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 23 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
Aria - From Dido and Aeneas — —— —— 0
Rondeau - from Incidental Music to Abdelazer - Score and Parts — —— —— 0
Trumpet Tune - Score and Parts — —— —— 0
A New Ground In E Minor — —E minor Piano— 1
Follow The Leader/Jogging Along — —— Recorder— 1
Prelude from Suite No.5 in C — —— Piano— 1
Rigaudon/The Sorcerer's Apprentice/Pastoral Symphony — —— Bassoon— 1
Theme from Abdelazer — —— violin— 1
We Sing To Him Whose Wisdom Formed The Ear — —— Piano, Voice— 1
Rondo from Abdelazar Suite — —— violin, Double Bass, Viola— 1
Sing, Now, Ye Sons of Art — —— Choir— 1
King Arthur Air — —— Piano, percussion, Xylophone— 1
Rigaudon: Flute — —— FluteClassical 1
Rigaudon: Oboe — —— OboeClassical 1
Rigaudon: Bassoon — —— BassoonClassical 1
Rigaudon: B — —— —Classical 1
Rigaudon: E — —— —Classical 1
Rigaudon: 1st F Horn — —— HornClassical 1
Rigaudon: 1st Trombone — —— TromboneClassical 1
Rigaudon: Tuba — —— TubaClassical 1
Rigaudon: Mallets — —— percussionClassical 1
Rigaudon: 1st Percussion — —— percussionClassical 1
Rigaudon: Timpani — —— Timpani, percussionClassical 1
Suite from "Fairy Queen" — —— Horn, Trombone, Tuba— 1
Whence Could So Much Virtue — —— ChoirClassical 1
Sound The Trumpet — —— —— —
Thy Hand, Belinda! When I Am Laid In Earth — —— —— —
The Fatal Hour — —— harpsichord, Voice, Low VoiceClassical 2
5. Next, Winter Comes Slowly — —— —Classical 1
Trumpet Voluntary — —— —— 0
When I Am Laid In Earth — —— —— —
Dido's Lament — —— —— 0
Minuet — —— Piano— —
Dance in C major from The Indian Queen — —C major —— —
"When I Am Laid in Earth" from Dido and Aeneas (Easy) — —— —— 0
1. Solo and Chorus: Shake the Cloud — —— —— —
2. Song: Ah! Belinda — —— —— —
3. Recitative: Grief Increases — —— —— —
4. Chorus: When Monarchs Unite — —— —— —
5. Recitative: Whence Could so Much Virtue Spring — —— —— —
6. Duet and Chorus: Fear No Danger — —— —— —
9. Recitative: If Not for Mine — —— ChoirClassical —
10. Air: Persue Thy Conquest — —— ChoirClassical —
11. Chorus: To the Hills and the Vales — —— —— —
12: The Triumphing Dance — —— —— —
14. Chorus: Harm's Our Delight — —— —— —
15. Recitative: The Queen of Carthage — —— —— —
17. Recitative: Ruin'd Ere the Set of Sun — —— ChoirClassical —

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.