Purcell was born into a family of musicians and he has a musical upbringing.  It was very fortunate for young Henry that he was born at the time he was and not any earlier.  Cornwall's reign ended in 1660, and it was a good thing for the musicians.  Cornwall destroyed the musical establishment in Britain, and they had to begin all over again when Charles II entered the throne.  So there were few musicians when Purcell was born.
        Purcell's father and uncle were both Gentlemen of the Chapel Royal.  He as a young boy chorister (a boy who sang in a choir), sang the new Lully-derived French style, which had just been accepted in the Restoration, until his voice broke in 1673 and was then made assistant to John Hingeston.  Purcell worked with the British Court until 1680, where he began composing for the theater.  Purcell made some of his greatest music for the royal family.
       He studied with the organist John Blow, who stepped down in 1679 to allow his brilliant student (Purcell) to take over his position as organist in West minister Abbey.  At the age of 21 Purcell wrote his first Welcome Song and his first theater music.  In 1682 he was appointed permanently  organist of the Chapel Royal.  The following year Purcell composed many different songs.  He also composed his only real opera in 1689, Dido and Aeneas.  He was known as the greatest English composer of the Baroque period.
        During the1690's Purcell wrote mostly for the theater, but he did also write a beautiful and moving ode and the death of the Queen Mary in 1695.  It lasted about 50 minutes.  No one is sure when it was completed either.  Some sources suggest 1684 nd others 1689.  The last one is confirmed, but there are some insecurities about the first date.  The Music played at his funeral was none other then the music that he just had finished composing for the Queen's death.