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 27 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
Minuet and Trio — —— Horn, Trombone, EuphoniumClassical —
Rondeau Performed by Henry Purcell — —— Piano, Flute, violin, Clarinet, RecorderClassical, pop 0
Bid the Virtues, bid the Graces — —— —Classical 1
Allemande — —— FluteClassical —
Sing, Ye Christians — —— VoiceClassical 1
Let Us Dance, Let Us Sing — —— —— —
Cease,O My Sad Soul — —— Piano, VoiceClassical —
Westminster Abbey — —— Horn, Trombone, Trumpet, TubaClassical 1
When I Have Often Heard Young Maidens Complaining — —— —Classical 3
May God Of Wit Inspire — —— Voice, ChoirClassical —
3. Trumpet Tune: Cibell, — —— —Classical —
Dido and Aeneas: 'Thy hand, Belinda!...When I am laid in earth' — —— —— —
Two Trumpet Tunes and Ayre: Tune Two — —— —Classical —
Two Trumpet Tunes and Ayre: Ayre — —— —Classical —
Sinfonia — —— OrganClassical —
Hornpipe in B-Flat Major — —B-Flat major PianoClassical —
Lento [Op. 35, No. 1] Additional credits Cyril Scott — Op. 35, No. 1— PianoClassical —
Moment Musical [Op. 11, No. 6] Additional credits Tobias Matthay — Op. 11, No. 6— PianoClassical —
Nocturne in E Minor [Hopk. 46] Additional credits John Field — —E minor PianoClassical —
Reapers' Dance Additional credits John Ireland — —— —— —
Skizze Additional credits Edward Elgar — —— PianoClassical —
Sonatina in F Major [Op. 12, No. 9] Additional credits James Hook — Op. 12, No. 9F major PianoClassical —
Sonatina In G Major Additional credits Attwood — —G major PianoClassical —
Song of the Shepherd Boy Additional credits Samuel Arnold — —— PianoClassical —
Springtime in the Village Additional credits Alec Templeton — —— PianoClassical —
The Duke of Glocester's March Additional credits Jeremiah Clarke — —— PianoClassical —
The St. Catherine Additional credits John Barrett — —— PianoClassical —
Wolsey's Wilde Additional credits William Byrd — —— PianoClassical —
Romance [Op. 44, No. 1] Additional credits Anton Rubinstein — Op. 44, No. 1— PianoClassical —
Romanza [Op. 77, No. 8] Additional credits Carl Reinecke — Op. 77, No. 8— PianoClassical —
Ground — —— PianoClassical —
Prelude From Suite No. 5 — —— PianoClassical 1
Rigadoon Performed by Henry Purcell — —— RecorderClassical —
Dance Tune — —— —— —
A Ground in Gamut [Z. 645] — —— Piano, OrganClassical 2
Allegro Additional credits Georg Christoph Wagenseil — —— Piano, OrganClassical —
Allegro [Illy 15] Additional credits Baldasarre Galuppi — —— Piano, OrganClassical —
Allegro Assai Additional credits Giovannii Benedetto Platti — —— Piano, OrganClassical —
Allegro in C Major Additional credits Christoph Graupner — —C major Piano, OrganClassical —
Allemande Additional credits Georg Philipp Telemann — —— Piano, OrganClassical —
Allemande in D Minor Additional credits François Couperin — —D minor Piano, OrganClassical —
Corant [Z. 660:3] — —— Piano, OrganClassical 1
Courante Additional credits Dietrich Buxtehude — —— Piano, OrganClassical —
Dialogue Additional credits Johann Christian Bach — —— Piano, OrganClassical —
Jigg [Z. 665:5] — —— Piano, OrganClassical 1
La Folie d'Espagne Additional credits Jean Conrad Baustetter — —— Piano, OrganClassical —
La Gémissante Additional credits Jean-François Dandrieu — —— Piano, OrganClassical —
La Lutine: Puck Additional credits Johann Philipp Kirnberger — —— Piano, OrganClassical —

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.