Introduction

Biography

Purcell was one of the best known Eng­lish com­pos­ers of the ba­roque pe­ri­od, writ­ing op­eras, plays, songs, etc.

He be­gan his mu­sic­al ca­reer as a cho­ris­ter in the Cha­pel Roy­al, and was writ­ing mu­sic as ear­ly as age 8, when his three part song ap­peared in Play­ford’s Catch That Catch Can.

Purcell worked as an or­gan tun­er in West­min­ster Ab­bey (1674–78), be­com­ing or­gan­ist there in 1679. Three years lat­er, he be­came or­gan­ist at the Cha­pel Royal.