“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.
8 Songs
for: Voice (low), piano
Music score
Item no.: 796541
G
for: Voice (high), piano
Piano/Vocal
Item no.: 1543674
Purcell Society Edition 12
for: Solo voices, mixed choir, baroque orchestra
Score (Hardcover)
Item no.: 612634
for: Mixed choir (SSATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 317781
for St. Cecilia's Day
for: 6 soloists (SSAATB), mixed choir (SSATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Piano reduction
Item no.: 161135
The Bell Anthem
for: Mixed choir (SATB), organ
Score
Item no.: 554465
Ode on St. Cecilia's Day 1692
for: Soloists, mixed choir, orchestra
Piano reduction
Item no.: 1677430
for: Voice (high), piano
Music score
Item no.: 1690151
for: Choir
Choir score
Item no.: 900942
Popular Edition of selected Works 1
for: Voice (high), piano
Music score
Item no.: 321718
Lawson Gould
for: Women's choir (SA), piano
Piano score
Item no.: 345627
Bärenreiter Urtext
for: Soloists, mixed choir, strings, basso continuo
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 1615907
The Tempest
for: Voice (bass/baritone), piano
Music score
Item no.: 757403
from Dido and Aeneas
for: Violin, piano
Music score
Item no.: 759075
from Dido and Aeneas
for: Flute, piano
Music score
Item no.: 722358
from Dido and Aeneas
for: Cello, piano
Music score
Item no.: 722334
for: Soloists, mixed choir, orchestra
Piano reduction
Item no.: 1671923
The Tempest
for: Voice (soprano), piano
Music score
Item no.: 733516
Opera
Study score
Item no.: 747721
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
Klassik
for: Women's choir (SA), piano
Piano reduction
Item no.: 964846
Voice and Keyboard
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 748833
from "The Fairy Queen"
Echo
for: Voice (soprano), violin, piano
Score, part
Item no.: 303053
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 871334
Hymnen und Choräle
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 321961
Version A & B
for: Voice (high), basso continuo
Music score
Item no.: 889420
7 Songs
for: Voice (high), piano
Music score
Item no.: 748893
The Organist's Library
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 971625
Purcell Society Edition 27
for: Solo voices, orchestra
Score
Item no.: 771302
Bläserquartett - Chor
for: Mixed choir, wind ensembles
Piano reduction
Item no.: 645825
for: Women's choir (SS), organ
Score
Item no.: 871621
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 882864
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Score
Item no.: 870602
7 songs for high voice and piano
for: Voice (high), piano
Music score
Item no.: 153045
for St. Cecilia's Day
for: 6 soloists (SSAATB), mixed choir (SSATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Study score
Item no.: 392265
Choral Large Works
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 395275
for: Voice (high), piano
Item no.: 355589
for: Mixed choir (SATB), organ
Choir score
Item no.: 885751
Purcell arr. Bryars for SATB choir or four solo voices
for: gemischter Chor (SATB) oder 4 Soli
Item no.: 1544470
Popular Edition of selected Works 12
for: Voice (high), piano
Music score
Item no.: 321720
for: Male choir (TTB), organ
Choir score
Item no.: 887872
Möseler Chorreihe
for: Mixed choir (SSAATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 781792
for: 2 soloists (AB), mixed choir (SATB), strings, organ
Score, set of parts (strings)
Item no.: 929266
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 770829
Magnificat
for: Mixed choir (SSATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 795675
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1145460
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