“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.
for: 2 soloists (TB), mixed choir (SATB), organ
Score
Item no.: 886827
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 322112
for: 1–2 voices, basso continuo
Score (Hardcover)
Item no.: 778893
for: Mixed choir (SATB), 2 oboes, cor anglais, bassoon, 4 trumpets, , snare drum, timpani, organ
Score
Item no.: 321285
for: SATB, Alto [Treble] Recorder, Continuo and String Ensemble
Score
Item no.: 867090
for: Solo voice, mixed choir (SATB)
Score
Item no.: 897933
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 896915
for: Choir (3 voices), organ
Choir score
Item no.: 878047
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 902627
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score
Item no.: 840564
for: Voice (alto), piano
Music score
Item no.: 489749
for: Voice (alto), piano
Music score
Item no.: 563578
for: Trumpet, organ
Book
Item no.: 240703
for: Soloists, mixed choir, orchestra
Piano reduction
Item no.: 768278
Klassik
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 1681995
Geistliche Musik
for: Mixed choir (SAB), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 1584401
Kingfisher Brass
for: Trumpet
Music score
Item no.: 971739
Te Deum laudamus
for: Mixed choir (SSATBB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 795676
for: Sopran, Oboe und Klavier
Item no.: 644765
for: Mixed choir (SATB), orchestra
Score (Hardcover)
Item no.: 771298
for: Voices
Choir score
Item no.: 374085
for: gemischter Chor (SSAATTBB), Streicher und Orgel
Partitur
Item no.: 354260
for: Choir
Score
Item no.: 888894
for: Mixed choir a cappella
Item no.: 887597
for: Soloists, mixed choir (SATB), strings, basso continuo
Score
Item no.: 672415
for: Mixed choir (SSAATTBB), organ
Score
Item no.: 322164
for: Voice (low), piano
Music score
Item no.: 355566
Opera
Eulenburg Miniature Scores
for: Soloists, mixed choir, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 392125
for: 2 Voices [High/Medium] and Piano
Book
Item no.: 604162
G
for: Voice (high), piano
Piano/Vocal
Item no.: 1543674
Score (Hardcover)
Item no.: 769250
for: Solo voices, mixed choir, baroque orchestra
Score (Hardcover)
Item no.: 612634
8 Songs
for: Voice (low), piano
Music score
Item no.: 796541
for: Mixed choir (SATB), organ
Score
Item no.: 554465
for: Choir
Choir score
Item no.: 900942
for: Mixed choir (SSATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 317781
for: Voice (high), piano
Music score
Item no.: 321718
for St. Cecilia's Day
for: 6 soloists (SSAATB), mixed choir (SSATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Piano reduction
Item no.: 161135
for: Soloist (soprano), mixed choir (SATB), organ
Score
Item no.: 680162
for: Women's choir (SA), piano
Piano score
Item no.: 345627
for: Soloists, mixed choir, orchestra
Piano reduction
Item no.: 1677430
for: Soloists, mixed choir, strings, basso continuo
Piano reduction (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 1615907
for: Soloists, mixed choir, orchestra
Piano reduction
Item no.: 1671923
Klassik
for: Women's choir (SA), piano
Piano reduction
Item no.: 964846
for: Voice (high), basso continuo
Music score
Item no.: 889420
from "The Fairy Queen"
Echo
for: Voice (soprano), violin, piano
Score, part
Item no.: 303053
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Score
Item no.: 962294
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 321961
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