Henry Purcell was born in London in 1659. He was either the son of Henry or Thomas Purcell, both court musicians. In 1667 he joined the choir of Chapel Royal.
Although born in 1659, the earliest significant works by Henry Purcell to survive are from 1680. We do know, however, that he was appointed composer to the king's violins in 1667, and by 1779 he was the organist at Westminster Abbey. Additionally, the mastery of the surviving composed works indicates extended years of dedicated practice. His church anthems, his music for the stage, as well as his songs and instrumental sonatas, suites, and fantasias all convey the perfected style of a clear, bright spirit, tempered by sorrowful beauty.
Henry Purcell lived during the period of the English Restoration, which began with the return of the monarchy in 1660, after the Civil War and Oliver Cromwell's Puritan rule. Art and literature flourished at this time, and the theatre particularly blossomed.
As a court composer, notably to Charles II, and as organist at Westminster Abbey and to the Chapel Royal, Purcell composed a large body of choral music for ceremonial occasions. He wrote a great many instrumental pieces, close to the prevailing styles in Italy and also France, where King Charles had lived for several years in exile. He produced even more music for the thriving Restoration theatre, working with such dramatists as John Dryden and William Congreve. And with Dido and Aeneas, he composed the first great English opera.
A prominent name in his own lifetime, Henry Purcell was subsequently overlooked. Today he is acknowledged as possibly the greatest English composer until the rise of Sir Edward Elgar at the end of the 19th century.
Purcell died on 21 November, 1695, probably of pneumonia.
Henry Purcell
Henry Purcell is generally considered to be one of England's greatest composers. He has often been called England's finest native composer. Purcell incorporated Italian and French stylistic elements but devised a peculiarly English style of Baroque music.
Abdelazer or The Moor's Revenge is a musical composition based upon the Play Abdelazer by Aphra Behns, a tragedy. Abdelazer is the son of the King of Fez who has been captured and killed by the King of Spain. Devoting his life to revenge, Abdelazer begins by accepting the advances of the lascivious Queen of Spain, and then proceeds to slay the King of Spain, his son, and then the Queen herself. He is finally slain by the King's other son, Philip.
Z 570, Incidental Music, Abdelazer or The Moor's Revenge (1695)
Movt. 1, Overture
Suite
Movt. 2, Rondeau
Movt. 3, Air
Movt. 4, Air
Movt. 5, Minuet
Movt. 6, Air
Movt. 7, Jig
Movt. 8, Hornpipe
Movt. 9, Air
Movt. 10, Song, "Lucinda is bewitching fair"
"The Flowering of the English Baroque", bronze memorial sculpture of Henry Purcell in a small park on Victoria St, Westminster.
Popular culture influences: Purcell is among the Baroque composers who has had a direct influence on modern rock and roll; according to Pete Townshend of The Who, Purcell was among his influences, particularly evident in the opening bars of The Who's "Pinball Wizard".[citation needed] The song "Procession" by British rock band Queen is obviously inspired by the procession from Purcell's "Music for the Funeral of Queen Mary", and this music also served as the main theme from the soundtrack of the film A Clockwork Orange. It was adapted for the synthesizer by Walter Carlos. Meanwhile, noted cult New Wave artist Klaus Nomi regularly performed "The Cold Song" from King Arthur during his career, including a version on his debut self-titled album, Klaus Nomi, from 1981; his last public performance before his untimely death was an interpretation of the piece done with a full orchestra in December 1982 in Munich. Purcell wrote the song for a bass, but numerous countertenors have performed the piece in homage to Nomi.
In the 21st century, the soundtrack to the 2005 film version of Pride & Prejudice features a dance titled "A Postcard to Henry Purcell," which is a version by composer Dario Marianelli of the Abdelazar theme.
