Henry Purcell Timeline — Key Dates in His Life and Music (1659

In brief. Purcell was born in 1659, joined the Chapel Royal as a boy, became organist of Westminster Abbey in 1679, saw Dido and Aeneas performed by 1689, wrote King Arthur (1691) and The Fairy Queen (1692), composed music for Queen Mary’s funeral in March 1695, and died on 21 November that year, aged 36.

The chronology of Purcell’s life is full of approximations. Many of his works can be dated only to a year or two, and some of the most famous, Dido among them, are still argued about. Where a date is uncertain, we say so.

Childhood and training

Year	Event
1659	Born in Westminster, probably in September.
1660	Restoration of Charles II; the Chapel Royal and theatres revive.
1664	Death of his father (or uncle) Henry Purcell the elder; uncle Thomas Purcell becomes his guardian.
late 1660s	Becomes a chorister of the Chapel Royal under Captain Henry Cooke.
1672	Cooke dies; Pelham Humfrey takes over the choristers.
1673	His voice breaks. Becomes unpaid assistant to John Hingeston, keeper of the king’s instruments.
1674	Humfrey dies; Purcell studies with John Blow. Soon afterwards he is being paid to tune the Westminster Abbey organ.

The rising court musician

Year	Event
1677	Succeeds Matthew Locke as composer for the king’s Twenty-Four Violins.
1679	Becomes organist of Westminster Abbey, succeeding Blow.
1680	Writes his fantasias for viols. First welcome song for Charles II. First theatre music. Marries Frances around this time.
1682	Appointed an organist of the Chapel Royal. Death of uncle Thomas.
1683	Publishes Sonnatas of III Parts. Becomes keeper of the king’s instruments. First St Cecilia ode, Welcome to all the pleasures.
1685	Charles II dies. Writes My heart is inditing for the coronation of James II.
1688	The Evening Hymn is published. The Glorious Revolution drives out James II.
1689	First known performance of Dido and Aeneas, Chelsea. Coronation of William and Mary; row over organ-loft seats. Son Edward born. Writes the first birthday ode for Queen Mary.

The theatre years

Year	Event
1690	Dioclesian, his first semi-opera, triumphs at Dorset Garden.
1691	King Arthur, with John Dryden.
1692	The Fairy Queen (2 May). Hail, bright Cecilia (22 November). Music for Oedipus, including Music for a While.
1693	Revival of The Fairy Queen with new numbers, including The Plaint.
1694	Come, ye sons of art, the last birthday ode for Queen Mary. Te Deum and Jubilate in D. Queen Mary dies on 28 December.
1695	Music for Queen Mary’s funeral (5 March). Abdelazer incidental music. Works on The Indian Queen. Dies on 21 November; buried in Westminster Abbey on 26 November.

The afterlife

Year	Event
1696	Frances publishes A Choice Collection of Lessons for the Harpsichord or Spinet. Blow sets Dryden’s Ode on the Death of Mr. Henry Purcell.
1697	Ten Sonatas in Four Parts published.
1698	Henry Playford publishes Orpheus Britannicus, an anthology of his songs (second volume 1702).
1706	Frances Purcell dies.
1876	The Purcell Society is founded to publish his complete works.
early 1900s	The lost score of The Fairy Queen is rediscovered.
1946	Britten’s Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra, on a theme from Abdelazer.
1963	Franklin B. Zimmerman publishes the catalogue that gives Purcell’s works their Z numbers.
1995	Tercentenary of his death, marked across Britain.

Questions people ask

When was Henry Purcell born?

Henry Purcell was born in 1659 in Westminster, London, probably in September. The exact date is not documented; 10 September 1659 is often cited.

When did Henry Purcell die?

Henry Purcell died on 21 November 1695 at his home in Dean’s Yard, Westminster, aged 36. He was buried in Westminster Abbey on 26 November 1695.

When was Dido and Aeneas written?

The first known performance of Dido and Aeneas was in 1689 at Josias Priest’s girls’ school in Chelsea, but it may have been written earlier in the 1680s. The exact date of composition is unknown.