Trumpet Voluntary

The "Trumpet Voluntary" is a musical work by Jeremiah Clarke, an English organist and composer of religious music who lived from approximately 1674 to 1707. This piece was once mistakenly attributed to Henry Purcell.1

Originally, the "Trumpet Voluntary" was likely composed for either harpsichord or wind ensemble. Clarke held positions such as master of choristers at St. Paul's Cathedral and joint organist of the Chapel Royal. His compositions also include anthems, solo songs, and incidental music for plays. The trumpet itself is a brass wind instrument, and its history includes forms used in military and ritualistic contexts, evolving into the natural trumpet of the Baroque era and the modern valve trumpet.12