Why were Henry Purcell’s fantasias unusual for his time?

Henry Purcell’s fantasias were considered unusual for his time because he was reviving a musical form that was already effectively out of date.1

While Purcell was composing these works for viols in the late 17th century, the musical fashion of the era had shifted toward more modern, Italianate styles, such as the sonata for violins and continuo. By choosing to write fantasias—a genre rooted in the older English chamber music tradition—Purcell was intentionally looking backward. Despite the form being archaic, he demonstrated the skill of a veteran composer, applying his mastery to a tradition that had reached a late flowering during his lifetime.12