Welcome to All the Pleasures

Henry Purcell composed "Welcome to All the Pleasures, Z. 339" in 1683 as part of a series honoring Saint Cecilia, the patron saint of music. It was commissioned by The Musical Society for its London premiere on November 22, 1683, at York Buildings, which is recognized as London's first regular concert hall. The piece features a text by Christopher Fishburn, an obscure figure related to Sir Christopher Wren, and is scored for vocal soloists, chorus, and a baroque ensemble including four-part strings and basso continuo, lasting approximately 18 minutes.

Notable performances include its Proms premiere in 1963, conducted by George Malcolm with soloists Alfred Deller, Wilfred Brown, and John Shirley-Quirk. The work was published in 1684 by John Playford and his nephew, following Purcell's death. A keyboard arrangement of one of its movements, titled "A new ground," appeared in 1689 under Henry Playford.

Commercial recordings include versions led by British conductors such as Alfred Deller, Robert King, and Andrew Parrott, along with a notable Belgian recording by Philippe Herreweghe. The piece remains a significant work in the baroque repertoire, reflecting Purcell's contributions to honoring Saint Cecilia.