PURCELL, per'sel, Henry English com poser: b. London, 1658; d. 21 I?Tov. 1695. He was the son of a musician of the chapel-royal, who left him an orphan in his sixth year. He was admitted a chorister in the king's chapel, where he studied music under Choir-master Cook and his successor, Pelham Humphrey, and afterward under Dr. Blow. In 1676, when only 18, he was made organist of Westminster Ab bey and six years afterward was appointed to fill the same office at the chapel-royal, Saint James. From this period his fame increased rapidly, his anthems and other church music being popular in all the cathedrals of the king dom; nor were his compositions for the stage and music-room less successful He composed music, religious and secular, with equal facility; and with respect to chamber music his composi tions superseded all prior productions. Of his numerous Works his 'Te Dein& and 'Jubilate were composed for the celebration of Saint Ce cilia's Day, 1694. Of his instrumental music a collection was published two years after his decease and comprised pieces in four parts, for two violins, tenor and bass. Many of his songs
were published after his death under the title of Orpheus Britanuicus. (Ye Twice•Ten Hundred Daties,) contained in this collection, is con sidered the finest piece of recitative in the lan guage; while his music in (King Arthur> has maintained its popularity undiminished to our own day. In 1695, the year of his death, he set to music