JustSheetMusic
Portrait of Henry Purcell

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 10 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.

Works and available sheet music details
WorkYear composedCatalogue / opusKey in titleListed instrumentsGenreEditions
But ere we this perform — —— —Classical 5
Oft she visits this lov'd mountain — —— —Classical 4
Awake And Attention Hear — —— VoiceClassical 2
Awake Ye Dead — —— VoiceClassical 2
Begin Of The Song — —— VoiceClassical 3
Early, O Lord, My Fainting Soul — —— VoiceClassical 2
Great God, And Just — —— VoiceClassical 2
Lord, I Can Suffer — —— VoiceClassical 2
Lord, What Is Man, Lost Man — —— VoiceClassical 3
O All Ye People, Clap Your Hands — —— VoiceClassical 2
We Sing To Him, Whose Wisdom — —— VoiceClassical 2
Heter's That Will Challenge — —— —Classical 1
Let's Live Good Honest Lives — —— —Classical 1
Now England's Great Council's — —— —Classical 2
Now, Now We Are Met — —— —Classical 1
Once Industrious Insect — —— —Classical 1
Prithee, Ben't So Sad And Serious — —— —Classical 1
Soldier, Soldier, Take Off Thy Wine — —— —Classical 1
The Macedon Youth — —— —Classical 2
The Miller's Daughter Riding To The Fair — —— —Classical 1
'tis Easy To Force — —— —Classical 3
Under A Green Elm — —— —Classical 2
Wine In A Morning — —— —Classical 1
Young Colin Cleaving — —— —Classical 0
Young John The Gard'ner — —— —Classical 1
I Sigh'd And Own'd My Love — —— VoiceClassical 2
In Vain 'Gainst Love — —— VoiceClassical 2
The Fife And All Ye Harmony — —— VoiceClassical 2
My Heart Is Inditing Of Good Matter — —— bass, Tenor, Choir, AltoClassical 2
Why Do The Heathen — —— bass, Tenor, Choir, AltoClassical 2
Come Let Us Agree — —— bass, Tenor, Choir, AltoClassical 2
At The Close Of The Evening (The Knight Of Malta) — —— VoiceClassical 3
I Look'd, And Saw Within The Book Of Fate (The Indian Emperor) — —— VoiceClassical 2
The Danger Is Over, The Battle Is Past (The Fatal Marriage) — —— VoiceClassical 2
There's Nothing So Fatal As Woman (A Fool's Preferment) — —— VoiceClassical 3
Love's Goddess Sure Was Blind — —— VoiceClassical 3
How Delightful's The Life — —— VoiceClassical 3
Ladybird (Schumann) — —— PianoClassical 2
Maiden With The Lips Like Roses (Franz) — —— PianoClassical 3
Pretty Swallow (Brahms) — —— PianoClassical 3
Funeral Sentences - First Working In The Midst Of Life — —— Organ, bass, Tenor, AltoClassical 3
Funeral Sentences - Second Working Man That Is Born Of A Woman — —— Organ, bass, Tenor, AltoClassical 2
Hear Me O Lord - Second Working — —— Organ, bass, Tenor, AltoClassical 2
Save Me O God — —— Organ, bass, Tenor, AltoClassical 2
Cibell — —— RecorderClassical 3
Gigue — —— FluteClassical 3
O God The King Of Glory — —— Voice, bass, Tenor, Choir, AltoClassical 3
Mokong'ondi — —— —Classical 3

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.