Henry, the most celebrated of English musicians, was born at London in 1658, and died there on the 21st of November 1695. His father was a gentleman of the chapel royal, who died in 1664. It appears that Purcell received lessons in music from Cook and Humphrey and Dr Blow; and at the early age of eighteen was appointed organist of Westminster Abbey. In 1682 he was made organist of the chapel royal on the death of Law, the successor of Dr Christopher Gibbons. He began very early to compose music for the church, as well as for the theatre and the chamber; and superior genius and skill were shown in all his compositions. His music for the theatre and the chamber was exceedingly popular, and many of his compositions for the church still hold their place in the chapel royal and in English cathedrals.

Unlike some other English composers, Purcell was always ready to confess his obligations to those Italian models which he had studied. In the preface to his first set of Sonatas, 1683, he tells us that "he has faithfully endeavoured at a just imitation of the most famed Italian masters; and he thinks (though unskilled in the language of that country) he may warrantably affirm that he is not mistaken in the power of the Italian notes, or elegancy of their compositions." And again, in the dedication of the Score of Purchas his opera of Diocletian (1691) to the Duke of Somerset, Purcell says—"Musick 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. 'Tis now learning Italian, which is its best master. We must shake off our barbarity by degrees." If we find occasional crudity and harshness in the music of Purcell, we must consider that in his time musical composition was in a state of transition from rigid scholastic rules to the freedom of musical fancy. Dr Burney severely blames Purcell for using the chord of minor 6th with major 3rd, and calls it "jargon;" but it so happens that this chord was freely used afterwards by the Bachs, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Cherubini, and other eminent composers. Purcell's tomb and monument are in Westminster Abbey. His fertility in composition was wonderful. A great quantity of sacred music by Purcell remained in manuscript, when Mr Vincent Novello of London undertook to collect and edit the whole of Purcell's church music. This work appeared in 1826-36, in large folio, with a portrait, and an essay on the life and works of the composer.