Purcell Society Edition
Companion Series
Purcell biography
Purcell research resources
News & events
Home > About the Purcell Society
About the Purcell Society
The Purcell Society exists to publish the music of the composer Henry Purcell in informative, critical editions. It does not have members beyond the Society's Committee.
The Society aims to complete the publication of all volumes in its complete edition of Purcell's music within the next few years. The Society is also working on a new Companion Series, covering the music of composers who were important influences on Purcell, such as John Blow.
History
The Purcell Society was formed in the U.K. in 1876. Between then and 1965, all the known works of Purcell were published, in what eventually amounted to 32 volumes. The volumes were produced on behalf of the Purcell Society by Novello & Co.
Advances in musical scholarship and editorial techniques in the decades after the first volumes were issued meant that by the second half of the 20th century they were no longer meeting the needs of users. In the 1960s, the Purcell Society began to issue revised versions of the scores. In many cases, however, the discovery of new sources during the past few decades made it necessary to prepare completely new editions, rather than simply to amend the original editions. These revised and completely-new editions are published by Novello & Co. and Stainer & Bell, and are listed on the Purcell Society Edition page.
The current Purcell Society Committee
Chairman
Prof. Bruce Wood
Hon. Secretary
Dr. Andrew Pinnock
Treasurer
Mr. Geoffrey Lawrence
Dr. Keri Dexter
Prof. Christopher Hogwood
Dr. Peter Holman
Dr. Rebecca Herissone
Dr. Margaret Laurie
Prof. Lionel Pike
Prof. Sir Curtis Price KBE
Prof. Ian Spink
Dr. Robert Thompson
Dr. Sandra Tuppen
Dr. Brian Whyte
Top of the page