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(1621 - 1677)
Matthew Locke was a chorister of Exeter Cathedral from 1638 to 1641. Among his first efforts composing was the music for Shirley's masque "Cupid and Death" along with Christopher Gibbons (nephew of Orlando) in May of 1653. In 1654, he became a Catholic, and, in 1656, furnished some of the music for Davenant's opera "The Siege of Rhodes" In addition to some orchestral works he scored the processional march for the coronation of Charles II, in April, 1661, and was appointed composer to the king's private band at a salary of forty pounds a year. He composed incidental instrumental music for Dryden's and Davenant's version of "The Tempest", produced 7 November, 1667. His "Melothesia" (1673) was a good theoretical treatise and also contained keyboard suites and organ voluntaries (such as the midi recorded below). Of greater interest is the "Macbeth" music, composed in 1672, but it is almost certain that the well-known score was really the work of Henry Purcell. The ascription of it to Locke was based on an error due to Dr. Boyce, but it must be noted that Purcell's music — the so-called "Locke's" — was written
for a revival of "Macbeth" in 1689. Locke composed the music for Shadwell's "Psyche" in 1673, and several anthems and Latin hymns. From 1672 to 1674 he was engaged in an acrimonious controversy with Thomas Salmon, who advocated the writing of all music on one clef. Locke's views are still upheld, while Salmon's pamphlets are forgotten. He was "Deputy Master of the King's Musick" for the year 1676-77, but his salary at Court was so irregularly paid that on 24 July, 1676, he assigned £174. l0s. 7d. — three years' and three quarters' salary due to him — to one of his creditors. He was buried in the Savoy, in which parish he spent his last years.
John Blow Young Blow probably received early music training at Magnus Song School in Newark; later he was a choirboy at the Chapel Royal. He was appointed organist at Westminster Abbey in 1668 at age 19. In 1674 he became a Gentleman of the Chapel and the same year succeeded Pelham Humfrey as Master of the Children. This position he held for the rest of his life. Among his pupils were William Croft and Henry Purcell. In 1676 he was made one of the Chapel Royal organists; the following year he received the D.Mus. from the Dean of Canterbury. During the next years he composed many of his best-known works, including most of the anthems with string accompaniment and the masque Venus and Adonis.He was appointed choirmaster at St. Paul's Cathedral in 1687. In 1695 he was named royal instrument tuner; finally in 1699 or 1700 he became the official Chapel Royal composer, the first to hold such a post. He composed eleven services (edited in William Boyce, Cathedral Music, 3 vols., London, 1760-73); some 115 anthems (eleven are in Boyce's collection); ten Latin church works; Venus and Adonis;thirty-six known odes (including several for St. Cecilia's Day; "Great Sir, the joy of all our hearts"; "Ode on the Death of Mr. Henry Purcell"); many songs and catches; pieces for string ensemble; organ; harpsichord works.
(1649-1708)
(1659 - 1695)
In 1679, Purcell succeeded Blow as organist of Westminster Abby, and in 1682, he became organist of the Chapel Royal. During this period, between 1680 and 1683, he completed his fastasias for viols and his twelve trio sonatas. In 1689, he wrote and produced, Dido and Aeneas, his magnum opus, and his only music for the stage that can be regarded as a true opera. In the years that followed, Purcell wrote incidental music for numerous plays by Dryden, Congreve, Shakespeare, and others. Considered by his contemporaries and posterity to be a composer and musician of incomparable talent and ability, Henry Purcell died at the age of 37 of turberculosis in London on November 21, 1695. He was buried beneath the organ in Westminster Abbey.
A New Ground
As a chorister in the Chapel Royal Croft was a student of John Blow. In 1700 he collaborated with Blow, Jeremiah Clarke, Francis Piggott, and John Barrett in a Choice Collection of Ayres for the Harpsichord or Spinnet. Organist of St Anne's, Soho (1700 - 1712). From 1700 a Gentleman of the Chapel Royal and from 1704 also organist of the Chapel (jointly with Jeremiah Clarke until 1707, then alone). When Blow died in 1708, Croft succeeded him as composer and Master of the Children of the Chapel Royal and organist of Westminster Abbey. Croft wrote sacred and secular vocal and instrumental music, but concentrated chiefly on sacred compositions (many with some sort of instrumental accompaniment) after the first few years of the 18th century. The sacred music includes morning, communion, evening, and burial services, numerous anthems (a few full, most verse), and several hymn tunes that are still in use. Of these works, the anthems in particular show a grasp of late baroque idiom that was new to England. An interest in an older polyphonic choral style is also evident. Perhaps the most substantial of the secular compositions are those written for the degree of D.Mus., received from Oxford in 1713: two odes for solo voices, chorus, and orchestra, published in 1715 as Musicus apparatus academicus. The 2-volume collection Musica sacraconsists entirely of Croft's sacred music, engraved in score (a novelty in printed polyphony) and published by the composer in 1724. It contains thirty anthems and a setting of the Church of England burial service that is still in use.
Thomas Roseingrave is perhaps best known today for his edition of the first Scarlatti Sonatas printed in England. Born in Ireland he studied music under his father. His musical education was rapid and thought best continued in Italy. Charles Burney quotes a story of the time Roseingrave was asked to play at a nobleman's house. Being in good courage he played and thought he had made a good impression when another young man dressed in black was asked to play. Rosy said he thought ten hundred d---ls had been at the instrument, he had never heard such passages of execution and effect before. Upon asking the name of the performer he found him to be Domenico Scarlatti, son of the celebrated Alessandro Scarlatti. He became very good friends with Scarlatti and followed him throughout Italy. Back in England Roseingrave was making a name for himself as an improviser extroadinaire yet his music was often considered "harsh and disgusting, manifesting great learning, but void of elegance and variety,"(Hawkins). Unfortunately, what should have been a promising career was cut short by fits of madness brought about by a love not to be. It seems Rosy fell in love with one of his students (another version claims a woman of "ill repute") whose father wouldn't allow her to marry a musician. This caused a depression from which he never entirely recovered. Burney claimed he was clear headed and intelligent on all subjects except that which was closest to his heart, then he was quite mad. He let his posts and students suffer and had to content himself with living on his retirement funds. An eccentric end to an eccentric mind.
In his day, Greene was the most successful musician in England. He was organist of St. Paul's Cathedral, organist and composer for the Chapel Royal and Master of the King's Music. Before reaching the age of 40, he held every major musical appointment in the land. In his younger years Greene was a good friend of Handel. Unfortunately they later had a severe falling out (possibly due to the celebrated "Bononcini" affair or Greene being given yet another important position in preference over Handel) Though chiefly remembered today for his church music, he was also an important composer of keyboard music, songs, and extended vocal works. It is rather strange to note that other than his music for harpsichord and organ he wrote almost no purely instrumental music separate from his large scale vocal works. Along with his own musical accomplishments he is also known for the collection of English Cathedral Music which was later brought to its completion by Boyce, and for being the teacher of both William Boyce and John Stanley.
Voluntary in C Minor Miscellaneous Composers
Daniel Purcell John Eccles John Christopher Pepusch John Christopher Smith
Willaim Croft
(1678 - 1725)
Thomas Roseingrave
(1688-1766)
Dr.
Maurice Greene
(1695-1755)
(1614-1698)
Almain
(1660-1717)
Hornpipe
(1668-1735)
Round O
(1667-1752)
Aire (Allegro)
John Alcock
(1715-1806)
Courant
(1712-1795)
Allegro