Fancy on a Catch of Henry Purcell

 

Fancy on a Catch of Henry Purcell - (2011)    

for organ

 

The theme is drawn from The Catch Club or Merry Companions being a Choice Collection of the most Diverting Catches for three and Four voices Compos'd by the late Mr. Henry Purcell, Dr. Blow & c. The text for this round  [ 1 ] reads: "When V and I together meet we make up 6 in House or Street yet I and V may met once more and then we 2 can make but 4 but when that V from I am gone alas poor I can make but one."

 

The catch is highly decorated, with additional rests inserted to make short phrases from the longer lined theme. An introduction hints at one possible meaning of the text with its mixture of Roman and Arabic numerals alongside the final, written-out "one." The catch though disguised by ornamentation is stated in its complete form before breaking from it. A final stirring cadence ends with the Tierce de Picardy, distinguishing I from "one."

 

 

The entire work is here, , an MP3 file [ circa 3' 30" ]

 

The score for Fancy on a Catch of Henry Purcell is available as a free PDF download, though any major commercial performance or recording of the work is prohibited without prior arrangement with the composer. Click on the graphic below for this organ score.

 

Fancy on a Catch of Henry Purcell

                   

NOTES

 

[ 1 ]     The simple round is as follows: