of the City of Canterbury local government district of Kent, England. It lies on the River Stour, Kent, River Stour.
...
, but afterwards a gentleman of His Majesty's Chapel. Purcell wrote several anthems at different times for Gostling's extraordinary
basso profondo
Basso profondo (Italian: "deep bass"), sometimes basso profundo, contrabass or oktavist, is the lowest bass voice type.
While ''The New Grove Dictionary of Opera'' defines a typical bass as having a range that is limited to the second E below ...
voice, which is known to have had a
range
Range may refer to:
Geography
* Range (geographic), a chain of hills or mountains; a somewhat linear, complex mountainous or hilly area (cordillera, sierra)
** Mountain range, a group of mountains bordered by lowlands
* Range, a term used to i ...
of at least two full
octave
In music, an octave ( la, octavus: eighth) or perfect octave (sometimes called the diapason) is the interval between one musical pitch and another with double its frequency. The octave relationship is a natural phenomenon that has been refer ...
s, from D below the
bass staff
A clef (from French: 'key') is a musical symbol used to indicate which notes are represented by the lines and spaces on a musical stave. Placing a clef on a stave assigns a particular pitch to one of the five lines, which defines the pit ...
to the D above it. The dates of very few of these sacred compositions are known; perhaps the most notable example is the anthem ''They that go down to the sea in ships.'' In gratitude for the providential escape of King Charles II from shipwreck, Gostling, who had been of the royal party, put together some verses from the
Psalms
The Book of Psalms ( or ; he, תְּהִלִּים, , lit. "praises"), also known as the Psalms, or the Psalter, is the first book of the ("Writings"), the third section of the Tanakh, and a book of the Old Testament. The title is derived ...
in the form of an anthem and requested Purcell to set them to music. The challenging work opens with a passage which traverses the full extent of Gostling's range, beginning on the upper D and descending two octaves to the lower.
Between 1680 and 1688 Purcell wrote music for seven plays. The composition of his chamber opera ''
Dido and Aeneas
''Dido and Aeneas'' (Z. 626) is an opera in a prologue and three acts, written by the English Baroque composer Henry Purcell with a libretto by Nahum Tate. The dates of the composition and first performance of the opera are uncertain. It was co ...
'', which forms a very important landmark in the history of English dramatic music, has been attributed to this period, and its earliest production may well have predated the documented one of 1689. It was written to a
libretto
A libretto (Italian for "booklet") is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata or Musical theatre, musical. The term ''libretto'' is also sometimes used to refer to the t ...
furnished by
Nahum Tate
Nahum Tate ( ; 1652 – 30 July 1715) was an Irish poet, hymnist and lyricist, who became Poet Laureate in 1692. Tate is best known for ''The History of King Lear'', his 1681 adaptation of Shakespeare's ''King Lear'', and for his libretto for ...
, and performed in 1689 in cooperation with
Josias Priest Josias Priest (''c.'' 1645 – 3 January 1735 in Chelsea, London) was an English dancer, dancing-master and choreographer.
Biography
In 1669, Priest was arrested along with four others for dancing and making music without a license. In 1668, he wa ...
, a dancing master and the choreographer for the
Dorset Garden Theatre
The Dorset Garden Theatre in London, built in 1671, was in its early years also known as the Duke of York's Theatre, or the Duke's Theatre. In 1685, King Charles II died and his brother, the Duke of York, was crowned as James II. When the Du ...
. Priest's wife kept a boarding school for young gentlewomen, first in
Leicester Fields
Leicester Square ( ) is a pedestrianised square in the West End of London, England. It was laid out in 1670 as Leicester Fields, which was named after the recently built Leicester House, itself named after Robert Sidney, 2nd Earl of Leicest ...
and afterwards at
Chelsea
Chelsea or Chelsey may refer to:
Places Australia
* Chelsea, Victoria
Canada
* Chelsea, Nova Scotia
* Chelsea, Quebec
United Kingdom
* Chelsea, London, an area of London, bounded to the south by the River Thames
** Chelsea (UK Parliament consti ...
, where the opera was performed. It is occasionally considered the first genuine
English opera, though that title is usually given to Blow's ''
Venus and Adonis'': as in Blow's work, the action does not progress in spoken dialogue but in Italian-style
recitative
Recitative (, also known by its Italian name "''recitativo''" ()) is a style of delivery (much used in operas, oratorios, and cantatas) in which a singer is allowed to adopt the rhythms and delivery of ordinary speech. Recitative does not repea ...
