Purcell
Purcell, Henry
ACHIEVEMENTS: The major 17th century English composer
NICKNAME/ALIAS: None
DATE AND PLACE OF BIRTH: c. 1659, London, England
DATE/PLACE OF DEATH/AGE AT DEATH: November 21, 1695, London, England; Aged about 36
DISCIPLINE: Composer
FIELD: Music
LANGUAGE: English
PARENTS: Henry Purcell; Elizabeth (Maiden name unknown)
SIBLINGS: Daniel
SPOUSE: Frances (Maiden name unknown)
CHILDREN: 2 survived infancy: Edward; Frances
EDUCATION: Chapel Royal Music School
MAJOR WORK: Songs: "My Heart is Inditing", "Blessed are They that Fear the Lord"; Opera: "Dido and Aeneas"; Stage music for "The Fairy Queen" in "Midsummer Night's Dream"
LIFE AND TIMES:
When he was a 13-year-old chorister in school, Purcell learned about the new French style of music, introduced by Lully*, from his choirmaster, Pelham Humfrey.
At 17, Purcell wrote a selection of incidental music for Thomas Shadwell's play "Libertine" and for poet Dryden*'s "Aurengzebe".
His most significant early work was music for a masque which formed part of Shadwell's production of Shakespeare's "Timon of Athens".
By the time he was 18, Purcell was writing anthems and was appointed composer for Charles II*'s string orchestra. Two years later, he became organist at Westminster Abbey.
In 1680 Purcell wrote two ceremonial odes for the King and the Duke of York. Almost every year thereafter, he was asked to write compositions to commemorate the anniversary of Saint Cecilia, the patron saint of music. Also in 1680, he wrote nine four-part "Fantasias" for viols.
Although they showed his mastery of composition techniques, they were considered old-fashioned. Aware of the criticism, he set himself to creating works that were more "modern", and wrote sonatas for various instruments or a combination of instruments, such as violins, bass viol, and organ or harpsichord.
In 1683, Purcell published 12 sonatas dedicated to Charles II. It is believed that it was the King himself who introduced Purcell to Italian music, and in the foreword to his sonatas, Purcell declared his debt to Italian masters such as Corelli*. Most of Purcell's anthems were written between 1680-85. He did not have a large public outlet for his stage music because there was no public opera in London. His theatrical music generally took the form of instrumental music and songs which were slotted into spoken dialogue.
In 1684, Purcell took part in an organ competition at the Temple church and the following year supervised the installation of an organ in Westminster Abbey for the coronation of James II. For the occasion, he wrote his well-loved anthem, "My Heart is Inditing".
During the reigns of James II and of William and Mary, from 1689 to 1702, Purcell wrote little church music. He took a job as copyist at Westminster Abbey and in 1686 wrote stage music for Dryden's "Tyrannic Love," and a little piece which later became the tune: "Lilliburlero". In 1688, he wrote the anthem "Blessed are They that Fear the Lord" to celebrate the queen's pregnancy. In 1689, he wrote the miniature opera "Dido and Aeneas" for a performance at a girls’ school in London.
Since opera was barely existent in England, Purcell's "Dido" with no spoken dialogue but a sung libretto by Nahum Tate, was a fantastic success, and is considered a masterpiece. After this breakthrough, Purcell was in constant demand to write music for public theaters.
He had the gift of conveying dramatic intensity in a dignified yet lively way. He was fond of repeating a brief tune as a melody for the bass singer, with varying music for the upper parts. The device, called the "ground bass", can be seen to effect in Dido's farewell, where it heightens the grief in her lament.
In 1690, when the music for Dryden's "Amphitryon" was published, Dryden wrote a glowing dedication to Purcell in the foreword. In 1691, Purcell provided the music for Dryden's "King Arthur", and in 1692, composed his best-known incidental music, "The Fairy Queen", for a production of Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream". In 1694, when Queen Mary died, Purcell wrote the commemorative music, considered some of his most moving.
ASSESSMENT: England's most important musician of late 17th century
EXTRA CONNECTIONS: Cibber* married one of his students.
He influenced the work of Holst*
ONELINER: Henry Purcell, great 17th century composer
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Zimmerman, Franklin B, Henry Purcell, His Life and Times, St. Martin's Press, New York, 1967