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 4 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
Farewell, All Joys — —— harpsichord, VoiceClassical 5
Gentle Shepherd's — —— harpsichord, VoiceClassical 5
If Grief Has Any Pow'r — —— harpsichord, VoiceClassical 4
Sylvia, Tis True You're Fair — —— harpsichord, VoiceClassical 4
When First My Shepherdess And I — —— harpsichord, VoiceClassical 5
Olinda In The Shades Unseen — —— harpsichord, VoiceClassical 3
Who Can Behold — —— harpsichord, VoiceClassical 4
Corinna Is Divinely Fair — —— harpsichord, VoiceClassical 3
Let Formal Lovers — —— harpsichord, VoiceClassical 3
"Song (Music Through Time, Clarinet Book 1)" — —— Clarinet— 4
Praised Be the Lord — —— RecorderClassical 6
How Blest Are the Shepherds — —— RecorderClassical 6
New Minuet — —— RecorderClassical 5
Prithee Ben t So Sad and Serious — —— RecorderClassical 4
Funeral Music for Queen Mary — —— Trumpet— 5
2. The Indian Queen, Z. 630 — —— Timpani, Trumpet, percussionClassical 5
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel — —— GuitarClassical 5
Minuet In Canon (Wenzel Von Redolt) — —— GuitarClassical 5
Passacaglia (Lodovico Roncalli) — —— Piano, Guitar, Cello, Oboe, violin, Bassoon, Horn, Trombone, Tuba, Piccolo, percussion, Flexible Instrument, VioClassical 5
Peace and I Are Strangers Grown — —— GuitarClassical 5
Air from the Double Dealer — —— Organ, Guitar, TrumpetClassical 4
Air from King Arthur — —— GuitarClassical 6
Job's Curse — —— VoiceClassical 7
So when the glittering Queen of Night — —— VoiceClassical 7
Let The Night Perish — —— VoiceClassical 4
Now that the Sun Hath Veil'd His Light — —— Piano, Voice, ContinuoClassical 6
Plung'd In The Confines Of Despair — —— VoiceClassical 5
An Ape, A Lion, A Fox And An Ass — —— —Classical 3
At The Close Of The Ev'ning — —— —Classical 3
He That Drinks Is Immortal — —— —Classical 3
I Gave Her Cakes — —— —Classical 3
Let The Grave Folks Go Preach — —— —Classical 2
Fair Cloe My Breast — —— VoiceClassical 4
My Beloved Spake — —— Organ, bass, Tenor, Choir, AltoClassical 3
I Will Give Thanks To Thee, O Lord — —— bass, Tenor, Choir, AltoClassical 4
O Sing Unto The Lord — —— Voice, bass, Tenor, Choir, AltoClassical 4
Unto Thee Will I Cry — —— bass, Tenor, Choir, AltoClassical 5
More Love Or More Disdain — —— VoiceClassical 3
What Can We — —— —Classical 4
Bow Down Thine Ear — —— Organ, bass, Tenor, AltoClassical 4
Hornpipe Ii — —— FluteClassical 5
Air and Rondo from Abdelazer — —— PianoClassical 3
2. Saraband, — —— —Classical 5
7. Sybell — —— Piano, Organ, Flute, violinClassical 4
Our Natives Not Alone Appear — —— VoiceClassical 4
In These Delightful Groves — —— ChoirClassical 5
Music for Queen Mary II - Piccolo Trumpet in B-flat/Cornet in E-flat — —— —Classical 4
Hornpipe in D Minor — —D minor —Classical 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.