IAttemptfrom Love's Sickness

8/12/2019 IAttemptfrom Love's Sickness

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IAttempt from Love s SicknessHenry Purcell (1659-1695)

eloved by the English people and recognized s a geniusin his own lifetime, Henry Purcell was a highly talentedBaroque composer and one of the greatest English

composers of all time. Beginning his musical experiencess a chorister in the Chapel Royal, Purcell had quite a varied

and successful career. He was appointed composer to theKing in 1677 and the organist of Westminster Abbey in1679. He served in his church music position until his death,providing music for the coronation of two English kingsand for the funeral of Queen Mary. He also contributed tothe 1694 edition of Playford's instruction book titled AnIntroduction to the Skill o Musick and wrote music fortheatrical productions in the latter portion of his life.

His greatness can be seen in the large number and varietyof works of the highest quality which he wrote during hisshort life of only 36 years. Besides many odes and welcomesongs for chorus and orchestra, cantatas, songs, catches,anthems, services, fancies, chamber sonatas, keyboard worksand a variety of other instrumental pieces, he wrote severalsemi-operas and incidental music for numerous plays. HisDido and Aeneas was the first great English opera.Beginning in 1690 until his death, Purcell became quiteinvolved in writing for the operatic market, for success in thetheatre gave him a much higher income than the occasionalperformances of his odes, welcome songs and anthems.Completing his semi-operas and providing incidental musicfor plays resulted in increased sales of his music in print.

I Attempt from Love's Sickness is a lively song fromthe semi-opera The Indian Queen (z 630), Purcell's largeststage project in 1695. For his last music drama, Purcellchose n improbable story, from a play with the same name,which was the collaboration of John Dryden and his brotherin-law, Sir Robert Howard. The plot involves a theme ofwar between Peru and Mexico and also love relationshipsbetween individuals in the Inca and Aztec empires. Setin six acts, it is in the third act that the Spirits of the Airencourage Zempoalla, queen of the Mexicans, to forgether love for the Peruvian General Montezuma. Zempoallaacknowledges her incapacity to escape with the singing ofI Attempt from Love's Sickness.

Originally scored for high voice and continuo only,this edition is a major third lower than the original keyand includes the addition of the four measure introductionand a keyboard accompaniment adapted from the originalcontinuo part. Modern clefs and tempo and dynamicindications have also been added.

Although I Attempt from Love's Sickness isperformed by a soprano in a performance of The IndianQueen this solo is n excellent choice for singers of othervoice classifications, for it enables singers to work onvocal technique and to experience the style of a truly giftedcomposer of Baroque music.

I Attempt from Lm't s idness 23


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4. I Attel11pt frOI Love s Sickness

Words by ROBERT HOWARD 1626-1698)and JOHN DRYDEN 1631-1700)

IEnergetically and rhythmically J =ca. 138)

from THE INDIAN QUEENusic by HENRY PURCELL 1659-1695)

Edited by PATRICK M. LIEBERGEN

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I ttempt from Love sSickness 7

IAttemptfrom Love's Sickness

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