. Each work runs to less than one hour. At the time, ''Dido and Aeneas'' never found its way to the theatre, though it appears to have been very popular in private circles. It is believed to have been extensively copied, but only one song was printed by Purcell's widow in ''
Orpheus Britannicus
''Orpheus Britannicus'' is a collection of songs by Henry Purcell, published posthumously in London in two volumes, the first in 1698 and the second in 1702. In the preface to the first volume, Henry Playford, the printer of the volume and the so ...
'', and the complete work remained in manuscript until 1840 when it was printed by the
Musical Antiquarian Society The Musical Antiquarian Society was a British society established in 1840. It published, during seven years, 19 volumes of choral music from the 16th and 17th centuries.
History
The society was established in 1840 "for the publication of scarce and ...
under the editorship of Sir
George Macfarren
George Macfarren (1788–1843) was a playwright and the father of composer George Alexander Macfarren.
Life
He was born in London 5 September 1788.
He was the son of George Macfarren.
He was educated chiefly at Archbishop Tenison's school in Cast ...
. The composition of ''Dido and Aeneas'' gave Purcell his first chance to write a sustained musical setting of a dramatic text. It was his only opportunity to compose a work in which the music carried the entire drama. The story of ''Dido and Aeneas'' derives from the original source in Virgil's epic the ''
Aeneid
The ''Aeneid'' ( ; la, Aenē̆is or ) is a Latin Epic poetry, epic poem, written by Virgil between 29 and 19 BC, that tells the legendary story of Aeneas, a Troy, Trojan who fled the Trojan_War#Sack_of_Troy, fall of Troy and travelled to ...
''. During the early part of 1679, he produced two important works for the stage, the music for
Nathaniel Lee's ''Theodosius'', and
Thomas d'Urfey
Thomas d'Urfey (a.k.a. Tom Durfey; 165326 February 1723) was an English writer and wit. He wrote plays, songs, jokes, and poems. He was an important innovator and contributor in the evolution of the ballad opera.
Life
D'Urfey was born in Devonsh ...
's ''Virtuous Wife''.
In 1679, Blow, who had been appointed organist of Westminster Abbey 10 years before, resigned his office in favour of Purcell. Purcell now devoted himself almost entirely to the composition of sacred music, and for six years severed his connection with the theatre. He had probably written his two important stage works before taking up his new office.
Soon after Purcell's marriage in 1682, on the death of Edward Lowe, he was appointed organist of the Chapel Royal, an office which he was able to hold simultaneously with his position at Westminster Abbey.
[ Hutchings, Arthur. Purcell. (London: British Broadcasting Corporation, 1982), 85.] His eldest son was born in this same year, but he was short-lived. His first printed composition, ''Twelve
Sonatas'', was published in 1683. For some years after this, he was busy in the production of sacred music, odes addressed to the king and royal family, and other similar works. In 1685, he wrote two of his finest anthems, ''I was glad'' and ''My heart is inditing,'' for the coronation of King
James II.
In 1690 he composed a setting of the birthday ode for
Queen Mary, ''Arise, my muse'' and four years later wrote one of his most elaborate, important and magnificent works – a setting for another birthday ode for the Queen, written by Nahum Tate, entitled ''
Come Ye Sons of Art
Come Ye Sons of Art, Z.323, also known as Ode for Queen Mary's Birthday, is a musical composition by Henry Purcell. It was written in 1694, and is one of a series of odes in honour of the birthday of Queen Mary II of England. The text of the ode ...
''.
![Henry Purcell 001](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5f/Henry_Purcell_001.jpg)
In 1687, he resumed his connection with the theatre by furnishing the music for
John Dryden
''
John Dryden (; – ) was an English poet, literary critic, translator, and playwright who in 1668 was appointed England's first Poet Laureate.
He is seen as dominating the literary life of Restoration England to such a point that the per ...
's tragedy ''
Tyrannick Love''. In this year, Purcell also composed a march and passepied called ''Quick-step'', which became so popular that
Lord Wharton
Baron Wharton is a title in the Peerage of England, originally granted by letters patent to the heirs male of the Thomas Wharton, 1st Baron Wharton, 1st Baron, which was forfeited in 1729 when the last male-line heir was declared an outlaw. The B ...
adapted the latter to the fatal verses of ''
Lillibullero
"Lillibullero" (also spelled Lillibulero, Lilliburlero, or Lilli Burlero) is a march attributed to Henry Purcell that became popular in England at the time of the Glorious Revolution of 1688.
