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The Ferial Version of Purcell's I Was Glad

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2020

Extract

There are many sources for Purcell's I was glad: the anthem was clearly very popular, existing both in a ‘symphony anthem’ form with strings and also in various ‘verse anthem’ versions with organ accompaniment. It was common to make arrangements of Purcell's most attractive anthems so that they could be performed in places and at times when strings were not available. The geographical spread of the sources suggests that I was glad was in the repertoire of most of the main choral foundations in England. The only autographs of the piece are of the ‘symphony anthem’ version, although very early sources not in Purcell's hand give the piece as a verse anthem with organ accompaniment. Some sources that we think of as secondary because they are not autographs could actually pre-date those in the composers' hand, and they provide evidence about alternative textual traditions, performance practice, and the reception of Purcell's music.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Musical Association, 2002

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Footnotes

1

I am enormously grateful to Dr Robert Thompson for his help in the preparation of this article, and for advice and help given by Dr Jonathan Wainwright and Dr Keri Dexter.

References

2 It is also included in the word-book, A COLLECTION OF ALL THE ANTHEMS Daily us'd in Divine Service, throughout the Year, in KING'S COLL. CHAPPEL IN CAMBRIDGE… (1706). The full title is given in Lionel Pike, ‘Purcell's Rejoice in the Lord, All Ways’, Music and Letters, 82 (2001), 420, footnote 34.Google Scholar

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