“Music is yet but in its nonage, a forward Child, which gives hope of what it may be hereafter in England, when the masters of it shall find more Encouragement.” Henry Purcell (1659-1695)
Honouring the past, yet joying in the modern influences from Europe, Purcell forged forwards, and spearheaded musical development for a number of decades. Browse our sheet music and scores, and explore more of Purcell’s work today.
Henry Purcell was born in Westminster, where he lived his whole life. Part of a highly musical family, Purcell’s father, Henry Senior, was a gentleman of the Chapel Royal, and his uncle Thomas was also a musician. He was a boy chorister at the Chapel Royal, and at the age of 14, while studying at Westminster School, young Henry Purcell was appointed Assistant of the King’s Instruments under John Hingston. One year later he became Organ Tuner at Westminster Abbey, and the following year, he was employed to transcribe organ anthems for the Abbey.
At the age of 18, Purcell succeeded Matthew Locke as Composer for the King’s Viols, and the appointment as Organist of Westminster Abbey followed just two years later, as John Blow, recognising Purcell’s remarkable talent, chose to step down. Three years later, Purcell became Organist of the Chapel Royal, a post he held alongside his work at the Abbey.
Purcell married his wife Frances shortly before taking the Organist role at the Chapel Royal, and they had six children, two of which survived, including Edward Purcell, who went on to be Organist at St. Clements, London.
Much of Purcell’s Keyboard Music, the Organ Works by Purcell, and Purcell’s Chamber Music came from his early years, including his Sonatas for Viols, and with his various ecclesiastical appointments, his focus naturally turned to sacred music and choral music. His Anthems, and Verse Anthems are particularly celebrated, most famously Funeral Music for Queen Mary (1695).
Purcell’s secular songs, and the theatrical works by Purcell are particularly well known. He wrote incidental music and songs for over 40 plays, and he wrote a number of semi-operas, which include music and dialogue, notably King Arthur (1691) and Fairy Queen (1692) based on Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. His 1689 opera Dido & Aeneas, which was commissioned by, and first performed at Josias Priest’s School for Young Gentlewoman in Chelsea, is the only work he wrote which was through composed, including Italian-style recitative.
Purcell’s final work, Daniel Purcell, who was organist at Magdalen College, Oxford, completed the work in his honour.
Sacred Music Part I
Purcell Society Edition 13
for: Mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Score (Hardcover)
Item no.: 771298
Purcell Society Edition 27
for: 2 treble recorders, 2 violins, basso continuo
Set of parts
Item no.: 771303
Purcell Society Edition 27
for: Solo voices, orchestra
Score
Item no.: 771302
for: 2 violins, viola, cello (string quartet)
Score (facsimile)
Item no.: 771305
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 770830
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 770829
for: Piano
Item no.: 1523251
Clarendon Press
Book (Hardcover)
Item no.: 769557
The Complete Texts
Clarendon Press
Lyric book
Item no.: 769576
Second Edition
Book (softcover)
Item no.: 769590
Purcell Society Edition Companion Series 5
Score (Hardcover)
Item no.: 769250
English Solo Song Guides
for: Voice
Book
Item no.: 768165
"Three parts upon a ground"
Reihe Collegium Musicum – Kölner Reihe Alter Musik
for: 3 violins, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 763276
for: 3 recorders (SSA)
Ensemble score
Item no.: 696283
Oper/Operette
for: Low Flute Ensemble
Score, Parts
Item no.: 993699
Klassik
for: Soprano Voice, SATB a Cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 865177
"Three Parts upon a Ground"
for: 3 treble recorders, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 693921
Barock/Klassik
for: Flute ensemble (4-6 voices) [4 flutes; alto flute, bass flute ad lib.]
Score, part
Item no.: 689610
Purcell elaborated and arranged for brass quintet
for: 2 trumpets, horn, trombone, tuba (quintet)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 689284
for: 4 Soloists (ATBB), mixed choir (SATB), strings [organ]
Choir score
Item no.: 687727
for: Mixed choir (SATB); organ ad lib.
Organ reduction
Item no.: 687725
for: Organ
Music score
Item no.: 1203333
from: Abdelazer Suite, Z. 570
for: Guitar
Music score
Item no.: 760536
from Dioclesian Suite
score
for: Soloists, mixed choir, orchestra
Score
Item no.: 682372
Shawnee Press
for: Choir (2 voices), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 823373
Shawnee Press
for: Male choir (TB), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 823372
Shawnee Press
for: Choir (3 voices), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 823374
Suite aus der Musik zum Sommernachtstraum
for: String orchestra
Violin 1 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 681691
Suite aus der Musik zum Sommernachtstraum
for: String orchestra
Violin 2 (orchestral part)
Item no.: 681690
"Welcome to all the pleasures"
für 5 Solostimmen, Chor, Streicher und Basso continuo
for: 5 soloists (SSATB), mixed choir (SATB), strings, basso continuo
Piano reduction
Item no.: 680106
für 2 Oboen, Englischhorn und Fagott
for: 2 oboes, cor anglais, bassoon (woodwind quartet)
Score, Parts
Item no.: 678549
for voice, two recorders and Basso continuo (Basso continuo realised)
from Orpheus Britannicus
for: Voice (soprano), 2 recorders, basso continuo
Score, Parts
Item no.: 678245
for: Choral
Item no.: 1374278
for: Choral
Item no.: 1375885
for: Choral
Item no.: 1523847
for: Choral
Item no.: 1523756
for: Choral
Item no.: 1523818
for: Choral
Item no.: 1523755
for: Choral
Item no.: 1523817
Brookfield Easter Choral
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano; trumpet ad lib.
Score
Item no.: 965274
Andrea Ramsey Choral Series
for: Women's choir (SA), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 799036
Purcell arr. Bryars for SATB choir or four solo voices
for: gemischter Chor (SATB) oder 4 Soli
Item no.: 1544470
A Royal Welcome Song
for soloists (CtCtTTBB), mixed chorus (SATB), strings and Bc
for: Soloists, mixed choir (SATB), strings, basso continuo
Score
Item no.: 672415
(from „Dido and Aeneas“)
for: Männerchor (S Solo, TTBB a cappella)
Music score
Item no.: 738474
POD
for: 3 Violins, Bass Violin and BC
Score, Parts
Item no.: 862509
Klassik
for: String Quartet and Double Bass
Set of parts
Item no.: 862492
Klassik
for: SATB and String Ensemble
Set of parts
Item no.: 862206
Full Score
for: Bass Voice, Soprano and Piano
Score
Item no.: 862201
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