Maurice Greene (1696 – 1755) was an English composer
and organist. He was born in London, the son of a
clergyman, Greene became a choirboy at St Paul's
Cathedral under Jeremiah Clarke and Charles King. He
studied the organ under Richard Brind, and after Brind
died, Greene became organist at St Paul's.
With the death of William Croft in 1727, Greene became
organist at the Chapel Royal, and in 1730 he became
Professor of Music at Cambridge University. In 1735 he
was appointed Master of ...(+)
Maurice Greene (1696 – 1755) was an English composer
and organist. He was born in London, the son of a
clergyman, Greene became a choirboy at St Paul's
Cathedral under Jeremiah Clarke and Charles King. He
studied the organ under Richard Brind, and after Brind
died, Greene became organist at St Paul's.
With the death of William Croft in 1727, Greene became
organist at the Chapel Royal, and in 1730 he became
Professor of Music at Cambridge University. In 1735 he
was appointed Master of the King's Musick. At his
death, Greene was working on the compilation Cathedral
Music, which his student and successor as Master of the
King's Musick, William Boyce, was to complete. Many
items from that collection are still used in Anglican
services today.
He wrote very competent music in the Georgian style,
particularly long Verse Anthems. His acknowledged
masterpiece, Lord, let me know mine end, is a
representative example. Greene sets a text full of
pathos using a polyphonic texture over a continuous
instrumental walking bass, with a particularly
effective treble duet in the middle of the work. Both
this section and the end of the anthem contain superb
examples of the Neapolitan sixth chord. He died in 1755
aged 59 and was initially buried at St Olave Old Jewry
until after the church's demolition in 1887 when he was
reburied in St Paul's Cathedral.
Source: Wikipedia
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurice_Greene_(composer
)).
Although originally composed for Chorus (SATB), I
created this arrangement of "Lord, let me know mine
end" for Winds (Flute, Oboe, English Horn & Bassoon) &
Strings (2 Violins, Viola & Cello).
PARTITION