Background
Henry Purcell is alleged to have c ...
''; and in or before January 1688, Purcell composed his anthem ''Blessed are they that fear the Lord'' by the express command of the King. A few months later, he wrote the music for D'Urfey's play, ''The Fool's Preferment''. In 1690, he composed the music for
Betterton's adaptation of
Fletcher
Fletcher may refer to:
People
* Fletcher (occupation), a person who fletches arrows, the origin of the surname
* Fletcher (singer) (born 1994), American actress and singer-songwriter
* Fletcher (surname)
* Fletcher (given name)
Places
United ...
and
Massinger Massinger is a surname. Notable people with the surname include:
* Philip Massinger
Philip Massinger (1583 – 17 March 1640) was an English dramatist. His finely plotted plays, including '' A New Way to Pay Old Debts'', ''The City Mada ...
's ''Prophetess'' (afterwards called ''
Dioclesian
''Dioclesian'' (''The Prophetess: or, The History of Dioclesian'') is an English tragicomic semi-opera in five acts by Henry Purcell to a libretto by Thomas Betterton based on the play '' The Prophetess'', by John Fletcher and Philip Massinger, ...
'') and Dryden's ''
Amphitryon
Amphitryon (; Ancient Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων, ''gen''.: Ἀμφιτρύωνος; usually interpreted as "harassing either side", Latin: Amphitruo), in Greek mythology, was a son of Alcaeus, king of Tiryns in Argolis. His mother was named e ...
''. In 1691, he wrote the music for what is sometimes considered his dramatic masterpiece, ''
King Arthur
King Arthur ( cy, Brenin Arthur, kw, Arthur Gernow, br, Roue Arzhur) is a legendary king of Britain, and a central figure in the medieval literary tradition known as the Matter of Britain.
In the earliest traditions, Arthur appears as a ...
'', or ''The British Worthy ''. In 1692, he composed ''
The Fairy-Queen
''The Fairy-Queen'' (1692; Purcell catalogue number Z.629) is a semi-opera by Henry Purcell; a "Restoration spectacular". The libretto is an anonymous adaptation of William Shakespeare's comedy ''A Midsummer Night's Dream''. First performed ...
'' (an adaptation of Shakespeare's ''
A Midsummer Night's Dream
''A Midsummer Night's Dream'' is a comedy written by William Shakespeare 1595 or 1596. The play is set in Athens, and consists of several subplots that revolve around the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta. One subplot involves a conflict amon ...
''), the score of which (his longest for theatre) was rediscovered in 1901 and published by the
Purcell Society {{primary sources, date=March 2015
The Purcell Society, founded in 1876 (principally by William Hayman Cummings) is an organization dedicated to making the complete musical works of Henry Purcell available. Between 1876 and 1965, scores of all the ...
. ''The Indian Queen'' followed in 1695, in which year he also wrote songs for
Dryden and Davenant's version of Shakespeare's ''
The Tempest'' (recently, this has been disputed by music scholars), probably including "Full fathom five" and "Come unto these yellow sands". ''The Indian Queen'' was adapted from a tragedy by Dryden and
Sir Robert Howard. In these
semi-opera
The terms "semi-opera", "dramatic opera" and "English opera" were all applied to Restoration entertainments that combined spoken plays with masque-like episodes employing singing and dancing characters. They usually included machines in the manne ...
s (another term for which at the time was "dramatic opera"), the main characters of the plays do not sing but speak their lines: the action moves in dialogue rather than recitative. The related songs are sung "for" them by singers, who have minor dramatic roles.
Purcell's ''
Te Deum
The "Te Deum" (, ; from its incipit, , ) is a Latin Christian hymn traditionally ascribed to AD 387 authorship, but with antecedents that place it much earlier. It is central to the Ambrosian hymnal, which spread throughout the Latin Ch ...
'' and ''
Jubilate Deo'' were written for
Saint Cecilia
Saint Cecilia ( la, Sancta Caecilia), also spelled Cecelia, was a Roman virgin martyr and is venerated in Catholic, Eastern Orthodox Church, Orthodox, Anglican Communion, Anglican, and some Lutheran churches, such as the Church of Sweden. She b ...
's Day, 1694, the first English ''Te Deum'' ever composed with orchestral accompaniment. This work was annually performed at
St Paul's Cathedral
St Paul's Cathedral is an 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 and is a Grad ...
until 1712, after which it was performed alternately with
Handel's ''
Utrecht Te Deum and Jubilate
''Utrecht Te Deum and Jubilate'' is the common name for a sacred choral composition in two parts, written by George Frideric Handel to celebrate the Treaty of Utrecht, which established the Peace of Utrecht in 1713, ending the War of the Spanis ...
