Henry Purcell

Henry Purcell (/ˈpɜːrsəl/; c. 10 September 1659 – 21 November 1695) was an English composer. Although incorporating Italian and French stylistic elements into his compositions, Purcell's legacy was a uniquely English form of Baroque music. He is generally considered to be one of the greatest English composers; no other native-born English composer approached his fame until Edward Elgar.

Early life and career

Purcell was born in St Ann's Lane, Old Pye Street Westminster – the area of London later known as Devil's Acre – in 1659. Henry Purcell Senior, whose older brother Thomas Purcell (d. 1682) was also a musician, was a gentleman of the Chapel Royal and sang at the coronation of King Charles II of England. Henry the elder had three sons: Edward, Henry and Daniel. Daniel Purcell (d. 1717), the youngest of the brothers, was also a prolific composer who wrote the music for much of the final act of The Indian Queen after Henry Purcell's death. Henry Purcell's family lived just a few hundred yards west of Westminster Abbey from 1659 onwards.

Purcell (surname)

Purcell is a surname of Norman origin, and common in Ireland and England. It was given to those whose occupation was swineherd.

Notables with this name include

Purcell (Kent cricketer)

Purcell (first name and dates unknown) was an English cricketer who was associated with Kent and made his first-class debut in 1829.

References

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