Twenty Keyboard Pieces and one by Orlando Gibbons

Purcell was the outstanding musician and composer of his time in Britain. Like other seventeenth-century musicians, Purcell's career began in the church, first as a chorister at the Chapel Royal, then as organist at Westminster Abbey composing anthems. At court he enjoyed the favour of successive monarchs composing odes on special occasions, but his works for Mary II are the best known, composed when Purcell was reaching the height of his powers, just before his premature death.

First-rate scholarly edition...with copious historical notes, invaluable insights into performance practice issues, facsimile pages of the original and much else of interest... piano teachers should acquire this very reasonably-priced publication without delay.

• Prelude (folios 4-5) [Gibbons] ; Prelude (folio iv) ; Minuet (folio 2) ; Air (folio 2) ; Minuet (folio 2v) ; 'Thus Happy and Free' (folio 2v) ; Hornpipe (folio 3) ; Air (folio 3v) ; Hornpipe (folio 5v) ; Hornpipe (folio 6) ; Minuet (folio 6v) ; Air (folio 7) ; Minuet (folio 7v) ; Set (Suite) in A minor - Prelude (folio 8) ; Set (Suite) in A minor - Almand (folio 8v9) ; Set (Suite) in A minor - Corant (folio 9v) ; Set (Suite) in A minor - Jig (folio 10) ; Set (Suite) in C major - Prelude (folio 10v) ; Set (Suite) in C major - Almand (folio 1110v) ; Set (Suite) in C major - Corant (folio 11v) ; Set (Suite) in C major - Saraband (folio 12)