'' until 1743, when both works were replaced by Handel's ''
Dettingen Te Deum
The ''Te Deum for the Victory at the Battle of Dettingen'' in D major, HWV 283, is the fifth and last setting by George Frideric Handel of the 4th-century Ambrosian hymn, ''Te Deum'', or ''We Praise Thee, O God''. He wrote it in 1743, only a ...
''.
He composed an anthem and two elegies for
Queen Mary II
Mary II (30 April 166228 December 1694) was Queen of England, Scotland, and Ireland, co-reigning with her husband, William III & II, from 1689 until her death in 1694.
Mary was the eldest daughter of James, Duke of York, and his first wife ...
's funeral, his ''
Funeral Sentences and Music for the Funeral of Queen Mary
The English composer Henry Purcell wrote funeral music that includes his ''Funeral Sentences'' and the later ''Music for the Funeral of Queen Mary'', Franklin B. Zimmerman, Z. 860. Two of the funeral sentences, "Man that is born of a woman" ...
''. Besides the operas and semi-operas already mentioned, Purcell wrote the music and songs for Thomas d'Urfey's ''The Comical History of
Don Quixote
is a Spanish epic novel by Miguel de Cervantes. Originally published in two parts, in 1605 and 1615, its full title is ''The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha'' or, in Spanish, (changing in Part 2 to ). A founding work of Wester ...
'', ''
Bonduca
''Bonduca'' is a Jacobean tragi-comedy in the Beaumont and Fletcher canon, generally judged by scholars to be the work of John Fletcher alone. It was acted by the King's Men c. 1613, and published in 1647 in the first Beaumont and Fletcher ...
'', ''The Indian Queen'' and others, a vast quantity of sacred music, and numerous
ode
An ode (from grc, ᾠδή, ōdḗ) is a type of lyric poetry. Odes are elaborately structured poems praising or glorifying an event or individual, describing nature intellectually as well as emotionally. A classic ode is structured in three majo ...
s,
cantatas, and other miscellaneous pieces. The quantity of his instrumental chamber music is minimal after his early career, and his keyboard music consists of an even more minimal number of harpsichord suites and organ pieces. In 1693, Purcell composed music for two comedies: ''
The Old Bachelor
file:Bodleian Libraries, Playbill of Covent Garden, Monday, 9th February 1756, announcing The old batchelor &c..jpg, "The Old Bachelor" at Covent Garden in 1756 featuring Samuel Foote, Mr Sparks, Mr Ryan, Mary Elmy, Mrs Elmy...
''The Old Bachelor ...
'', and ''
The Double Dealer
''The Double Dealer'' is a comic play written by English playwright William Congreve, first produced in 1693. Henry Purcell set it to music.
Characters and plot
This comedy sees character Mellefont, nephew and prospective heir of Lord Touch ...
''. Purcell also composed for five other plays within the same year. In July 1695, Purcell composed an ode for the Duke of Gloucester for his sixth birthday. The ode is titled ''Who can from joy refrain?'' Purcell's four-part sonatas were issued in 1697. In the final six years of his life, Purcell wrote music for forty-two plays.
Death
Purcell died in 1695 at his home in Marsham Street, at the height of his career. He is believed to have been 35 or 36 years old at the time. The cause of his death is unclear: one theory is that he caught a chill after returning home late from the theatre one night to find that his wife had locked him out. Another is that he succumbed to
tuberculosis
Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease usually caused by '' Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body. Most infections show no symptoms, in ...
. The beginning of Purcell's will reads:
Purcell is buried adjacent to the organ in Westminster Abbey. The music that he had earlier composed for Queen Mary's funeral was performed during his funeral. Purcell was universally mourned as "a very great master of music." Following his death, the officials at Westminster honoured him by unanimously voting that he be buried with no expense spared in the north aisle of the Abbey. His epitaph reads: "Here lyes Henry Purcell Esq., who left this life and is gone to that Blessed Place where only His harmony can be exceeded."
Purcell fathered six children by his wife Frances, four of whom died in
infancy. His wife, as well as his son
Edward
Edward is an English given name. It is derived from the Anglo-Saxon name ''Ēadweard'', composed of the elements '' ēad'' "wealth, fortune; prosperous" and '' weard'' "guardian, protector”.
