Henry Purcell (Purcell Henry)

(1659-1695)
Born, probably in London. On the life of Purcell is little known, is not installed, even the identity of his father. It is known that the composer had married in 1681, had six children and died, leaving little widow. Judging by composed by drinking song, Purcell was a typical Englishman of the Restoration. His professional life almost entirely held in the Chapel Royal and Westminster Abbey. As a child he sang in the choir boys Capella, . then built a wooden wind in the royal orchestra, . Adjuster Body Abbey, . composer of the royal orchestra of violinists, . organist at Westminster and, . Finally, . organist and member of the Royal Chapel,
. Primary musical education Purcell received, when he sang in the choir of the Chapel, but it is also possible that he took private lessons in M. Locke and Dzh.Blou. There is no evidence that the composer traveled outside of England. Purcell died in London on November 21, 1695.
The basis of the heritage of Purcell songs are created 'in case', ie. associated with the royal family and church services in the Chapel and the Abbey. Among the spiritual works of the composer of at least 60 antemov (church hymns), 5 full services, and many pieces for solo voices. Several antemov Purcell performed until now big strophic antemy composer represent the highest example of this form. Purcell's secular activities is largely connected with the theater: he composed music for at least a 44 play, but also the author of 6 more or less complete operas. Most famous being the Dido and Aeneas (Dido and Aeneas, ca. 1689), the first great English opera

. The value of Purcell in the history of English music is due not only brilliant gifted composer and freshness of his ideas, . but also made them more sophisticated synthesis of continental European culture with more underdeveloped expressive means of the English musical speech,
. Its flexible and clear way of intonational characteristics of the native language is still unsurpassed. Purcell was the last Englishman who developed purely national musical tradition, in the next century, it has been almost entirely supplanted by European fashion trends.

When in the early 20 in. British composers turned to the origins of national tradition, their first attracted heritage Purcell, his work has had a decisive influence on such authors as E. Elgar, R.Voan-Williams, Benjamin Britten.