The Life Of Henry Purcell - 1353 Words

The Life of Henry Purcell Henry Purcell was a famous English composer during the Baroque period of music. There is very little known about Henry Purcell’s life. Purcell was born September 10, 1659 in the Westminster area of central London, England. His father, who was also named Henry Purcell was a gentleman at the Chapel Royal and the master of Choristers in Westminster Abbey but he died in 1664 when Purcell was around six years old. After the death of his father his mother Elizabeth was forced to raise their Henry and his brothers. It is unknown how many brothers Henry actually had but it is known that he had at least two, Edward and Daniel. Daniel was also a musical composer. Henry s uncle, Thomas Purcell was also a gentleman of†¦show more content†¦After this Henry married Frances Peters. In July 1681 their first son, Henry, was born and baptized. Unfortunately, the baby died only a week later. Their second son, John Baptista, also died as an infant in 1682 shortly after Purcell was named one of the three organists of the Chapel Royal. Later that year Thomas Purcell, Henry s uncle, also passed away. Henry wrote his first printed composition â€Å"Twelve Sonatas† in 1683. During that year he also wrote an ode called Welcome, viceregent of the mighty king for St. Celcilla’s Day. When King Charles died in 1685 Henry wrote music for his death and for the coronation of the new King, James II. Two of the songs Purcell wrote for the coronation of King James II were â€Å"I was glad† and â€Å"My heart is inditing† both of which became very popular over the next few years. With King James II as leader some things changed he appointed Henry Purcell as the official royal harpsichordist. When Queen Mary got pregnant at the end of 1689, Purcell was hired to write an anthem for the announcement, between then and 1688 Henry wrote music for seven plays and his most famous work his opera, Dido and Aeneas. When William and Mary gained the throne Purcell continued to work for the royal family making music but also obtained many other hobbies such as, working for Henry Playford editing and helping compose his musicals. Purcell also startedShow MoreRelatedEssay about Henry Purcell2912 Words   |  12 PagesHenry Purcell is seen as one of the greatest composers of the Baroque period and one of the greatest of all English composers. His earliest surviving works date from 1680 and show a complete command of musical composition. They include some fantasias for viols, masterpieces of contrapuntal writing, and more contemporary sonatas for violins, which reveal some acquaintance with Italian models. Purcell, in his time, became increasingly in demand as a composer, and his theatre music in particular madeRead MoreThe development and contribution Purcell made to the operatic genre through his opera and dramatic works1979 Words   |  8 Pagesï » ¿ The development and contribution Purcell made to the operatic genre through his opera and dramatic works. Henry Purcell (1659-1695) composed music for many different genres. Among these he wrote one true opera, Dido and Aeneas (1689). He also wrote a number of dramatic works. Purcell spent the majority of his last five years composing music for the stage. The majority of Purcell’s dramatic instrumental music or songs were used in spoken plays. Purcell went on to write four semi-operas; DioclesianRead MoreBaroque Music764 Words   |  4 PagesArcangelo Corelli, Henry Purcell, Domenicp Scarlatti, Jean-Philippe Rameau, Johann Pachelbel, Giovanni Battista Sammartini. Coming in first place is Johanne Sebastian Bach who was a genius keyboardist, mastered the organ and harpsichord, and a brilliant composer. He wrote music for nearly all types of musical forms. Second composer was George Frideric Handle who was born in the same year as Bach in a town only fifty miles away. He became a British citizen and he lead a much different life than Bach, butRead MoreA Comparison of the Great Gatsb y and the Virgin Suicides1553 Words   |  7 PagesMidsummer Night ¡Ã‚ ¦s Dream, which I had never seen before, nor shall ever again, for it is the most insipid, ridiculous play that ever I saw in my life. I saw, I confess, some good dancing and some handsome women, which was all my pleasure. „h The best documented seventeenth century production of A Midsummer Nights Dream was a 1692 opera by Henry Purcell titled The Fairy Queen, an opera. The production was intended to celebrate the fifteen years of marriage of William and Mary as well as Mary ¡Ã‚ ¦sRead MoreThe Era Of Music During Beethoven And Dido And Aeneas By Henry Purcell768 Words   |  4 Pagesof life. Conducting, composing, or listening to music are things most people do everyday. Music exposes feelings and portrays a part of history. Listeners enjoy different genres. They may like music of different tempos or dynamics. Many composers may only focus on one instrument to perfect. Regardless of taste or need for music, it is all important. Two of the important pieces learned in the beginning music class are Symphony No. 5 in C minor by Beethoven and Dido and Aeneas by Henry Purcell. ARead MoreThe Four Seasons By Antonio Lucio Vivaldi802 Words   |  4 Pagesmusic†. The music style is what enlarged our size, range and instrumental complexity of the music. Common composers of the Baroque style are Johann Sebastian Bach, George Frideric Handel, Alessandro Scarlatti, Domenico Scarlatti, Antonio Vivaldi, Henry Purcell, Georg Philipp Telemann, Jean-Baptiste Lully, Arcangelo Corelli, Tomaso Albinoni, Franà §ois Couperin, Denis Gaultier, Claudio Monteverdi, Heinrich Schà ¼tz, Jean-Philippe Rameau, Jan Dismas Zelenka, and Johann Pachelbel. Antonio Vivaldi composed aforementionedRead MoreThe Works Of Antonio Vivaldi1067 Words   |  5 Pageshave been many periods of time where music rose and fell in favor of the masses. Music was part of life during the old age in many areas such as religious services or entertainment among the elites. During the late 17th century which was known as the Baroque period, many famous composers such as Johann Pachelbel, George Frideric Handel, and Johann Sebastian Bach, Alessandro Scarlatti, Henry Purcell, and many others that were successful in adapting to the change of new music style. Among these famousRead MoreEssay on The Baroque Era904 Words   |  4 PagesGeorge Frideric Handel. He was born the same year as Bach and also from Germany. Frideric showed his potential at a young age. He was encouraged to study law, but managed to get out of it to become a violinist. He later became a British citizen, his life was very different from Bach. Like Bach, he also composed for many music al genres at the time. The third most famous composer of the time is Antonio Vivaldi an Italian born 1678. He was born in Venice and was trained in music since a kid. He wroteRead Morebaroque study guide Essay1228 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿ Baroque Dates: (1600-1750)    1.  What does â€Å"musical style† mean? Different types of musical compositions developed throughout different eras 2. What was going historically during this era?   What was life like? New ideas and art was being introduced everywhere. It was a time of personal expression and drama. There was controversy between Catholics and Protestants which caused long periods of religious war. It was also a time of scientific research and astronomical studies. 3. WasRead MoreThe Influence Of The Middle Ages Essay1503 Words   |  7 Pagesopposite music from Chuck Berry, Sex Pistols and Public Enemy from the 20th century. The Middle Ages were a time between 476 CE and the early fifth teen century. Also known as the medieval era, the music of this time reflected the church and culture life of the time period. To most people of this time, music was a means of serving God. Over hundreds of years, anonymous composers, who are believed to be monks or priest, created a repertory of plainchant, which consisted of monophonic, unaccompanied