History
The name Edward was very popular in Anglo-Sa ...
(1689–1740) and daughter Frances, survived him. His wife Frances died in 1706, having published a number of her husband's works, including the now-famous collection called ''Orpheus Britannicus'', in two volumes, printed in 1698 and 1702, respectively. Edward was appointed organist of
St Clement's, Eastcheap, London, in 1711 and was succeeded by his son
Edward Henry Purcell
Edward Henry Purcell (died 1765), organist, was the son of Edward Purcell and grandson of the English Baroque master, Henry Purcell. He was a chorister in the Chapel Royal in 1737.Holman, Peter, and Thompson, Robert 'Edward Henry Purcell' in ' ...
(died 1765). Both men were buried in St Clement's near the organ gallery.
Legacy
Notable compositions
Purcell worked in many genres, both in works closely linked to the court, such as symphony song, to the Chapel Royal, such as the symphony anthem, and the theatre.
Among Purcell's most notable works are his opera ''
Dido and Aeneas
''Dido and Aeneas'' (Z. 626) is an opera in a prologue and three acts, written by the English Baroque composer Henry Purcell with a libretto by Nahum Tate. The dates of the composition and first performance of the opera are uncertain. It was co ...
'' (1688), his
semi-opera
The terms "semi-opera", "dramatic opera" and "English opera" were all applied to Restoration entertainments that combined spoken plays with masque-like episodes employing singing and dancing characters. They usually included machines in the manne ...
s ''
Dioclesian
''Dioclesian'' (''The Prophetess: or, The History of Dioclesian'') is an English tragicomic semi-opera in five acts by Henry Purcell to a libretto by Thomas Betterton based on the play '' The Prophetess'', by John Fletcher and Philip Massinger, ...
'' (1690), ''
King Arthur
King Arthur ( cy, Brenin Arthur, kw, Arthur Gernow, br, Roue Arzhur) is a legendary king of Britain, and a central figure in the medieval literary tradition known as the Matter of Britain.
In the earliest traditions, Arthur appears as a ...
'' (1691), ''
The Fairy-Queen
''The Fairy-Queen'' (1692; Purcell catalogue number Z.629) is a semi-opera by Henry Purcell; a "Restoration spectacular". The libretto is an anonymous adaptation of William Shakespeare's comedy ''A Midsummer Night's Dream''. First performed ...
'' (1692) and ''Timon of Athens'' (1695), as well as the compositions ''
Hail! Bright Cecilia
''Hail! Bright Cecilia'' ( Z.328), also known as ''Ode to St. Cecilia'', was composed by Henry Purcell to a text by the Irishman Nicholas Brady in 1692 in honour of the feast day of Saint Cecilia, patron saint of musicians.
Annual celebration ...
'' (1692), ''
Come Ye Sons of Art
Come Ye Sons of Art, Z.323, also known as Ode for Queen Mary's Birthday, is a musical composition by Henry Purcell. It was written in 1694, and is one of a series of odes in honour of the birthday of Queen Mary II of England. The text of the ode ...
'' (1694) and ''
Funeral Sentences and Music for the Funeral of Queen Mary
The English composer Henry Purcell wrote funeral music that includes his ''Funeral Sentences'' and the later ''Music for the Funeral of Queen Mary'', Franklin B. Zimmerman, Z. 860. Two of the funeral sentences, "Man that is born of a woman" ...
'' (1695).
Influence and reputation
![The Flowering of the English Baroque, Henry Purcell, London](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d3/The_Flowering_of_the_English_Baroque%2C_Henry_Purcell%2C_London.JPG)
After his death, Purcell was honoured by many of his contemporaries, including his old friend
John Blow
John Blow (baptised 23 February 1649 – 1 October 1708) was an English composer and organist of the Baroque period. Appointed organist of Westminster Abbey in late 1668,[William Croft
William Croft (baptised 30 December 1678 – 14 August 1727) was an English composer and organist.
Life
Croft was born at the Manor House, Nether Ettington, Warwickshire. He was educated at the Chapel Royal under the instruction of John Blow ...]
