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 2 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
An Epithalamium (Wedding Song) — —— Piano, Organ, Voice HighClassical 8
Take Not A Woman's Anger Ill (The Rival Sisters) — —— Voice, Recorder, Voice High, Low VoiceClassical 8
Trumpet Tune in D — —— PianoClassical 8
Ah! How Pleasant — —— Guitar, harpsichordClassical 5
A New Irish Tune — —— Piano, Guitar, RecorderClassical 7
Tom Making a Manteau — —— RecorderClassical 3
Rigaudon — —— Piano, Organ, Cello, Flute, violin, Horn, Clarinet, Trombone, RecorderClassical 9
2. Minuet and RIgadoon — —— Trumpet— 7
Minuet In E (Adam Falckenhagen) — —— GuitarClassical 7
Let sullen discord smile — —— VoiceClassical 10
Sonate in F Major — —F major RecorderClassical 7
Knotting Song,The — —— Piano, VoiceClassical 7
Meryton Townhall — —— PianoClassical 6
Dido and Aeneas, Z. 626: Act I. "Shake the cloud from off your brow" — —— ChoirClassical 10
Trumpet tune, ZT. 697 — —— Organ, TrumpetClassical 6
Lilliburlero: Trumpe — —— —— 4
6. Hence, with your trifling deity — —— Oboe, bass, Tenor, Choir, AltoClassical 4
24. Song: Oft She Visits — —— ChoirClassical 6
Your Awful Voice I Heard (The Tempest) — —— Voice High, Low VoiceClassical 5
Air in D minor — —D minor PianoClassical 7
10. Chaconne — —— Piano, Organ, Voice, Choir, Timpani, Recorder, percussionClassical 7
Minuet In E Minor (Robert De Visee) — —E minor Piano, GuitarClassical 6
Thanks to these lonesome vales — —— Guitar, Voice, ChoirClassical 8
In the black dismal dungeon of despair — —— VoiceClassical 6
Tell Me, Some Pitying Angel — —— VoiceClassical 5
Since Women So False — —— —Classical 5
Chaconne In F — —— —Classical 6
Suite No. 4 — —— PianoClassical 7
Sarabande — —— PianoClassical 5
I Attempt from Love's Sickness to Fly from THE INDIAN QUEEN — —— violinClassical 7
Air in D minor: Flut — —D minor —— 5
Air in D minor: Violi — —D minor —— 5
Lilliburlero: Violi — —— —— 3
What Shall I Do — —— Recorder, Low VoiceClassical 8
The Blessed Virgin's Expostulation — —— Piano, Organ, Basso continuo, Voice, Voice High, Low VoiceClassical 10
1. Anacreon's Defeat — —— Piano, Organ, VoiceClassical 4
3. Wondrous Machine — —— Organ, Oboe, Voice, bass, Tenor, Choir, AltoClassical 7
Come Ye Sons Of Art (Queen Mary's Birthday Ode) — —— Piano, Flute, violin, Choir, Trumpet, SaxophoneClassical 4
19. Duet: But, Ere we This Perform — —— ChoirClassical 5
When Thou Took'st — —— ChoirClassical 4
I Attempt from Love's Sickness — —— Piano, Voice, Recorder, Low VoiceClassical 5
How blest are shepherds — —— Voice, Voice High, Low VoiceClassical 5
Turn Then Thine Eyes — —— Voice, Voice High, Low VoiceClassical 10
Welcome, More Welcome Does He Come (Welcome Song 'From Those Serene And Rapturous Joys') — —— Voice High, Low VoiceClassical 4
Rondeau From Abdelazer — —— Piano, Organ, violin, RecorderClassical 7
Thou tun'st this world — —— Organ, Voice, bass, Tenor, Choir, AltoClassical 8
O Solitude — —— harpsichord, VoiceClassical 6
Phillis Talk No More — —— harpsichord, VoiceClassical 4

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.