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 6 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
She Who My Poor Heart Possesses — —— harpsichord, VoiceClassical 4
What Hope For Us Remains — —— harpsichord, VoiceClassical 4
When Strephon Found — —— harpsichord, VoiceClassical 3
In Vain We Dissemble — —— harpsichord, VoiceClassical 4
Solitude — —— harpsichord, Voice, ContinuoClassical 2
They Say You're Angry — —— harpsichord, VoiceClassical 4
Whilst Cynthia Sang — —— harpsichord, VoiceClassical 5
Incassum, Lesbia — —— harpsichord, VoiceClassical 3
Phillis, I Can Ne'er Forgive It — —— harpsichord, VoiceClassical 3
Young Thirsis' Fate — —— harpsichord, VoiceClassical 2
A Catch I — —— RecorderClassical 5
When I Survey the Wondrous Cross — —— Recorder— 4
When Johnny Comes Marching Home — —— Trumpet, Recorder— 4
Sound A Parley Ye Fair — —— RecorderClassical 6
Canaries — —— Piano, violin, RecorderClassical 5
My Heart Is Inditing — —— RecorderClassical 4
Blow Away The Morning Dew — —— Recorder— 3
Bring The Bowl and Cool Nantz — —— RecorderClassical 3
Great Apollp and Bacchus — —— RecorderClassical 3
Celtic Recessional Iii — —— HarpClassical 4
Trumpet Tune And Ayre — —— Horn, Trombone, Trumpet, TubaClassical 2
Yankee Doodle (Staccato) — —— Trumpet— 4
Purcell Suite (Intermediate) — —— TrumpetClassical 4
1. The Fairy Queen, Z. 629 — —— Timpani, Trumpet, percussionClassical 4
Shepherd, leave decoying — —— VoiceClassical 5
Why should men quarrel? — —— VoiceClassical 6
Close Thine Eyes — —— VoiceClassical 3
Hear Me, O Lord, The Great Support — —— VoiceClassical 3
Hosanna To The Highest — —— VoiceClassical 3
Sleep, Adam, Sleep, And Take Thy Rest — —— VoiceClassical 3
Thou Wakeful Shepherd — —— VoiceClassical 2
With Sick And Famish'd Eyes — —— VoiceClassical 3
A Health To The Nut-brown-lass — —— —Classical 2
Call For The Reck'ning — —— —Classical 3
Come, Come Let Us Drink — —— —Classical 2
Fie, Nay, Prithee John — —— SaxophoneClassical 3
Full Bags, A Brisk Bottle — —— —Classical 1
Here's A Health, A Health — —— —Classical 3
Is Charleroy's Siege Come Too — —— —Classical 2
Jack, Thou'rt A Toper — —— —Classical 3
My Wife Has A Tongue — —— —Classical 2
Of All The Instruments That Are — —— —Classical 3
Once, Twice, Thrice, I Julia Tried — —— —Classical 4
Pale Faces, Stand By — —— —Classical 1
Room For The Th'express — —— —Classical 2
Since Time So Kind To Us Does Prove — —— —Classical 1
Sir Walter Enjoying His Damsel One Night — —— —Classical 2
The Surrender Of Lim'rick — —— —Classical 2

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.