Henry Purcell
As England's greatest composer of the Baroque, Henry Purcell was dubbed the "Orpheus Britannicus" for his ability to combine pungent English counterpoint with expressive, flexible, and dramatic word settings. While he did write instrumental music, including the important viol fantasias, the vast majority of his output was in the vocal/choral realm. His only opera, Dido and Aeneas, divulged his sheer mastery in the handling of the work's vast expressive canvas, which included lively dance numbers, passionate arias and rollicking choruses. Purcell also wrote much incidental music for stage productions, including that for Dryden's King Arthur. His church music includes many anthems, devotional songs, and other sacred works, but few items for Anglican services.
Purcell was born in 1659 to Henry Purcell, master of choristers at Westminster Abbey, and his wife Elizabeth. When he was five, his father died, forcing his mother to resettle the family of six children into a more modest house and lifestyle. In about 1668, Purcell became a chorister in the Chapel Royal, studying under chorus master Henry Cooke. He also took keyboard lessons from Christopher Gibbons, son of the composer Orlando Gibbons, and it is likely that he studied with John Blow and Matthew Locke. In 1673, Purcell was appointed assistant to John Hingeston, the royal instrument keeper.
On September 10, 1677, Purcell was given the Court position of composer-in-ordinary for the violins. It is believed that many of his church works date from this time. Purcell, a great keyboard virtuoso by his late teens, received a second important post in 1679, this one succeeding Blow as organist at Westminster Abbey, a position he would retain all his life. That same year saw the publication of five of the young composer's songs in John Playford's Choice Ayres and Songs to Sing to the Theorbo-lute or Bass-viol. Around the same time, he began writing anthems with string accompaniment, completing over a dozen before 1685, and welcome songs. Purcell was appointed one of three organists at the Chapel Royal in the summer of 1682, his most prestigious post yet.
Purcell composed his first ode for St. Cecilia's Day in 1683. The following month, upon Hingeston's death, he was named royal instrument keeper while retaining his other posts. The composer remained quite prolific in the middle part of the decade, primarily producing music for royal occasions. In 1685 the new King, James II, introduced many changes at Court, one of which was to make Purcell the Court harpsichordist and Blow the Court composer. Near the end of 1687, Queen Mary's pregnancy was announced and Purcell was commissioned to compose an anthem with the text of Psalm 128, Blessed are they that fear the Lord. Many other of his anthems appeared in 1688, as did one of his more famous ones for church use, O sing unto the Lord.
With the ascension of William and Mary to the throne on April 11, 1689, Purcell retained his post as royal instrument keeper, and he, along with Blow and Alexander Damazene, shared the duties of Court composers. With his royal duties reduced, he was able to pursue other opportunities, including teaching and writing for other organizations. One of Purcell's greatest successes came in 1689 with the production of Dido and Aeneas. He then collaborated with John Dryden on King Arthur in 1691, and also composed the music for The Fairy-Queen (1692), based on Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream both productions also scoring triumphs. In the final year of his life Purcell remained exceedingly busy, writing much for the stage, including The Indian Queen, left incomplete at his death on November 21, 1695.
© Robert Cummings /TiVo
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Music for the Funeral of Queen Mary - March (Epic Brass Version)
Newsic, Mascoulisse Quartet, Henry Purcell
Clásica - Editado por BIG Music Classic el 31 oct. 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Baroque Music
Clásica - Editado por Tuxedo Music el 23 may. 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Koning Arthur
Clásica - Editado por Challenge Classics el 13 sep. 2007
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Music for a While for viola and guitar
Henry Purcell, David Warin Solomon
Alternativa & Indie - Editado por dwschorale el 16 mar. 2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Henry Purcell: Dido and Aeneas
The Stuart Chamber Orchestra of London
Clásica - Editado por Period Records el 9 jul. 1951
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Capriccio. Piano Works by Bach & Ravel
Irene Cantos, Johann Sebastian Bach, Maurice Ravel, Henry Purcell, Claude Debussy, Erik Satie
Clásica - Editado por Novus Promusica el 12 mar. 2024
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Funeral Of Queen Mary March from "A Clockwork Orange"
Gonzalo Schafer Canobra, Henry Purcell
Electrónica - Editado por Default el 26 abr. 2024
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Welcome Song - Swifter, Isis, swifter flow, Z. 336: Symphony / Swifter, Isis, swifter flow
Clásica - Editado por The Sixteen Productions Ltd. el 14 may. 2021
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Sing unto the Lord
Stockholm Chamber Choir, Johann Sebastian Bach, Henry Purcell, Drottningholm Baroque Ensemble, Anders-Per Jonsson
Clásica - Editado por Proprius el 1 ene. 1991
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Dido's lament (When I am laid in earth) arranged for alto flute and guitar
Alternativa & Indie - Editado por dwschorale el 9 mar. 2019
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Dido's lament (When I am laid in earth) for viola and guitar
Alternativa & Indie - Editado por dwschorale el 9 mar. 2019
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Dido's lament (When I am laid in earth) for violin and guitar
Alternativa & Indie - Editado por dwschorale el 9 mar. 2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Rascher International
Clásica - Editado por Albany Records el 1 may. 1998
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Purcell: Dido and Aeneas, Opera Suite (Digitally Remastered)
Vladimir Kalashnikov Chamber Orchestra, Vladimir Kalashnikov
Ópera - Editado por EMG Classical el 28 oct. 2014
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Purcell: Una Introducción
Clásica - Editado por UME - Global Clearing House el 11 jun. 2021
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Purcell: Suite No. 5 for Harpsichord in C Major, Z. 666 (Digitally Remastered)
Clásica - Editado por EMG Classical el 28 oct. 2014
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Tuileries. Piano Works by Bach, Bartok & Mussorsgky
Irene Cantos, Johann Sebastian Bach, Béla Bartók, Modeste Moussorgski, Henry Purcell
Clásica - Editado por Novus Promusica el 19 mar. 2024
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Cosmic Classical: Virgo
Antonín Dvořák, Gustav Holst, Henry Purcell
Lounge - Editado por PMI Collins Classics el 17 ago. 2021
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2012 American Choral Directors Association, Western Division (ACDA): Vox Femina Los Angeles & Women's Honor Choir
Música coral (para coro) - Editado por Mark Records el 1 abr. 2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
O Poder de Purcell
Clásica - Editado por UME - Global Clearing House el 11 jun. 2021
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Purcell: Uma Introdução
Clásica - Editado por UME - Global Clearing House el 11 jun. 2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo