Composer

Henry Purcell

1659–1695

1,644 works in the index

Era: Baroque
Nationality: Kingdom of England
Born in: Westminster

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.

Catalogue

Dates, era and nationality from Wikidata, matched on name and verified against any dates already held here. The biography above is our own. Portrait: anonymous, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

Works page 34 of 35

I Saw You Were Grown So High

Silvia Now Your Scorn

Golden Sonata

Shepherd, Shepherd - Come Shepherds

Lord, Now Lettest Thou Thy Servant

Prelude To The Fairy Queen

Overture to King Arthur

When I Am Laid In Earth - from Dido and Aeneas - Score and Parts

Voluntary in G, Z. 720

See, Your Royal Guest

See the Flags

Your Counsel All

Great Minds Against Themselves

The Indian Queen, Z.630: "Let us wander not unseen"

Dear pretty youth (D - E); Sweeter than roses

Trumpet tunes

Symphony To Act V, From The Fairy Queen

Trumpet Air, From The Indian Queen

Trumpet Tune: Act V Consort, From King Arthur

Trumpet Tune, From Dioclesian

Trumpet Tune, Called The Cibell

Trumpet Tune: Warlike Consort, From King Arthur

Trumpet Tune, From The Indian Queen

Airs And Dances

Symphony And Chorus, From Come Ye Sons Of Art

If Love's A Sweet Passion, From The Fairy Queen

Shepherd, Shepherd Leave Decoying, From King Arthur

Here's The Summer, Sprightly, Gay, From The Fairy Queen

Hornpipe, From Amphitryon

Bourree, From Amphitryon

Third Act Tune: Rondeau, From Abdelazar

Minuett, From The Double Dealer

Aire: Second Music, From Bonduca

Round Thy Coast, From King Arthur

Air, From The Fairy Queen

First Act Tune: Jig, From The Fairy Queen

Dance For The Fairies, From The Fairy Queen

Dance For Chinese Man And Woman, From The Fairy Queen

Fur das Heil, Herr, aller Volker - G-Dur/G major

A Purcell Cortege

3. Slow Air

Rondeau from Incidental Music from Abdelazer

9. Hornpipe on a Ground

Fanfare and March

March in G major from The Married Beau

Air in D minor from Bonduca

Hornpipe in F major from The Double Dealer

Air in G minor from The Double Dealer