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 29 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
What Ho! Thou Genius — —— VoiceClassical 1
What Power Art Thou — —— VoiceClassical 1
You Say Tis Love — —— VoiceClassical 1
Let These Amongst Ourselves Contest — —— Voice, Tenor, ChoirClassical 1
Canzona — —— Oboe, Choir, Timpani, Trumpet, percussionClassical —
The Old English March — —— Oboe, Choir, Timpani, Trumpet, percussionClassical —
Marche — —— Piano, Organ, Horn, Trombone, Cornet, EuphoniumClassical —
Thus the gloomy world - B-Dur/B-flat major — —— —Classical —
Awake ye dead Performed by Henry Purcell — —— —Classical —
Trumpet Voluntary & Hornpipe — —— —— —
Trumpet Overture from "The Indian Queen," Act 3 - Horn — —— —— —
Dido's Lament - Score — —— —— —
Dido's Lament - Score and Parts — —— —— —
Trumpet Voluntary - Trombone — —— —— —
Dido's Lament - Introductory Notes — —— —— —
Dido's Lament - Trombone — —— —— —
Monkey's Dance - Violin 1 — —— —— —
Monkey's Dance - Piano — —— —— —
Trumpet Overture from "The Indian Queen," Act 3 - Trombone — —— —— —
Dido's Lament - Flugelhorn 1 — —— —— —
Trumpet Voluntary - Tuba — —— —— —
Dido's Lament - Solo Trumpet in B-flat — —— —— —
Dido's Lament - Tuba — —— —— —
Monkey's Dance - Violin 2 — —— —— —
Dido's Lament, from Dido and Aeneas — —— —— —
Trumpet Overture from "The Indian Queen," Act 3 - Tuba — —— —— —
Dido's Lament - Flugelhorn 2 — —— —— —
Trumpet Voluntary - Score — —— —— —
Trumpet Voluntary - Score and Parts — —— —— —
Dido's Lament - Harp — —— —— —
Dido's Lament - Solo Trumpet in C — —— —— —
Monkey's Dance - Score and Parts — —— —— —
Monkey's Dance - Violin 3 — —— —— —
Sound the Trumpet, Beat the Warlike Drum, from Who Can from Joy Refrain? — —— —— —
Overture in C Minor — —C minor —— —
Trumpet Overture from "The Indian Queen," Act 3 - Score — —— —— —
Trumpet Overture from "The Indian Queen," Act 3 - Score and Parts — —— —— —
Dido's Lament - Horn — —— —— —
Trumpet Voluntary - Trumpet 1 — —— —— —
Dido's Lament - Flugelhorn in B-flat — —— —— —
Monkey's Dance - Viola — —— —— —
Almand in C Major , No. 2 from "Suite in C Major" — —C major —— —
Overture in D Major — —D major —— —
Trumpet Overture from "The Indian Queen," Act 3 - Trumpet 1 — —— —— —
Trumpet Voluntary - Trumpet 2 — —— —— —
Dido's Lament - Flugelhorn in C — —— —— —
Monkey's Dance - Score Cover — —— —— —
Monkey's Dance - Cello — —— —— —

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.