Orpheus Britannicus (Henry Purcell)

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General Information

Title: A Collection of all the Choicest SONGS for One, Two and Three Voices Compos'd By Mr. Henry Purcell

Composer: Henry Purcell
Publications using VolumesBooks

1 – Published 1698 – in London by Henry Playford, reprinted in 1706 with additions
2 – Published 1702 – in London by Henry Playford, reprinted in 1711 with additions

Description:

Orpheus Britannicus is a collection of songs by Henry Purcell, published posthumously in London in two volumes, the first in 1698 and the second in 1702.

The first publication of a section of Purcell's opera Dido and Aeneas was the air "Ah! Belinda" in Orpheus Britannicus, transposed up one step, from C to D.

Benjamin Britten, working with Peter Pears, realized and edited a number of songs from Orpheus Britannicus for both solo singer with piano and solo singer with orchestra.

The above is an excerpt from Wikipedia. For the full article, click here.

Works available on CPDL

Come, ye Sons of Art
1698, p. 6 If Musick be the food of Love
1698, p. 45 For Love ev'ry Creature is form'd
1698, p. 208 And in each track of glory
1698, p. 227 Here the deities approve
1702, p. 18 Hark! The echoing air a triumph sings
1702, p. 46 What can we poor Females do?
1706, p. 234 Nymphs and Shepherds come away
1706, p. 236 Shepherd, leave decoying
1706, p. 256 Thou tun'st this World below

Works at CPDL

Book 1 (1698)

Title Year Page Genre Subgenre Vo. Voices
And in each track of glory, Z 333/5 1690 208 Secular Arias 2 Solo SB
For love ev'ry creature is form'd, Z 628/30a 1691 45 Secular Arias 2 SB
Here the deities approve, Z 339/3 1683 227 Secular Arias 1 Solo Soprano
If music be the food of love, Z 379 1698 6 Secular Arias 1 Solo Soprano

Book 2 (1702)

Title Year Page Genre Subgenre Vo. Voices
Hark! The echoing air a triumph sings, Z 629/48 1702 18 Secular Arias 1 Solo Soprano
What can we poor females do? Z 429 1694 46 Secular Arias 2 Solo SB, Solo Soprano