Epitaph on Henry Purcell (Mary Hudson)

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• (Posted 2025-12-22)  CPDL #87845:     

Editor: Andrew Hathaway (submitted 2025-12-22).   Score information: A4, 4 pages, 81 kB   Copyright: CPDL

Edition notes:

• (Posted 2011-03-07)  CPDL #23236: 

Editor: Christopher Shaw (submitted 2011-03-07).   Score information: Letter, 4 pages, 77 kB   Copyright: CC BY SA

Edition notes: Includes a keyboard reduction of the a cappella choral score. Please click on the link for preview/playback/PDF download.

General Information

Title: Epitaph on Henry Purcell
Composer: Mary Hudson

Number of voices: 5vv   Voicing: SSATB
Genre: Secular, Glee

Language: English
Instruments: A cappella

First published: 1771 Warren's tenth collection
Description: Doubts were subsequently raised within the Catch Club as to the authorship of this piece a) by reason of Mary's age (approx. 16), and b) because of the similarity to her father's Epitaph on the gravestone of Dr Willm. Child, published in the same collection. Did Robert Hudson submit a piece in his daughter's name, or was this merely a patronizing assumption of "the patriarchy"?

Original text and translations

English text

Applaud so great a guest, celestial pow'rs.
Who now resides with you, but once was ours.
Yet let invidious earth no more reclaim
Her short-liv'd fav'rite and her chiefest fame
Complaining that so prematurely died
Good-nature's pleasure and devotion's pride.
Died? No, he lives while yonder organ’s sound
And sacred echoes to the choir rebound.