“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 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, Daniel Purcell, who was organist at Magdalen College, Oxford, completed the work in his honour.
for: Mixed choir (SSATB), organ
Score
Item no.: 897038
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 1032002
for: Women's choir (SSA), piano
Score
Item no.: 982862
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 1031837
for: Choir
Choir score
Item no.: 1031946
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Music score
Item no.: 899119
for: Male choir (TTBB), piano
Score
Item no.: 1031966
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 879079
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 885797
for: Choir
Choir score
Item no.: 1031963
for: Women's choir (SSAA), organ
Score
Item no.: 893906
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 1032004
for: Mixed choir (SATB), string orchestra
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1032017
for: 2 soloists (TB), mixed choir (SATB), organ
Score
Item no.: 886827
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Score
Item no.: 872203
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Score
Item no.: 1031962
for: Mixed choir (SATB), organ
Score
Item no.: 883664
for: Women's choir (SSA) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 891796
for: Women's choir (SS), piano
Score
Item no.: 1032008
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 896915
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Score
Item no.: 1031967
for: Mixed choir (SATB), organ
Score
Item no.: 875872
for: Choir
Music score
Item no.: 1031832
Enoch Choral Series
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Score
Item no.: 962294
for: Mixed choir (SATB), organ
Score
Item no.: 882695
for: Mixed choir (SATB), organ
Score
Item no.: 879723
for: Choir
Choir score
Item no.: 869267
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 871334
Klassik
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Score
Item no.: 1031949
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Score
Item no.: 870602
for: Mixed choir (SATB), organ
Choir score
Item no.: 885751
for: Male choir (TTB), organ
Choir score
Item no.: 887872
for: Mixed choir (SATB), strings
Score
Item no.: 872991
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Score
Item no.: 1031970
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 908412
Song for Males Voices, from Purcell's The Fairy Queen
for: Male choir (TTBB), piano
Score
Item no.: 1031834
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Score
Item no.: 982895
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 1032012
for: 2 mixed choirs (SATB, SATB), organ
Score
Item no.: 888922
3 Pieces for Guitar
for: Guitar
Music score
Item no.: 1022535
for: Soloists, mixed choir, orchestra
Score
Item no.: 816845
Choir score
Item no.: 816843
Chiltern Recorder Consort Series
for: 4 recorders (SATB quartet)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 779428
Contemporary
for: 8 saxophones (SSAATTBarBar)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 779332
Purcell Society Volume 22B
for: 1–2 voices, basso continuo
Score (Hardcover)
Item no.: 778893
for: Chamber ensemble
Buch
Item no.: 857919
Sacred Music V
Purcell Society Edition 29
for: Mixed choir, basso continuo
Score (Hardcover)
Item no.: 771299
Sacred Music Part I
Purcell Society Edition 13
for: Mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Score (Hardcover)
Item no.: 771298
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