A bit late but Henry Purcell died on 21 November 1695 which was 309 years ago last Sunday.

There is a A brilliant cd of music written to mourn his loss.

But as he is one of the greatest English composers you should all get to know his music. His music falls into a few major groups. He was a chorister during the Republic and at the Restoration so his early music is church based and choral. The Complete Anthems and Services are the major body from this period and are one of the cornerstones of the English Cathedral tradition.

Then come his Odes and Welcome Songs He was employed at the Court of Charles II where most of the music is ceremonial.

Finally come the Theatre pieces. Mainly Masques such as The Fairy Queen but he also wrote the first English Opera Dido & Aeneas

He was also adept at writing songs which are well worth exploring.

and if that has whetted your appetite try this sampler

Tom
Actively enjoying it all

Tom -

Do you think Purcell is the quintessential English composer, or someone else (Elgar? Vaughn Williams?)

I'd like to get my hands on such. Not sure what "Englishness" is as a musical flavour; I always thought the "Masterpiece Theatre" theme was so, with it's Imperial trumpets, then found out it was composed by a Frenchman!

Basically I'm an autodidactic American whose interest in the Classical was stimulated by listening to ELP and the Moody Blues!

Essentially English. Eek. That's a hard one. Purcell was certainly the greatest composer of his day and certainly until Elgar or Britten. (I favour the latter). A few before come close, Byrd, Tallis & Phillips spring to mind. But what makes a quintessential English composer? The difficulty is that prior to the Reformation music was severly curtailed in Britain and then deluged with French & Italian styles brought with the court at the return of the king. So Purcell was brought up on a fairly sparse church style during his youth and then, starved as he was of foreign influence, soaked up the new fasshion as they came available.

I suppose his own influence on subsequent composers has been his use of language, the setting of music to words, and the Anthem which is a fairly typical English work (but similar to the French "Mot" later Motet).

His genius at setting words is well shown in The Yorkshire Feast Song Z333 which is one of the worst pieces of doggerel around yet the music raises it to something close to sublime. But when the words and music come together then your soul can be wrung clean. Try Hear my prayer, O Lord, Z15 where the final discord on the word despair crys out before giving way to resolution and peace.

Here are some links to songs which will give you an idea (all in realplayer from the Hyperion site)

Chacony in G minor Z730 (4'22)
Rejoice in the Lord alway (The Bell Anthem) Z49 (8'24) This is called the Bell anthem because of the bass line that falls like a peel of bells
Come ye sons of Art - Sound the trumpet (5'51)
Draw near you lovers

Tom
Actively enjoying it all

It's no contest

Vaughn Williams is the most quintessentially English composer ever.

Lark ascending is the ultimate.......listen to itlate on a fine summers evening and you will know what I mean.

Regards

Mick

Actually I think you might be right. I'd like to say Briten but I guess he'd be too much work for most, whereas VW does summon up that good old pastoral countryside, London bustle and folk tune jauntiness as well as compiling Hymns - Ancient & Modern and writing some of the great anthems and Hymns of the 20th century. And as we're nearly in Christmas I can remind of his Christmas Cantata Hodie

Still, he was 250 years after Purcell who was buried 309 years ago tomorrow.

Tom
Actively enjoying it all

Purcell's triff, though I'd probably start here with an instrumental treat. Best know is probably this tune, later nicked by Britten.

nick.lees at btinternet.com

Thanks all, I now have new information to assist me in my chronic Anglophilia.

My opinion: quintessential English pop group - the Kinks; honourable mentions: the Smiths, Blur, the Move.

And now, we return this thread to its previously intended subject...

I've never heard anything by Britten I could stand to listen to for more than a few seconds! "Grimes" on TV was horrendous.

While Elgar and VW are still my favorite composers.

I consider "'Tallis" and "Lark Ascending" to be the absolute pinnacle of perfection in emotive classical music.

A delightful Purcell theme was used in "Young Person's Guide To The Orchestra". Much bandied about in my youth.

Nime

quote:

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Originally posted by Nick Lees:
Purcell's triff, though I'd probably start http://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/details/55010.asp with an instrumental treat. Best know is probably http://www.btinternet.com/~nick.lees/Abdelazer.mp3, later nicked by Britten.

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Sorry Nick. You were ahead of me but hid the tune with a link. That was the catchy tune used on "YPGtoTO". Did Britten write the YPGtoTO? Then I take it all back.

There's a hell of a lot of nudity on CD covers for early music these days. It's getting that one needs a plain brown paper bag just to visit the CD section in the local library. (To hide one's blushes)

Nime