Henry Eccles facts for kids
Henry (Henri) Eccles (born 1670, died 1742) was an English composer. He lived a long time ago, during a period known as the Baroque era. He was also a talented violin player.
Contents
Early Life of Henry Eccles
Henry Eccles came from a family of musicians. His father, Solomon Eccles, was also a composer. Henry's brother, John Eccles, was a well-known composer too. Music was clearly a big part of their family life!
Musical Journey and Works
Henry Eccles was a skilled violinist. Around 1713, he traveled to France with the Duke d'Aumont. The Duke was the French ambassador, which means he was a special representative for France in Britain.
Publishing Music in Paris
In 1720, Henry Eccles published a book of his music in Paris. It was called Twelve Solos for the Violin. A "solo" is a piece of music written for just one instrument. This book was dedicated to a gentleman named Joseph Gage.
Borrowing Melodies
It's interesting to know that some of the music in Eccles's book used parts from other composers' works. For example, some of his sonatas (which are longer musical pieces) included sections from music by Giuseppe Valentini. He also used a movement called a "Corrente" from a piece by Francesco Bonporti.
Famous Sonata No. 11
Even with some borrowed parts, one of the most famous pieces from his collection is Sonata number 11 in G minor. This particular sonata seems to have been mostly Henry Eccles's own original work.
More Compositions
In 1723, Eccles released another book of music. This one included more sonatas for the violin. It also had two sonatas written for the flute, showing his versatility as a composer.
