- Fact 2 - Date of Birth: Purcell was
born on 10 September 1659
- Fact 3 - Place of Birth: London,
England
- Fact 4 - Full Name: Henry Purcell
aka the "English Orpheus"
- Fact 5 - Lifespan: 1659-1695
- Fact 6 - Name of mother and father:
His father's name was also Henry Purcell - his
mother's name was Elizabeth Purcell they had 3 sons Edward,
Henry and Daniel
- Fact 7 - Family background: Wealthy
and well connected. His father was a gentleman of the
chapel-royal, and sang at the coronation of King Charles II of
England
- Fact 8 - Childhood and education:
His father died when Henry Purcell was just 6 years old and the
family were placed under the guardianship of their kindly uncle
Thomas Purcell who was also a gentleman of His Majesty's chapel.
Thomas Purcell arranged for Henry to become a chorisiter at the
Chapel Royal where he stayed until his voice broke
- Fact 9 - His brother, Daniel,
was also a composer, chorister and organist
- Fact 10 - Purcell first studied
with Captain Henry Cooke, Pelham Humfrey and John Blow
- Fact 11 - In 1676 he was appointed
organist, at Westminster Abbey and in 1682, Purcell became an
organist in the Chapel Royal
- Fact 12 - In 1682 Purcell married
Frances Peters and had 6 children although 4 died in infancy
- Fact 13 - Purcell wrote music for
seven plays including Theodosius and the Virtuous Wife but
towards the end of his career concentrated on composing sacred
music
- Fact 14 - Purcell composed The
Fairy-Queen which was an adaptation of Shakespeare's A Midsummer
Night's Dream
- Fact 15 - Henry Purcell worked in
Westminster for three different Kings over 25 years
- Fact 16 - Date of Death: Purcell died
on November 21, 1695 in London probably from tuberculosis
- Fact 17 - Purcell is buried adjacent to the organ in
Westminster Abbey
- Fact 18 - His types of compositions and works included
operas, stage music, chamber music, sonatas. sacred music and
court music
- Fact 19 - His music lives on and
the musical works of this famous composer and musician include the following:
- Semi-operas:
- Dioclesian (1690)
King Arthur (1691)
The fairy Queen (1692)
The Indian Queen (1695)
- Sacred music:
- 65 anthems
Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis, g
Te Deum and Jubilate
Jehovah quam multi sunt, psalm
|
