Page:A Dictionary of Music and Musicians vol 3.djvu/60

48 They were sung by William Mountford, the unfortunate actor who was murdered in the street by the ruffians Lord Mohun and Capt. Hill in revenge for his having frustrated their attempted forcible abduction of the celebrated actress Mrs. Bracegirdle, and who, we learn from Colley Cibber, 'sung a clear countertenor, and had a melodious warbling throat.' The music was published in 4to in the same year, and appended to the printed copy of the comedy. To this year also belongs a solo anthem for a bass voice with chorus, 'The Lord is king' (one of the very few of Purcell's church compositions of which the date of production is known), and a Welcome Song for the King, the last he wrote for James II. In 1689 he composed an Ode, 'Celestial Music,' which was 'performed at Mr. Maidwell's, a schoolmaster's, on the 5th of August,' and 'A Welcome Song at the Prince of Denmark's coming home.' He also composed for the annual gathering in London of the natives of the county of York the famous Ode in praise of that county and the deeds of its sons, particularly the part taken by them at the Revolution, which is commonly known as 'The Yorkshire Feast Song,' and which D'Urfey (the author of the words) justly calls 'one of the finest compositions he ever made.' It was performed at an expense of £100 at the County Feast held in Merchant Taylors' Hall, March 27, 1690. Many parts of it were printed in the 'Orpheus Britannicus'; it was printed entire by Goodison about 1788, and by the Purcell Society 90 years later, under the editorial care of Mr. W. H. Cummings. In this year Purcell became involved in a dispute with the Dean and Chapter of Westminster. He had received money from persons for admission into the organ-loft to view the coronation of William and Mary, considering the organ-loft as his, in right of his office; but the Dean and Chapter claimed the money as theirs, and called upon him to pay it over; and, upon his declining, went the length of making an order, dated April 18, 1689, that unless he paid over the money his place should be declared null and void, and his stipend detained by the Treasurer. It is presumed that the matter was in some way accommodated, as he retained his appointment until his death. In 1690 Purcell composed new music for Shadwell's version of 'The Tempest,' in which the advantageous result of his study of the great Italian masters is strikingly apparent. Smooth and easy flowing, yet nervous melodies, clearness and distinctness of form, and more varied accompaniment, are conspicuous. Two of the songs, 'Come unto these yellow sands,' and 'Full fathom five,' have retained uninterrupted possession of the stage from the time they were composed till this day, and much of the remainder of the music, especially that of the concluding masque, has only been laid aside because it is allied to verses not by Shakspere, and which the better judgment of our time has decreed shall no longer be permitted to supplant his poetry. In the same year Purcell produced the music for the 'alterations and additions after the manner of an opera' which Betterton had made to Beaumont and Fletcher's play, 'The Prophetess, or, The History of Dioclesian.' Here again the great advance made by the composer is visible. He calls into play larger orchestral resources than before; some of the movements are scored for two trumpets, two oboes, a tenor oboe, and a bassoon, beside the string quartet, and the wood wind instruments are occasionally made responsive to the trumpets and strings in a manner that was then new. The vocal music comprises some fine songs and bold choruses. Among the songs may be named 'What shall I do to show how much I love her?' (the air of which was long known from its adaptation to the words 'Virgins are like the fair flower in its lustre,' in 'The Beggar's Opera') and 'Sound, Fame, thy brazen trumpet,' with its bold and difficult obbligato trumpet accompaniment. Purcell published the score of this opera by subscription in 1691, with a dedication to the Duke of Somerset, in which he says, 'Musick and Poetry have ever been acknowledged sisters, which, walking hand in hand, support each other; As Poetry is the harmony of words so Musick is that of notes; and as Poetry is a rise above Prose and Oratory, so is Musick the exaltation of Poetry. Both of them may excel apart, but surely they are most excellent when they are joyn'd, because nothing is then wanting to either of their proportions; for thus they appear like wit and beauty in the same person. Poetry and Painting have arriv'd to perfection in our own country; Musick is yet but in its nonage, a forward child, which gives hope of what it may be hereafter in England when the masters of it shall find more encouragement. 'Tis now learning Italian, which is its best master, and studying a little of the French air, to give it somewhat more of gayety and fashion. Thus being further from the sun we are of later growth than our neighbour countries, and must be content to shake off our barbarity by degrees. The present age seems already disposed to be refin'd, and to distinguish between wild fancy and a just, numerous composition.' Here we see Purcell's modest estimate of the state of English musical art in his day, but we may see also that although he viewed his countrymen as standing only upon the threshold of the temple of music, he felt the strong conviction that it would be within their power to enter and explore its innermost recesses. The composer's desire to please his subscribers occasioned him to fix the subscription at so moderate a rate that it scarcely sufficed to meet the expense of the publication. He also wrote in 1690 the fine bass song, 'Thy genius, lo! from his sweet bed of rest,' for Lee's tragedy 'The Massacre in Paris,' and the overture, act-tunes and songs for Dryden's comedy 'Amphitryon.' Besides these he set D'Urfey 's Ode for the queen's birthday, April 29, 'Arise, my Muse,'—an admirable composition—and an Ode for King William, 'Sound the trumpet.'

The next year witnessed the production of Purcell's dramatic chef-d'oeuvre, 'King Arthur.' He had previously composed music for some of