's 1724
setting
Setting may refer to:
* A location (geography) where something is set
* Set construction in theatrical scenery
* Setting (narrative), the place and time in a work of narrative, especially fiction
* Setting up to fail a manipulative technique to eng ...
for the Burial Service was written in the style of "the great Master". Croft preserved Purcell's setting of "Thou knowest Lord" (Z 58) in his service, for reasons "obvious to any artist"; it has been sung at every British
state funeral
A state funeral is a public funeral ceremony, observing the strict rules of Etiquette, protocol, held to honour people of national significance. State funerals usually include much pomp and ceremony as well as religious overtones and distinctive ...
ever since. More recently, the English poet
Gerard Manley Hopkins wrote a famous sonnet entitled simply "Henry Purcell", with a headnote reading: "The poet wishes well to the divine genius of Purcell and praises him that, whereas other musicians have given utterance to the moods of man's mind, he has, beyond that, uttered in notes the very make and species of man as created both in him and in all men generally."
Purcell also had a strong influence on the composers of the English musical renaissance of the early 20th century, most notably
Benjamin Britten
Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten (22 November 1913 – 4 December 1976, aged 63) was an English composer, conductor, and pianist. He was a central figure of 20th-century British music, with a range of works including opera, other ...
, who arranged many of Purcell's vocal works for voice(s) and piano in ''
Britten's Purcell Realizations'', including from ''Dido and Aeneas'', and whose ''
The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra
''The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra'', Op. 34, is a 1945 musical composition by Benjamin Britten with a subtitle ''Variations and Fugue on a Theme of Purcell''. It was based on the second movement, "Rondeau", of the ''Abdelazer'' sui ...
'' is based on a theme from Purcell's ''
Abdelazar''. Stylistically, the aria "I know a bank" from Britten's opera ''
A Midsummer Night's Dream
''A Midsummer Night's Dream'' is a comedy written by William Shakespeare 1595 or 1596. The play is set in Athens, and consists of several subplots that revolve around the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta. One subplot involves a conflict amon ...
'' is clearly inspired by Purcell's aria "Sweeter than Roses", which Purcell originally wrote as part of
incidental music to Richard Norton's ''
Pausanias Pausanias ( el, Παυσανίας) may refer to:
*Pausanias of Athens, lover of the poet Agathon and a character in Plato's ''Symposium''
*Pausanias the Regent, Spartan general and regent of the 5th century BC
* Pausanias of Sicily, physician of t ...
, the Betrayer of His Country''.
In a 1940 interview
Ignaz Friedman
Ignaz Friedman (also spelled ''Ignace'' or ''Ignacy''; full name ''Solomon (Salomon) Isaac Freudman(n)'', yi, שְׁלֹמֹה יִצְחָק פֿרײדמאַן; February 13, 1882January 26, 1948) was a Polish pianist and composer. Critics (e.g ...
stated that he considered Purcell as great as Bach and
Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 177026 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. Beethoven remains one of the most admired composers in the history of Western music; his works rank amongst the most performed of the classical ...
. In Victoria Street, Westminster, England, there is a bronze monument to Purcell, sculpted by
Glynn Williams
Glynn Williams (born on 30 March 1939 in Shrewsbury, England, UK) is a British sculptor. Once an abstract artist, he has worked in the figurative tradition since the late 1970s.
Life
After attending Wolverhampton College of Art in 1955, he worke ...
and unveiled in 1995 to mark the 300th anniversary of his death.
In 2009, Purcell was selected by the
Royal Mail for their
"Eminent Britons" commemorative postage stamp issue.
A Purcell Club was founded in London in 1836 for promoting the performance of his music but was dissolved in 1863. In 1876 a
Purcell Society {{primary sources, date=March 2015
The Purcell Society, founded in 1876 (principally by William Hayman Cummings) is an organization dedicated to making the complete musical works of Henry Purcell available. Between 1876 and 1965, scores of all the ...
was founded, which published new editions of his works. A modern-day Purcell Club has been created, and provides guided tours and concerts in support of Westminster Abbey.
Today there is a Henry Purcell Society of Boston, which performs his music in live concert and currently is online streaming concerts, in response to the pandemic.
There is a
Purcell Society {{primary sources, date=March 2015
The Purcell Society, founded in 1876 (principally by William Hayman Cummings) is an organization dedicated to making the complete musical works of Henry Purcell available. Between 1876 and 1965, scores of all the ...
in London, which collects and studies Purcell manuscripts and musical scores, concentrating on producing revised versions of the scores of all his music. Purcell's works have been catalogued by
Franklin Zimmerman, who gave them a number preceded by Z.
So strong was his reputation that a popular wedding processional was incorrectly attributed to Purcell for many years. The so-called ''Purcell's Trumpet Voluntary'' was in fact written around 1700 by a British composer named
Jeremiah Clarke
Jeremiah Clarke (c. 1674 – 1 December 1707) was an English baroque composer and organist, best known for his ''Trumpet Voluntary,'' a popular piece often played at wedding ceremonies or commencement ceremonies.
