Though much is known of Purcell's musical achievements, one may only speculate on his personality, and those human characteristics which one may assume from dle broad scope of his activities reveal a colourful and attractive individual. He was born in the late summer or autumn of 1659 into a large family that lived near the royal palace of Whitehall (destroyed by fire in 1698), where his father and uncle were gentleman musicians to the king and his two elder brothers (he had six brothers and two...