Henry Purcell is known for several important works written for the royal family (including Welcome Odes, Birthday Odes, and other similar works) and for his church anthems and other liturgical music. But in the last several years of his life (1659? - 1695) he was more active in the theater than in any other sort of venue.

After his death, the 13 sets of theatrical music he wrote after 1690 were assembled as a large publication called A Collection of Ayres, Compos'd for the Theatre, and upon other Occasions (London, 1697). Despite the last part of the title, it comprises nothing but theater music and none related to "other occasions." In many cases, including that of The Gordian Knot Unty'd, little is known of the play itself—we don't even know the name of playwright of the stage play that was presented in 1691.

Purcell's music would have been in the form of interludes, and perhaps for some ceremonial and ritual scenes. In common with the other contents of the Ayres for the Theatre collection, the scoring is for three treble parts and a bass part, presumably a scoring for strings. There are no independent wind parts, which is consistent with practice in the theater at the time for incidental music to straight plays, although it is quite possible bassoons doubled the bass part and fairly likely that oboes doubled the higher lines.

The order of publication is strictly according to musical considerations—questions like balance of types of music and sequence of keys predominated. There is a source purporting to give the theater order of the eight pieces in the suite, but it is not known upon what authority it rests.

The eight movements are: 1. Overture; 2. Air; 3. Rondeau minuet; 4. Air; 5. Jig; 6. Chaconne; 7. Air; 8. Minuet. It will be seen that the titles are generic. Other than the mood-setting Overtures, Purcell's incidental music does not follow or illustrate the drama. The intent of the publication was to provide attractive consort music, an alternative to the weightier forms such as the sonata.

The most memorable movements are the Rondeau minuet, a sad and touching piece in the French manner; the Jig (which contains a hidden quotation of the "Lilliburlero" theme of the Glorious Revolution that deposed the Catholic King James II in favor of the dual monarchy of William of Orange and Mary II), and the Chaconne.

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