“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.
Chaconne, from: Prophetess or The History of Dioclesian, Z. 627
for: 2 flutes [oboes/violins], basso continuo
Score, parts (pdf download)
Item no.: 2722
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
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
from "Ye Tuneful Muses"
Z. T681
for: Harpsichord [piano]
Sheet music
Item no.: 4117
Chaconne
for: 3 Alt-Blockflöten (Violinen) und Klavier (Cembalo, Orgel); Bass ad libitum (Bass-Blockflöte, Fagott, Violoncello, Viola da gamba)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 749694
from: Funeral Music for Queen Mary
for: Mixed choir (SATB), basso continuo
Score
Item no.: 4184
from: Funeral Music for Queen Mary
for: Mixed choir (SATB), basso continuo
Score
Item no.: 4554
Freely arranged for Organ
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 741899
from Dido and Aeneas
for: Piano
Music score
Item no.: 759050
7 Songs
for: Voice (high), piano
Music score
Item no.: 748892
Song
for: Sopran, 2 Alt-Blockflöten und Klavier; Violoncello ad libitum
Music score
Item no.: 782214
Coronation Anthem für Doppelchor
for: gemischter Chor (SSAATTBB), Streicher und Orgel
Partitur (= Klavierauszug)
Item no.: 748662
The Fairy Queen
for: Voice (soprano), piano
Music score
Item no.: 733515
Ode for the Birthday of Queen Mary, 1694
for: gemischter Chor (SATB), Soli (SAAB) und Orchester
Partitur (= Klavierauszug)
Item no.: 743489
The Tempest
for: Voice (alto/mezzo-soprano), piano
Music score
Item no.: 728679
The Fairy Queen
for: Voice (soprano), piano
Music score
Item no.: 753664
Ode for the Birthday of Queen Mary, 1694
for: gemischter Chor (SATB), Soli (SAAB) und Orchester
Choir score
Item no.: 748682
9 Songs
for: Voice (low), piano
Music score
Item no.: 752319
5 Songs and a Duet
for: hohe Singstimme(n) und Klavier
Music score
Item no.: 727193
from "Ode for the Birthday of Queen Mary"
for: Sopran, Oboe und Klavier
Music score
Item no.: 729846
(First Setting)
for: Voice, basso continuo
Music score
Item no.: 748835
King Arthur or The British Worthy
for: Voice (bass/baritone), piano
Music score
Item no.: 757402
Te Deum laudamus
for: Mixed choir (SSATBB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 795676
8 Songs
for: Voice (low), piano
Music score
Item no.: 796541
G
for: Voice (high), piano
Piano/Vocal
Item no.: 1543674
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
The Tempest
for: Voice (soprano), piano
Music score
Item no.: 733516
Opera
Study score
Item no.: 747721
Voice and Keyboard
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 748833
7 Songs
for: Voice (high), piano
Music score
Item no.: 748893
Möseler Chorreihe
for: Mixed choir (SSAATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 781792
Magnificat
for: Mixed choir (SSATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 795675
F
for: Voice (low), piano
Piano/Vocal
Item no.: 1479062
Bm
for: Voice, piano [guitar]
Piano/Voice/Guitar
Item no.: 1030417
Welcome to all the pleasures
for: 5 Solostimmen, Chor, Streicher und Basso continuo
Piano reduction
Item no.: 743415
from "The Old Bachelor"
Z. T685
for: Harpsichord [piano]
Sheet music
Item no.: 4230
Edition Schott
for: Descant (soprano) recorder, piano
Music score
Item no.: 748863
for: Sopran- und Alt-Blockflöte und Klavier oder 3 Blockflöten (SAT) und Klavier ad libitum
Score, Parts
Item no.: 726812
Em
for: Piano, Oboe
Instrumental Solo & Piano Accompaniment
Item no.: 1589457
for: String orchestra
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1380218
for: String orchestra
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1384360
Em
for: Piano
Piano Solo
Item no.: 1024264
for: Choral
Item no.: 1374278
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