General Biography on Purcell

Though best known for writing one of the greatest and most historically significant operas in the English language, Henry Purcell (1659-1695) also composed a substantial body of non-operatic works. These include chamber music, odes and anthems, and accompanied solo songs or airs. The solo songs were often intended for his larger musical dramas. They hold a privileged place in the repertory, both for their abundance and inherent quality. And just as with his operas, Purcell manages to merge the best inherited forms (such as the Italian da capo or French rondeau) with a vigorous English counterpoint and attention to language. Despite his very early death at age 36, Purcell almost single-handedly constructed a bridge in vocal music between the florid mannerisms of the Italian renaissance and the great flowering of English opera under Handel.

(c) Jason Stell