Henry Purcell

Henry Purcell [ hɛnɹɪ pɜ səl ː ] (* September 10, 1659 () in Westminster; ? † November 21, 1695 in London) was an English composer of the Baroque. During his lifetime he was regarded as the most important English composer and therefore was awarded the honorary title of Orpheus Britannicus.

Biography

Henry Purcell was the son of a member of the Chapel Royal built in 1660, the singer chapel of Charles II, he received his training as a choirboy same chapel by their chief Henry Cooke († 1672) and his successor Pelham Humfrey ( 1647-1674 ). After Humfrey 's death, he continued his education at John Blow and Matthew Locke ( 1621/22-1677 ). 1676 he took over the post of organist at Westminster Abbey. In the same year he wrote music for John Dryden's drama Aureng - Zebe and Thomas Shadwell's Epsom Wells and The Libertine. There were other incidental music, including an overture and a Masque to Shadwell's version of Shakespeare's Timon of Athens.

1682 Purcell was appointed organist of the Chapel Royal, a position he held concurrently with his organist held at Westminster Abbey. His first works appeared in print, the Twelve Sonatas were published in 1683. In the years he created mainly sacred music and odes for festive occasions of the royal family. In 1685 he wrote on the occasion of the coronation of James II, two of his most popular anthems, I was glad and My heart is inditing. In 1687, he continued his association with the London theaters and wrote music for Dryden's tragedy Tyrannick Love.

For the year 1689, the performance of his first opera Dido and Aeneas is busy, which is followed later 38 dramatic musical works joined, both by their substances (partly based on William Shakespeare, partly by John Dryden ) and by the originality and high artistic value the music attracted a well-founded stir. No less his church compositions were estimated by his contemporaries, notably also by Handel.

In 1690 he wrote songs for Dryden's version of Shakespeare's The Tempest, including Full fathom five and Come unto thesis yellow sands, and music to Bettertons processing of Fletcher and Massinger's Prophetess (later better known under the title of Dioclesian ) and Dryden's Amphitryon to; 1691 was King Arthur, also a libretto by Dryden. 1692 he composed music for The Fairy Queen ( an adaptation of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream ). 1693 Purcell wrote music for two Comedies of William Congreve: The Old Bachelor, and The Double Dealer.

At Purcell's masterpieces include his Te Deum and Jubilate, which are incurred by the St. Cecilia of the year 1694 - is here to the first English Te Deum with orchestra accompaniment. Purcell survived this composition not last long. He composed an anthem for the funeral of Queen Mary II of England 1694th

He died in 1695 at the zenith of his work, just mid-thirties. His widow Frances Purcell died in 1706, she published some of his works in print, including the famous Orpheus Britannicus Collection ( two books, 1698 and 1702 ). Already appreciated by contemporaries with this title, Purcell was primarily for his vocal works for a long time as the largest English composer. The remarkable thing about these works is mainly the sensitive use of the English language.

Purcell probably had a son, Edward (1689-1740), who composed also. The relationships to the other musicians of the Purcell family are still not finally broken, with the composer Daniel Purcell (ca. 1664-1717 ) it may just be his brother, or to his cousin; the last known musicians of the family, Edward Henry Purcell (? -1765 ) was probably his grandson.

Henry Purcell was buried in Westminster Abbey next to the organ, is on his grave stone: "Here lyes Henry Purcell Esq, who left this life and is gone to did blessed place where only his harmony can be exceeded. . "

In 1836, in London, a club founded in Purcell, who had gone to the performance of his works to the task, but was dissolved in 1863. 1876 ​​Purcell Society was founded, dedicated to the publication of his works in print and has initiated a complete edition.

Reception

Purcell was in his time so famous that it incorrectly the popular piece of music Trumpet Voluntary was attributed to the fact but is from Jeremiah Clarke and the title of Prince of Denmark 's March carries. Later Purcell influenced modern British composers such as Benjamin Britten, Michael Tippett, Peter Maxwell Davies and Michael Nyman.

The anthem for the funeral of Queen Mary II of England was used in an electronic version of Wendy Carlos to theme music from Stanley Kubrick's film A Clockwork Orange, and was also in Conker 's Bad Fur Day in the intro.

Even modern rock musicians refer to him: Pete Townshend of The Who is one of the group Purcell to his most important influences, as evidenced for example in the opening bars of Pinball Wizard. Klaus Nomi also performed works by Purcell as a countertenor.

Work

Operas:

Semi- Operas:

Anthems, for example:

In addition, numerous pieces of vocal and instrumental music as harpsichord and organ pieces, choral works and 42 duets, and over 100 songs.

A complete list of the works of Purcell offers the Zimmerman directory ( Z).

Complete edition of his works: The Works of Henry Purcell (London 1878 - rev 1961 -. ). ( Purcell Society Edition).

Swell

• Originally Purcell. In: Meyers Lexicon. 4th edition. Volume 13, Bibliographical Institute, Leipzig, 1885-1892, p 470 ( revised several times )