“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.
Chaconne, from: Prophetess or The History of Dioclesian, Z. 627
for: 2 flutes [oboes/violins], basso continuo
Score, parts (pdf download)
Item no.: 2722
for: Voice (high), piano
Music score
Item no.: 137400
45 Songs
Realizations by Benjamin Britten
for: Voice (medium/low), piano
Music score
Item no.: 489729
Edition Schott
for: 3 recorders (SSA)
Music score
Item no.: 749872
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
for low voice and piano
for: Voice (low), piano
Music score
Item no.: 212534
from Dioclesian Suite
score
for: Soloists, mixed choir, orchestra
Score
Item no.: 682372
for: Soloists, mixed choir, orchestra
Score
Item no.: 816845
for: Voice, harpsichord [piano]
Music score
Item no.: 321735
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
Oper in 3 Akten
for: 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, organ
Piano reduction
Item no.: 198783
Gavotta
for: 2 voices, piano
Music score
Item no.: 374355
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
for one and two Voices and Piano
for: 2 voices, piano
Piano score
Item no.: 150325
Vocal Score and Full Score
for: Soloists, mixed choir, orchestra
Piano reduction
Item no.: 207093
13 Songs
for: Voice (medium), piano
Music score
Item no.: 369538
Lehrhilfsmittel
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 971723
Voice and Keyboard
for: Voice (low), piano
Music score
Item no.: 748836
Purcell arr. Bryars for SATB choir or four solo voices
for: gemischter Chor (SATB) oder 4 Soli
Music score
Item no.: 793897
for: Voice (low), piano
Score
Item no.: 169714
"What Power art Thou" – Aria of the Cold Genius from "King ARthur"
for: Voice (baritone), string orchestra
Score, Parts
Item no.: 563579
Dioclesian (Full Score)
for: SATB Orchestra
Book
Item no.: 321582
Diletto Musicale
for: 2 violins, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 304588
7 Stücke
for: Descant (soprano) recorder, piano
Item no.: 485445
With Optional Trumpets
for: Organ; 1–2 trumpets ad lib.
Item no.: 135512
Complete Harpsichord Works 2
for: Piano [harpsichord/organ]
Music score
Item no.: 326233
for: Harp
Item no.: 243116
Musik für Blockflöte - Il flauto dolce
for: 4 recorders (SATB), basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 617635
Virtuose Chaconne für Blockflötenquartett (AAAB)
for: 4 recorders (quartet)
Ensemble score
Item no.: 659744
für 2 Oboen, Englischhorn und Fagott
for: 2 oboes, cor anglais, bassoon (woodwind quartet)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 678549
for: Gemischter Chor (SATB), 1-2 Trompeten, 3-2 Posaunen, Orgel, [Pauken]
Score
Item no.: 235638
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 553813
from 'The Fairy Queen', Act IV
Music for Brass (Robert King) 131
for: Brass ensemble (13 parts), timpani
Score, Parts
Item no.: 820368
arranged for high voice and viols
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1595953
Diletto Musicale
for: 2 violins, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 304590
Piano Collection
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 316498
Purcell Society Volume
for: SATB and String Instruments
Score
Item no.: 490843
for flute, violin, cello (or c flute, alto flute, bass flute)
for: Chamber ensemble
Score, Parts
Item no.: 994204
5 Easy Pieces for Descant (Soprano) Recorder and Basso Continuo
for: Descant recorder
Buch + CD
Item no.: 576410
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
from "Ye Tuneful Muses"
Z. T681
for: Harpsichord [piano]
Sheet music
Item no.: 4117
for: 3 bass recorders
Ensemble score
Item no.: 366240
Prüfungsliteratur
for: Voice (low), piano
Book
Item no.: 321719
for: Soloists, mixed choir, orchestra
Score
Item no.: 612960
Diletto Musicale
for: 2 violins, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 304587
for: Horn, piano
Item no.: 579474
"Three Parts upon a Ground"
for: 3 treble recorders, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 693921
for: Voice, guitar
Item no.: 163741
for: 2 Alt-Blockflöten (Flöten, Violinen) und Klavier (Cembalo), Violoncello (Viola da gamba) ad libitum
Item no.: 351270