Purcell: A Biography - Hardcover

Keates, Jonathan

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 155553287X ISBN 13: 9781555532871

Publisher: Northeastern University Press, 1996

Synopsis

Henry Purcell (1659-1695) is the greatest of all English composers and a pivotal figure in European musical history. In this rich and colorful biography, Jonathan Keates deftly traces Purcell's life and artistry against the backdrop of the turbulent political, religious, theatrical, and social movements of his time. Purcell's musical genius both embraced and transcended the variable moods and tensions of Restoration England, and gave the period and the culture an unforgettable voice. With great skill and historical understanding, Keates follows Purcell through his extraordinarily prolific career, from chorister at the Chapel Royal, to composer for the theater and the court, to writer of sacred music, chamber music, and the triumphant Dido and Aeneas, the first British opera. Keates considers Purcell's musical studies with Pelham Humfrey and John Blow as well as his adaptation of Matthew Locke's innovative and colorful style. He provides a superb critical appreciation of Purcell's music in all its forms. Keates also discusses the musical history of the period, including the influence of French and Italian composers, whose music blended with and modified native traditions.

About this title

Review:

"Keates's work is a marvel of insightful research and witty, elegant prose."--Library Journal "Drawn irresistibly into matters of court, church, and theater, the reader quickly realizes that Keates possesses that gift essential for a historian of any discipline: the ability to make other times and places live. His enthusiasm alone makes one want to listen to Purcell works of every stamp."--Opera Quarterly

Synopsis:

A biography of the Baroque composer following Purcell's career from chorister at the Chapel Royal, to theater and court composer, and through his period as a writer of sacred and chamber music. Although set against the political, religious, and theatrical moods of the Restoration, the biography roots itself in the music itself emphasizing Purcell's

About this edition

• Publisher: Northeastern University Press
• Publication date: 1996
• ISBN 10: 155553287X
• ISBN 13: 9781555532871
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 316