Composer
Henry Purcell
1659–1695
1,644 works in the index
- Born
- 1659
- Died
- 1695
- Birthplace
- Westminster
- Citizenship / historical state
- Kingdom of England
- Period (estimated from birth year)
- Baroque
Biography
Purcell is the last great English composer before the twentieth century and wrote for a world of theatre music, court odes and church anthems that no longer exists, which makes the practical repertoire smaller than the catalogue suggests.
What singers actually use are the songs and the Dido and Aeneas arias, and 'When I am laid in earth' is one of the most-performed pieces in this index. Keyboard players have the harpsichord suites and the grounds, several of which are accessible early. Choirs have the anthems and the funeral music.
His notation leaves ornaments and continuo to convention even more than his continental contemporaries, so editions differ substantially. For the songs in particular, a realised edition with a written-out keyboard part is worth having unless you are able to play from a figured bass.
In this catalogue
- Common listed instruments
- Voice, Piano, harpsichord, Organ, Choir
- Genres represented
- Classical, pop, Baroque, Pop, Latin
- Works with composition dates
- 12 of 1,644
These details describe the indexed sheet music, including arrangements.
Catalogue
Works page 1 of 35
Years are composition dates where known. Instruments describe editions in our catalogue and may include arrangements. A dash means the detail is not recorded.
| Work | Year composed | Catalogue / opus | Key in title | Listed instruments | Genre | Editions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dido and Aeneas, Z. 626: Act III "Thy Hand Belinda" / Dido's Lament "When I am Laid in Earth" | — | — | — | Piano, Guitar, Flute, violin, Voice, Vocal, Choir, Trumpet, English Horn, Saxophone, Voice High, Low Voice | Classical, Pop | 97 |
| Trumpet Tune | — | — | — | Piano, Harp, Organ, Guitar, harpsichord, Cello, Flute, Oboe, violin, Voice, Bassoon, Vocal, Horn, Clarinet, Trombo | Classical | 123 |
| Dance | — | — | — | Piano, harpsichord, Recorder | Classical | 44 |
| Overture | — | — | — | Piano, Organ, Flute, Oboe, Voice, Bassoon, Choir, Horn, Clarinet, Timpani, Trumpet, Tuba, percussion | Classical | 38 |
| Trumpet tune, ZT. 698 | — | — | — | Piano, Organ, Guitar, Cello, Flute, violin, Vocal, Horn, Clarinet, Trombone, Trumpet, Tuba, Recorder, Cornet, Mand | New Age, Classical, Pop | 48 |
| If music be the food of love (3rd version) | — | — | — | Piano, Organ, harpsichord, Voice, Horn, Trombone, Tuba, Recorder, Voice High, Low Voice | Classical | 20 |
| 'Tis Nature's Voice | — | — | — | Organ, Voice, bass, Tenor, Choir, Alto, Voice High, Low Voice | Classical | 14 |
| I Attempt from Love's Sickness to Fly | 1695Wikidata | — | — | Piano, Guitar, Voice, Vocal, Choir, Horn, Trombone, Voice High, Low Voice | Classical | 31 |
| Rondeau | — | — | — | Piano, Organ, Guitar, Voice, Horn, Trombone, Trumpet, Tuba, Saxophone | Classical | 23 |
| Hornpipe | — | — | — | Piano, Organ, Flute, violin, Voice, Choir, Horn, Trombone, Timpani, Trumpet, Tuba, Recorder, percussion, Saxophon | Classical | 15 |
| Man Is for the Woman Made | — | — | — | Piano, Guitar, Voice, Choir, Voice High, Low Voice | Classical | 24 |
| I'll Sail Upon The Dog Star | — | — | — | Voice, Voice High, Low Voice | Classical | 18 |
| Hark! The Ech'ing Air | — | — | — | Voice, Voice High, Low Voice | Classical | 18 |
| 6. Air | — | — | — | Piano, Organ, Guitar, harpsichord, Flute, Oboe, violin, Voice, Choir, Clarinet, Timpani, Recorder, percussion, Sa | Classical, pop | 11 |
| Rondo In D Minor (Abdelazer) | — | — | D minor | Piano | Classical | 12 |
