Music for the Funeral of Queen Mary

The Music for the Funeral of Queen Mary ( Funeral Music for Queen Mary), is a three-part funeral music of the English composer Henry Purcell from 1695 and bears in Zimmerman directory for the works of Purcell, the number 860 The occasion of the death of Queen Mary II composed of England piece consists of a funeral march, three Funeral Sentences and a canzone. Portions of this music were played on the occasion of his own death in November of the same year.

Music

The first printed edition of the Funeral Music was published by William Croft as Anthem for the Funeral of Queen Mary II in his major work, Musica Sacra, Vol 1, London 1724.

Purcell foresaw four slide trumpets, organ and choir of four voices for the work. There are also arrangements and adaptations that add to the original instrumentation trombones, timpani or drum. The key is G minor, the time signature is through a slow or 4/4-time. The duration of the piece, depending on interpretation 12 to 15 minutes.

Construction

In modern interpretations of the piece is mostly played in this form:

Funeral march

The Queens Funeral March consists of 15 cycles, which are usually repeated once. Purcell is the statement: Sounded before her chariot ( Beeps before their hearse ).

Funeral Sentences

This mourning sayings come from the Book of Common Prayer of in 1662. Purcell had previously composed the music for this purpose and used it again on the occasion of the funeral of the Queen. The choir consists of the voices soprano, countertenor, tenor and bass. Accompanied by the organ, he sings:

1 Man did is born of a woman hath but a short time to live, and is full of misery. He cometh up, and is cut down like a flower; he fleeth as it were a shadow, and ne'er continueth in one stay. 2 In the midst of life we are in death: splat of june we seek for succor, but of thee, O Lord, who for our sins art justly displeased? Yet, O Lord, O Lord most mighty, O holy and most merciful Saviour, deliver us not into the bitter pains of eternal death. 3 Thou knowest, Lord, the secrets of our hearts; shut not thy merciful ears unto our pray'rs; but spare us, Lord most holy, O God most mighty. O holy and most merciful Saviour, thou most worthy Judge eternal, suffer us not, at our last hour, for any pains of death, to fall from thee. Amen.

Canzone

The four-part instrumental Canzona is a trumpet set at a faster pace than the funeral march. It consists of two 16 bars that are each repeated once and marks the end of the festive music.

Discography (selection)

  • Music for the Funeral of Queen Mary. John Eliot Gardiner, Monteverdi Choir ( London). Erato, 1994.
  • Music for Queen Mary. King's College Choir (Cambridge), EMI, 2006.
  • Music for Queen Mary. Westminster Abbey Choir ( London). Sony, 2007.
  • Musica Sacra - Funeral Music for Queen Mary. Choir of Clare College ( Cambridge ). Brilliant Classics, 2009.

Adaptations

  • The American composer Wendy Carlos adapted the funeral march 1972 for the soundtrack of the film A Clockwork Orange.
  • A work by the American composer Steven Stucky ( born 1949) from 1992 is titled: Funeral Music for Queen Mary (after Purcell ), for wind orchestra
List of compositions by Henry Purcell Mary II of England March (music)
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