In 1693 Purcell composed music for the plays, the _Old Bachelor_, a comedy by Congreve; the _Richmond Heiress_, a comedy by D'Urfey; the _Maid's Last Prayer_, a comedy by Southerne; and _Henry II._, a tragedy by Bancroft. In addition to these pieces he composed music for the "Queen's Birthday Ode," commencing "Celebrate this festival," the libretto of which was written by Nahum Tate. The overture to this ode is the same as that to the "Cecilia Ode" of the same year, transposed one note lower, from D to C. It has been printed in a very incorrect manner by Goodison.
One other ode belongs also to this year. It was written by Tate for the commemoration of the centenary of the foundation of Trinity College, Dublin, and commences "Great Parent, hail." It is supposed that the ode was performed at Christ Church, Dublin, on the 9th of January, 1694; but no information on the subject has as yet been discovered either at Trinity College or Christ Church. The ode was included in Goodison's "Purcell publications."
In 1694 Purcell revised the twelfth edition of _John Playford's Introduction to the Skill of Musick_. The third part of the work, which treats of _The Art of Descant_,[46] appears to have been almost wholly re-written by Purcell. The directions for the use of "discords" were quite novel for the time, and so also must have been the paragraph where he says, "Formerly they used to compose from the _Bass_, but modern authors compose to the _Treble_ when they make _Counterpoint_ or _Basses_ to tunes or songs." Again, in speaking of composition in three parts, he writes, "The first thing to treat of is _Counterpoint_, and in this I must differ from Mr. _Simpson_ (whose _Compendium_ I admire as the most ingenious book I e're met with on this subject); but his rule in three parts for _Counterpoint_ is too strict and destructive to good air, which ought to be preferred above such nice rules." He then goes on to explain that in vocal music the parts should move smoothly, but that in instrumental music greater freedom would be admissible, and he points out the Italian composers as worthy models. He also gives a "Canon, four in one," by Dr. Blow, of whom he says, his "character is sufficiently known by his works, of which this very instance is enough to recommend him for one of the greatest masters in the world."