Who was Purcell?
In his short life, Henry Purcell (1659-95) was recognised as the foremost English composer of his generation, and he is now regarded as one the country’s greatest ever. Though we know only a bare outline of his life and character, he is one of the earliest major English composers to have left a substantial and varied body of autograph music manuscripts. No records survive of Purcell’s early life, and the earliest evidence for his existence is to be found in three warrants issued in 1673. One appoints him assistant to John Hingeston, Keeper of the King’s keyboard and wind instruments, and the other two are to provide him with clothing and money after his voice changed and he had officially ‘gone from the Chapel’ (Chapel Royal), though in reality he must have continued to work and learn in the same circles. Knowing that Purcell was brought up in the Chapel Royal we can make an informed guess about his early education. He studied under Henry Cooke as a child and then under John Blow, who