Biography
The exact date of Cla ...
as the ''
Prince of Denmark's March
The ''Prince of Denmark's March'' ( da, Prins Prince George of Denmark, Jørgens March), commonly called the ''Trumpet Voluntary'', was written around 1700 by the English composer Jeremiah Clarke, the first organist of the then newly-rebuilt St ...
''.
In popular culture
Music for the
Funeral of Queen Mary was reworked by
Wendy Carlos
Wendy Carlos (born Walter Carlos, November 14, 1939) is an American musician and composer best known for her electronic music and film scores. Born and raised in Rhode Island, Carlos studied physics and music at Brown University before moving ...
for the title music of the 1971 film by Stanley Kubrick, ''
A Clockwork Orange
''A Clockwork Orange'' may refer to:
* ''A Clockwork Orange'' (novel), a 1962 novel by Anthony Burgess
** ''A Clockwork Orange'' (film), a 1971 film directed by Stanley Kubrick based on the novel
*** ''A Clockwork Orange'' (soundtrack), the film ...
''. The 1973 ''
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...
'' review of
Jethro Tull's ''
A Passion Play
''A Passion Play'' is the sixth studio album by British progressive rock band Jethro Tull, released in July 1973 in both the UK and US. Following in the same style as the band's previous album ''Thick as a Brick'' (1972), ''A Passion Play'' is ...
'' compared the musical style of the album with that of Purcell. In 2009
Pete Townshend
Peter Dennis Blandford Townshend (; born 19 May 1945) is an English musician. He is co-founder, leader, guitarist, second lead vocalist and principal songwriter of the Who, one of the most influential rock bands of the 1960s and 1970s.
Townsh ...
of
The Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in London in 1964. Their classic lineup consisted of lead singer Roger Daltrey, guitarist and singer Pete Townshend, bass guitarist and singer John Entwistle, and drummer Keith Moon. They are considered ...
, an English rock band that established itself in the 1960s, identified Purcell's harmonies, particularly the use of suspension and resolution (Townshend has mentioned Chaconne from The Gordian Knot Untied) that he had learned from producer
Kit Lambert
Christopher Sebastian "Kit" Lambert (11 May 1935 – 7 April 1981) was a British record producer, record label owner and the manager of The Who.
Biography
Early life
Kit Lambert was born on 11 May 1935, the son of composer Constant Lamb ...
, as an influence on the band's music (in songs such as "
Won't Get Fooled Again
"Won't Get Fooled Again" is a song by the English rock band the Who, written by Pete Townshend. It was released as a single in June 1971, reaching the top 10 in the UK, while the full eight-and-a-half-minute version appears as the final track ...
" (1971), "
I Can See for Miles
"I Can See for Miles" is a song by the English rock band the Who, recorded for the band's 1967 album '' The Who Sell Out''. Written by guitarist Pete Townshend, it was the only song from the album to be released as a single.
Recording
Recorde ...
" (1967) and the very Purcellian intro to "
Pinball Wizard"). Purcell's music was widely featured as background music in the
Academy Award
The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
winning 1979 film ''
Kramer vs. Kramer
''Kramer vs. Kramer'' is a 1979 American legal drama film written and directed by Robert Benton, based on Avery Corman's 1977 novel of the same name. The film stars Dustin Hoffman, Meryl Streep, Jane Alexander, and Justin Henry.
It tells the sto ...
'', with a soundtrack on
CBS Masterworks
Sony Classical is an American record label founded in 1924 as Columbia Masterworks Records, a subsidiary of Columbia Records. In 1980, the Columbia Masterworks label was renamed as CBS Masterworks Records. The CBS Records Group was acquired by S ...
Records.
The 1995 film, ''
England, My England
''England, My England'' is a 1995 British historical film directed by Tony Palmer and starring Michael Ball, Simon Callow, Lucy Speed and Robert Stephens. It depicts the life of the composer Henry Purcell, seen through the eyes of a playwrigh ...
'', tells the story of an actor who is himself writing a play about Purcell's life and music, and features many of his compositions.
In the 21st century, the
soundtrack
A soundtrack is recorded music accompanying and synchronised to the images of a motion picture, drama, book, television program, radio program, or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack o ...
of the
2005 film version of ''
Pride and Prejudice
''Pride and Prejudice'' is an 1813 novel of manners by Jane Austen. The novel follows the character development of Elizabeth Bennet, the dynamic protagonist of the book who learns about the repercussions of hasty judgments and comes to appreci ...
