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    • Feb 6, 2022
    • 4 min read

The Purcell Brothers: Friends of the Recorder

GREATER FREDERICKSBURG CHAPTER OF THE ARS

January 9, 2022 Chapter Meeting

Chapter Representative: Dr. Kelly Kazik

Conductor: James Kazik

Instagram: @fredrecorder



Watch the meeting here: https://youtu.be/BYL4axqOjgE



The Purcell Brothers: Friends of the Recorder



Henry Purcell’s Bio…

Henry Purcell (1659-1695) was born in London, England- in a bad part of town. He is considered one of the greatest English composers of all time. Henry was the second of three sons and after his father’s early death was placed in under the guardianship of his uncle Thomas. Thomas was a musician. Thomas arranged for Henry to be a chorister in the Chapel Royal at Westminster Abbey. Henry studied with Henry Cooke, Pelham Humfrey, and Dr. John Blow. Henry eventually assumed Dr. Blow’s post as organist at Westminster Abby.


In addition to his sacred posts, Henry also had many connections in theater and wrote a great deal of secular music, including a large number of pieces for Queen Mary II, and dances for John Playford’s collection.


Henry is thought to have been about 36 years old when he died. It is thought that he died of tuberculosis. In his last Will and Testament, he left everything to his wife, Frances. She is responsible for getting Henry’s works published after his death. Henry is buried adjacent to the organ in Westminster Abby.


Henry Purcell is honored with G.F. Handel, and J.S. Bach with a feast day on the Episcopal Church’s liturgical calendar, July 28.


Henry’s Use of the Recorder…

In 1673, after his voice broke, Henry moved from being a chorister to being the assistant to organ builder, John Hingston. In addition to building and maintaining organs, Hingston also held the post of “keeper of wind instruments to the King.” (I suspect the organ was considered a wind instrument.) Having worked with Hingston, I suspect that Purcell became familiar with the wind instruments, (oboe, bassoon, recorder, flute, etc.) and was comfortable deploying them in his orchestrations. I have not found any sonatas or chamber music that specifically call for only the recorder. Rather, the recorder seems to have been used as a secondary instrument and the woodwind players Henry employed seem to have been capable woodwind doublers.


Henry Purcell (1659-1695), Sound the Trumpet from “Come, Ye Sons of Art” (z.323), arr. Tennent (AATB)


“Come, Ye Sons of Art” is the second of two odes written for the birthday of Queen Mary II. The ode was written in 1694. The text is attributed to Nahum Tate. The primary woodwinds used in this ode are oboes. In the movement, “Strike the Viols”, the oboists double on recorder.


EXAMPLES

Performance: "Strike the Viol" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCOTHdo7FyM



PLAY ALONGS and MUSIC




Henry Purcell (1659-1695), Hole in the Wall, from Playford Dancing Master (1701), arr. Hass (SATB)



This tune originally appears as movement 8 in Henry Purcell’s theatrical production, Abdenazar (1695), and later was incorporated into Playford’s Dancing Master as early as the 1701 edition. The name, “Hole in the Wall” had several meanings in Purcell’s day. The first meaning was descriptive of a pub or tavern that is nestled in a row of buildings. The second may be referring to an actual pub in Dublin that served soldiers of a nearby barracks through an actual hole in the wall. The third reference could go back to Shakespeare, where lovers would exchange words or notes through a hole in the wall. Considering the subject of Abdenazar, I suspect the last meaning was originally invoked.


John Playford (1623-1686/7) was a London book seller who is most well known for his publication of The English Dancing Master of (1651). The original book went through many reprints. After John Playford’s death, his sons, Henry and John the younger, continued to sell and revise the book and other books like it. The original book contained dance tunes and the instructions for dancing to those tunes.

EXAMPLES Peformance by Doves Figary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ArrLZbsu3yM

Dance- German Town Country Dancers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbB4b0HfEgU

Dance-Chestnut Cecile Laye: at 1:40 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySByLPBNC1s


PLAY ALONGS and MUSIC

Daniel Purcell's Bio...



Daniel Purcell (1664-1717), was the youngest of the three Purcell brothers. Like Henry, Daniel became a chorister at the Chapel Royal around the age of 14. He was appointed organist of Magdalen College in Oxford. Daniel did compose sacred music and some of it is still played today, such as, his Magnificat and Nunc dimittis. However, unlike Henry, he does not have a large output of sacred music. About the time of Henry’s death, Daniel moved to London to begin working in the theater. Daniel completed Henry’s unfinished opera, Indian Queen, after Henry’s death. In 1713, he accepted a position as organist at St. Andrew’s Church in Holborn and held that position until his death. Most of Daniel’s music was published during his lifetime.





Daniel’s Use of the Recorder…

I have to wonder if Daniel played recorder. He wrote for the instrument specifically. His works include a set of solo sonatas and trio sonatas for the recorder. The works are idiomatic for the instrument. Not only did Daniel seem to have a good grasp of recorder technique, he also appeared to be very fastidious about his notation and copywork. The front piece of his sonatas mention the words, "carefully corrected by the Author."


Daniel Purcell: Sonata in d Minor: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ys8Pu82JFU



Daniel Purcell (1664-1717), Hornpipe (S A/TB)


From our meeting on “Irish Music” (March 2021)

Hornpipe: This dance emerged in Britain and Ireland in the 16th century (1500s). It is suggested that the dance developed on sailing ships and some of its’ movements are inspired by what happens to a person while the ship lurches to and fro. There are fast and slow hornpipes.



PLAY ALONGS Youtube: https://youtu.be/zJVwU7fyRpQ



Daniel Purcell (1664-1717) Minuet (S A/T B)


Minuet: A minuet is a social dance for two people. It is said to originate in France and the music is usually in ¾ time. The dance was very popular in the 18th century.


EXAMPLES


PLAY ALONGS



BONUS PLAY ALONG



Henry Purcell (1659-1695) Fantasia no. 2, Z.733, arr. Kompy


The Fantasia were written originally written for Voila da Gamba consort. The pieces themselves were written during a 2 week period in the summer of 1680. The are arguably the last great consort works written for the gamba.


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