Henry Purcell’s is widely celebrated for its "aching melancholy" and is often described as one of the most original pieces of the English Baroque period. Originally composed in 1692 as incidental music for the play Oedipus , the song is not just a "pretty melody" but a functional piece of drama designed to calm the terrifying Fury Alecto. Musical & Dramatic Reviews

To beguile, or not to beguile: Purcell's 'Music for a while'