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 12 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
Ah! 'tis in Vain — —— Voice HighClassical 2
Leave these useless Arts — —— VoiceClassical 1
3. Bacchus is pow'r divine — —— —Classical 2
How pleasant is this flow'ry Plain and Grove — —— Flute, RecorderClassical 2
Why my Daphne, why complaining? — —— —Classical 1
Hornpipe in B flat Major, Z T683 — —B-flat major PianoClassical 5
My Dearest, My Fairest — —— Piano, Organ, VoiceClassical 2
Lost Is My Quiet Forever — —— Piano, Organ, VoiceClassical 3
"A New Irish Tune, Z. 646" — —— PianoClassical 2
"Jig in G minor, Z. T686" — —G minor Piano— 2
"Riggadoon in C, Z. 653" — —— Piano, Organ— 2
3. Suite III — —— Piano, harpsichord, RecorderClassical 2
Suite Vii In D Min. — —— Piano, OrganClassical 3
Suite Viii In F — —— Piano, Organ, RecorderClassical 3
"Sefauchi's Farewell, Z. 656" — —— Piano— 2
vi. Minuet — —— Piano, harpsichordClassical 2
3. Borry — —— Piano, harpsichordClassical 1
"Suite No. 6 in D, Z. 667: 3rd movement, Hornpipe" — —— Piano— 2
Verse In F — —— OrganClassical 1
Voluntary in G — —— OrganClassical 1
Voluntary On The Old 100th — —— OrganClassical 2
Variations On A Minuet By Fischer — —— OrganClassical 2
With That Sublime Celestial Lay — —— Organ, Voice, bass, Tenor, Choir, AltoClassical 3
Rondeau: "The Prince of Denmark's March" — —— —Classical 1
Amidst The Shades — —— harpsichord, VoiceClassical 2
Let Us Kind Lesbia — —— harpsichord, VoiceClassical 2
On The Death Of His Worthy Friend Mr Matthew Locke — —— harpsichord, VoiceClassical 2
Pastora's Beauties When Unblown — —— harpsichord, VoiceClassical 2
Scarce Had The Rising Sun — —— harpsichord, VoiceClassical 2
Urge Me No More — —— harpsichord, VoiceClassical 2
Cease Anxious World — —— harpsichord, VoiceClassical 3
Cupid, The Slyest Rogue Alive — —— harpsichord, VoiceClassical 3
How Delightful The Life — —— harpsichord, VoiceClassical 3
Love Is Now Becomes A Trade — —— harpsichord, VoiceClassical 3
My Heart, Whenever You Appear — —— harpsichord, VoiceClassical 3
Sighs For Our Late Sovereign King Charles The Second — —— harpsichord, VoiceClassical 3
The Thraldon — —— harpsichord, VoiceClassical 3
Ask Me To Love — —— harpsichord, VoiceClassical 1
Bacchus Is A Pow'r Divine — —— harpsichord, VoiceClassical 1
Love, Thou Canst Hear — —— harpsichord, VoiceClassical 0
Sawney Is A Bonny Lad — —— harpsichord, VoiceClassical 1
Fly Swift, Ye Hours — —— harpsichord, VoiceClassical 2
I Love and I Must — —— harpsichord, VoiceClassical 4
Sylvia Now Your Scorn Give Over — —— harpsichord, VoiceClassical 2
Martial Air — —— Flute, violin, RecorderClassical 3
Fantazia No. 3 — —— FluteClassical 2
"Song Tune, from Musick's Handmaid" — —— Saxophone— 2
A Catch Ii — —— RecorderClassical 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.