'' features a dance titled "A Postcard to Henry Purcell". This is a version by composer
Dario Marianelli
Dario Marianelli (born 21 June 1963) is an Italian composer known for his frequent collaborations with director Joe Wright.
Early life, education
Marianelli was born in Pisa, Italy. He came from a musically inclined family and learned the pian ...
of Purcell's ''
Abdelazar'' theme. In the German-language 2004 movie, ''
Downfall'', the music of
Dido's Lament
Dido's Lament is the aria "When I am laid in earth" from the opera ''Dido and Aeneas'' by Henry Purcell ( libretto by Nahum Tate).
It is included in many classical music textbooks on account of its exemplary use of the passus duriusculus i ...
is used repeatedly as
Nazi Germany collapses. The 2012 film ''
Moonrise Kingdom
''Moonrise Kingdom'' is a 2012 American coming-of-age comedy-drama film directed by Wes Anderson, written by Anderson and Roman Coppola, and starring Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton, Jason Schwartzm ...
'' contains
Benjamin Britten
Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten (22 November 1913 – 4 December 1976, aged 63) was an English composer, conductor, and pianist. He was a central figure of 20th-century British music, with a range of works including opera, other ...
's version of the Rondeau in Purcell's ''Abdelazar'' created for his 1946 ''
The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra
''The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra'', Op. 34, is a 1945 musical composition by Benjamin Britten with a subtitle ''Variations and Fugue on a Theme of Purcell''. It was based on the second movement, "Rondeau", of the ''Abdelazer'' sui ...
''. In 2013, the
Pet Shop Boys
The Pet Shop Boys are an English synth-pop duo formed in London in 1981. Consisting of primary vocalist Neil Tennant and keyboardist Chris Lowe, they have sold more than 50 million records worldwide, and were listed as the most successful duo i ...
released their single "
Love Is a Bourgeois Construct
"Love Is a Bourgeois Construct" is a song by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys from their twelfth studio album, ''Electric'' (2013). It was released on 2 September 2013 as the album's third single. The song is based on the 1982 instrumental " ...
" incorporating one of the same ground basses from ''King Arthur'' used by Nyman in his ''Draughtsman's Contract'' score.
Olivia Chaney
Olivia Chaney (born 1982) is an English folk singer, pianist, guitarist, harmonium player and songwriter. Her debut solo album, ''The Longest River'', was released on Nonesuch Records in 2015. Her follow-up solo album, ''Shelter'', was release ...
performs her adaptation of "There's Not a Swain" on her CD "The Longest River."
"What Power Art Thou" (from King Arthur, or The British Worthy (Z. 628), a semi-opera in five acts with music by Purcell and a libretto by John Dryden) is featured in ''
The Crown
The Crown is the state in all its aspects within the jurisprudence of the Commonwealth realms and their subdivisions (such as the Crown Dependencies, overseas territories, provinces, or states). Legally ill-defined, the term has different ...
''.
Notes
References
Sources
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External links
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Purcell's Londonby
Brian Robins
Brian Robins was born in Cheltenham, England, but spent most of his early life in Bournemouth. An early interest in music took him into the record industry, by which time he had realised that he had no future as a performer. This, coupled with ...
The Purcell SocietyDido's Lament– Research leading to a narrative account of how Henry Purcell's opera ''Dido and Aeneas'' was created.
*
Henry Purcellat
AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
*
National Trust catalogue entry for manuscript music, copied by Philip Hayes directly from Purcell's original manuscripts
Select digitized images from Old English Songs containing works by Purcell, housed at the
University of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky (UK, UKY, or U of K) is a Public University, public Land-grant University, land-grant research university in Lexington, Kentucky. Founded in 1865 by John Bryan Bowman as the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Kentu ...
Libraries Special Collections Research Center
{{DEFAULTSORT:Purcell, Henry
1659 births
1695 deaths
17th-century classical composers
17th-century English composers
British male organists
English Baroque composers
English opera composers
English classical organists
English male classical composers
Classical composers of church music
Glee composers
Male opera composers
Gentlemen of the Chapel Royal
People educated at Westminster School, London
People from Victoria, London
17th-century deaths from tuberculosis
Tuberculosis deaths in England
Burials at Westminster Abbey
17th-century male musicians
Male classical organists