I have many views on Purcell!!!!!!! He is my second favorite composer
behind Bach. Just take a look at the skills he had mastered at such a
tender age. Surely other peopel may have similar harmonies and what not
but his music is HIS music. And I find it ridiculous that people say he
wrote music from his time. Purcell was VERY backward looking. He was
the last great writer of consort music and regular full and verse anthems.
Other people(handel) wrote anthems but this was a regular ocurrence for
Purcell. These are, perhaps, his very greatest works. I feel that people
who tend to devalue Purcell are just completely ignorant of the riches his
music possesses. They are probably familiar with an opera or so but not
the full body of his works. I am CERTAIN that purcell was far and above
his contemporaries which is why his contemporaries felt this way. There
are some fine biographies on this fabulous composer which should be read by
anyone interested in the man who I feel is the Greatest english composer
ever. Anybody wanting to know more about Purcell may contact me at my
email address and I'd be more than happy to open up a discussion!
--Wes Crone(The world's strongest supporter of Purcell and his beautiful
music)