“Music is yet but in its nonage, a forward Child, which gives hope of what it may be hereafter in England, when the masters of it shall find more Encouragement.” Henry Purcell (1659-1695)
Honouring the past, yet joying in the modern influences from Europe, Purcell forged forwards, and spearheaded musical development for a number of decades. Browse our sheet music and scores, and explore more of Purcell’s work today.
Henry Purcell was born in Westminster, where he lived his whole life. Part of a highly musical family, Purcell’s father, Henry Senior, was a gentleman of the Chapel Royal, and his uncle Thomas was also a musician. He was a boy chorister at the Chapel Royal, and at the age of 14, while studying at Westminster School, young Henry Purcell was appointed Assistant of the King’s Instruments under John Hingston. One year later he became Organ Tuner at Westminster Abbey, and the following year, he was employed to transcribe organ anthems for the Abbey.
At the age of 18, Purcell succeeded Matthew Locke as Composer for the King’s Viols, and the appointment as Organist of Westminster Abbey followed just two years later, as John Blow, recognising Purcell’s remarkable talent, chose to step down. Three years later, Purcell became Organist of the Chapel Royal, a post he held alongside his work at the Abbey.
Purcell married his wife Frances shortly before taking the Organist role at the Chapel Royal, and they had six children, two of which survived, including Edward Purcell, who went on to be Organist at St. Clements, London.
Much of Purcell’s Keyboard Music, the Organ Works by Purcell, and Purcell’s Chamber Music came from his early years, including his Sonatas for Viols, and with his various ecclesiastical appointments, his focus naturally turned to sacred music and choral music. His Anthems, and Verse Anthems are particularly celebrated, most famously My Heart is Inditing (1685), Hail! Bright Cecilia (1692), and his Funeral Music for Queen Mary (1695).
Purcell’s secular songs, and the theatrical works by Purcell are particularly well known. He wrote incidental music and songs for over 40 plays, and he wrote a number of semi-operas, which include music and dialogue, notably King Arthur (1691) and Fairy Queen (1692) based on Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. His 1689 opera Dido & Aeneas, which was commissioned by, and first performed at Josias Priest’s School for Young Gentlewoman in Chelsea, is the only work he wrote which was through composed, including Italian-style recitative.
Purcell’s final work, The Indian Queen was left unfinished at the time of his death, and his brother Daniel Purcell, who was organist at Magdalen College, Oxford, completed the work in his honour.
for: 2 voices, piano
Score
Item no.: 111704
Dover Piano And Keyboard Editions
for: Harpsichord [piano]
Music score
Item no.: 187657
Variations and Fugue on a Theme of Purcell with narrator ad lib.
Hawkes Pocket Scores HPS 606
for: Symphonic orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 198730
Chaconne, from: Prophetess or The History of Dioclesian, Z. 627
for: 2 flutes [oboes/violins], basso continuo
Score, parts (pdf download)
Item no.: 2722
Vocal Score and Full Score
for: Soloists, mixed choir, orchestra
Piano reduction
Item no.: 207093
for: Voice (high), piano
Music score
Item no.: 137400
for low voice and piano
for: Voice (low), piano
Music score
Item no.: 212534
Ausgabe in drei verschiedenen Tonlagen: g-Moll / f-Moll / e-Moll
for: Voice (high/medium/low), piano
Music score
Item no.: 613999
Operea in three acts
for: Soloists, mixed choir (SATB), strings, basso continuo
Score
Item no.: 342930
aus der Cembalosuite in C
bearbeitet für zwei Trompeten oder Oboen
for: 2 trumpets [oboes]
Ensemble score (pdf download)
Item no.: 1952
De Haske Recorder Series
for: 4 recorders (SATB quartet)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 615141
45 Songs
Realizations by Benjamin Britten
for: Voice (medium/low), piano
Music score
Item no.: 489729
7 songs for high voice and piano
for: Voice (high), piano
Music score
Item no.: 153045
for: Violin, viola, cello (string trio)
Set of parts
Item no.: 603760
from "The Fairy Queen"
Echo
for: Voice (soprano), violin, piano
Score, part
Item no.: 303053
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 553813
for: Trumpet (B-flat/C), piano
Piano score, solo part
Item no.: 404312
Opera
Eulenburg Miniature Scores
for: Soloists, mixed choir, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 392125
for: Soloists, mixed choir, orchestra
Score
Item no.: 816845
Lawson Gould
for: Women's choir (SA), piano
Piano score
Item no.: 345627
Music for Brass (Robert King)
for: Trumpet, organ
Book
Item no.: 240703
Purcell Society Volume
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Score
Item no.: 209335
Dowani 3 Tempi Play Along
for: Treble recorder
Buch + CD
Item no.: 469393
for: Trombone, piano [organ]
Sheet music
Item no.: 594937
for: Voice (alto), piano
Music score
Item no.: 489749
for: 4 recorders (SATB quartet)
Item no.: 287053
for: Trumpet, organ
Buch
Item no.: 198856
Ouvertürensuite aus der gleichnamigen Oper
für Streicher und Basso continuo
Corona - Werkreihe für Kammerorchester
for: Strings, basso continuo
Score
Item no.: 145528
3 dreistimmige Fantasien (V, Va, Vc) und 4 vierstimmige Fantasien (2 V, Va, Vc)
Nagels Musik-Archiv
for: 2 violins, viola, cello (string quartet)
Score
Item no.: 123283
The Tempest
for: Voice (alto/mezzo-soprano), piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 728679
(First Setting)Z. 379A
for: Singstimme und Basso continuo
Item no.: 355565
for: 4 recorders (SATB quartet)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 419503
Aria from the Ode for the Birthday of Queen Mary, 1694
for: Kontra-Alt, 2 Alt-Blockflöten und Klavier; Violoncello ad libitum
Score, Parts
Item no.: 758128
Alfred Archive Edition
for: Women's choir (SSAA) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 658576
for: 4 recorders (SATB quartet)
Score
Item no.: 660014
Opera in a prologue and three acts
Purcell Society Edition 3
for: Soloists, mixed choir, orchestra
Score (Hardcover)
Item no.: 1056857
for 3 Violins and Basso Continuo
Z 752
for: 3 violins, basso continuo
Score, parts (pdf download)
Item no.: 2741
With Optional Trumpets
for: Organ; 1–2 trumpets ad lib.
Item no.: 135512
Oper in 3 Akten
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Piano reduction
Item no.: 198783
for: 2 Voices [High/Medium] and Piano
Book
Item no.: 604162
for one and two Voices and Piano
for: 2 voices, piano
Piano score
Item no.: 150325
from Dido and Aeneas
for: Flute, piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 722358
13 Songs
for: Voice (medium), piano
Music score
Item no.: 369538
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 770830
Voice and Keyboard
for: Voice (low), piano
Sheet music
Item no.: 748836
"What Power art Thou" – Aria of the Cold Genius from "King ARthur"
for: Voice (baritone), string orchestra
Score, Parts
Item no.: 563579
Purcell Society Volume 22A
for: 3–4 voices
Music score
Item no.: 586094
for: Voice, piano
Item no.: 355556
With drooping wings, ye Cupids come
for: Women's choir (SSAA) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 906668
Geistliche Musik
for: Women's choir (SSA), piano
Score
Item no.: 188499
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