| Purcell: Fifteen Songs and Airs for Contralto or Baritone from the Operas and Masques | — | — | — | Voice | Classical | 15 |
| Purcell: Fifteen Songs and Airs for Soprano or Tenor from the Operas and the Odes | — | — | — | Voice | Classical | 15 |
| Prelude/Minuet in C major from The Fairy Queen | — | — | C major | Piano | Classical | 15 |
| Rondo (I attempt from love's sickness) | — | — | — | Piano, Organ, Guitar, Voice, Choir, Horn, Trombone, Timpani, Trumpet, Tuba, percussion, Voice High | Classical | 13 |
| Menuet (Fron Die Singende Muse An Der Pliebe) | — | — | — | Harp, Recorder | Classical | 9 |
| Rondeau from Abdelazar | — | — | — | violin | Classical | 10 |
| 6. Minuet | — | — | — | Piano, Guitar, harpsichord, Cello, Horn, Recorder, Saxophone | Classical | 11 |
| Rondo from Abdelazer | — | — | — | Piano, Guitar | Classical | 9 |
| Hail, bright Cecilia! | 1692IMSLP | — | — | Organ, Voice, bass, Tenor, Choir, Alto | Classical | 10 |
| Thus To A Ripe Consenting Maid (The Old Bachelor) | — | — | — | Piano, Voice, Voice High, Low Voice | Classical | 8 |
| Rigadoon (H Purcell) | — | — | — | Piano, Organ, Guitar, Cello, Flute, Oboe, violin, Horn, Clarinet, Recorder, Piccolo, Cornet, Saxophone, Flexible | Classical | 14 |
| Birthday Ode for Queen Mary "Come Ye Sons of Art", Z. 323: III. Sound the Trumpet | — | — | — | Piano, Organ, Cello, violin, Voice, Choir, Trumpet, String Quartet, Alto, Voice High, Low Voice, Viola | Classical | 15 |
| Suite from the Fairy Queen | — | — | — | Piano, Cello, violin, Viola | Classical | 11 |
| Ah! Belinda | — | — | — | Piano, Voice, Choir, Voice High, Low Voice | Classical | 7 |
| Fear No Danger | — | — | — | Choir | Classical | 12 |
| Sweeter than roses | — | — | — | Piano, Organ, Voice, Voice High, Low Voice | Classical | 11 |
| What Can We Poor Females Do | — | — | — | Voice, Low Voice | Classical | 11 |
| I saw that you were grown so high | — | — | — | Voice, Low Voice | Classical | 12 |
| Ah! how pleasant 'tis to love | — | — | — | Piano, Voice, Low Voice | Classical | 14 |
| Thou Knowest, Lord, The Secrets Of Our Hearts | — | — | — | Piano, Organ, Voice, bass, Tenor, Choir, Alto | Classical | 11 |
| Minuet in A Minor | — | — | A minor | Piano, Guitar | Classical | 6 |
| March (From Suite No. 5) | — | — | — | Piano, Organ, violin, Horn, Trombone, Trumpet, Tuba, Recorder | Classical | 12 |
| What A Sad Fate (Version A & B) | — | — | — | harpsichord, Voice | Classical | 5 |
| Tis Too Late For a Coach | — | — | — | Recorder | Classical | 5 |
| Sonata for Trumpet and Strings | — | — | — | Cello, violin, Viola | Classical | 8 |
| 2. Trumpet Air | — | — | — | Piano, Horn, Trombone, Trumpet, Tuba | Classical | 8 |
| Sonatina in G Major [Op. 4, No. 10] Additional credits Samuel Wesley | — | Op. 4, No. 10 | G major | Piano | Classical | 7 |
| Music for A While | 1692Wikidata | — | — | Piano, Organ, Voice, Voice High, Low Voice | Classical | 15 |
| The Knotting Song | — | — | — | harpsichord, Voice, Low Voice | Classical | 12 |
| Fairest Isle (Address to Britan) from King Arthur | — | — | — | Guitar, Trumpet | Classical | 11 |
| Air in D Minor from King Arthur | — | — | D minor | Piano, Organ | Classical | 16 |
| Hear My Prayer, O Lord | — | — | — | Organ, Voice, bass, Tenor, Choir, Alto, A Cappella | Classical | 9 |
| We Praise Thee (Te Deum) Purcell | — | — | — | Choir | Classical | 6 |
Biographical record: Wikidata, matched on name and checked against dates held in the catalogue. The period label is an estimate from birth year. The biography above is our own. Authority record: VIAF 5118737. Portrait: anonymous, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.