PURCELL, HENRY (Born London (?) 1659; d. Westminster 21 Nov 1695 )
Henry Purcell is thought to have come from a musical family. Though he was certainly a genius, little is known about his short life. He was probably born in London, where his first work was published when he was only eleven. About the same time he entered the Chapel Royal choir, as a soprano.
During his teens he continued his musical education, working as a copyist and even tuning the organ at Westminster Abbey. At the age of eighteen he was given the position of composer to the King's violins. Some time later he was promoted to playing the organ at the Abbey and began his adult career as a royal composer.
In 1682 he became a gentleman of the Chapel Royal choir, in which he now sang bass. His instrumental and vocal compositions were prolific and included several Odes to be sung on St. Cecilia's Day.
When James II succeeded to the English throne in 1685, Purcell was made Royal Harpsichordist. He was also in charge of the care and rebuilding of the Abbey organ. His positions at court never seem to have paid well. Because of this, and perhaps partly because the court was now Catholic, he seems to have turned from his sacred compositions to writing for the theatre.
When William of Orange succeeded James, Purcell was no longer a court favourite. By that time, however, he had written his - and England's - first opera, Dido and Aeneas. Had he continued to write opera, it's clear that his contribution to the form would have been remarkable. Unfortunately for English opera he turned instead to the sort of masques and musical extravaganzas that were then fashionable.
King Arthur, The Fairy Queen, The Indian Queen and The Tempest, all fit this description, though they are sometimes referred to as operas. The Fairy Queen was based on Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream, and is still produced occasionally. It demonstrates PurcellΓÇÖs genius in dramatic characterisation, and in his manipulation of musical convention to produce constant surprise and sensual delight.
Throughout the life of Queen Mary, Purcell produced Odes for her birthdays; and when she died he wrote his cantata, The Queen's Epicedium, in her memory. He also wrote many songs, and part-songs.
In 1695, at the age of only thirty-six, he died, possibly of tuberculosis. He was buried at Westminster Abbey, where the choir and that of the Chapel Royal sang at his funeral. His work has been increasingly valued in the twentieth century. The tercentenary of his death in 1995 saw a series of concerts and recordings of his songs, operas and music.
