Audio CD review:
Henry Purcell, New College Choir Oxford, King's Consort, Robert King, Roy Goodman, Charles Daniels, John Mark Ainsley, James Bowman, Peter Buckoke, Jane Coe - Essential Purcell

Henry Purcell, New College Choir Oxford, King's Consort, Robert King, Roy Goodman, Charles Daniels, John Mark Ainsley, James Bowman, Peter Buckoke, Jane Coe - Essential Purcell

Band: Henry Purcell, New College Choir Oxford, King's Consort, Robert King, Roy Goodman, Charles Daniels, John Mark Ainsley, James Bowman, Peter Buckoke, Jane Coe Title: Essential Purcell Rating: Release Date: 10 April, 1995 Media: Audio CD Tracks: 1: Complete Odes And Welcome Songs Vol. 5: Welcome, Welcome Glorious Morn. Symphony And Opening Chorus 2: Complete Odes And Welcome Songs Vol. 3: Be Welcome Then, Great Sir 3: Complete Secular Solo Songs Vol.1: Oh, Fair Cedaria 4: The Choir Of The King's Consort: Hear My Prayer, O Lord 5: Great Baroque Arias: When I Am Laid In Earth ('Dido's Lament') 6: Complete Anthems And Services Vol.1: Let Mine Eyes Run Down With Tears (Part 1) 7: Complete Odes And Welcome Songs Vol.4: The Sparrow And The Gentle Dove 8: Complete Secular Solo Songs Vol.1: If Music Be The Food Of Love (First Setting) 9: Complete Anthems And Services Vol.5: Rejoice In The Lord Always ('The Bell Anthem') 10: Complete Anthems And Services Vol.3: Hosanna To The Highest 11: Complete Anthems And Services Vol.7: Thou Knowest, Lord, The Secrets Of Our Hearts 12: Mr. Henry Purcell's Most Admirable Composures: Fairest Isle, All Isles Excelling 13: Complete Odes And Welcome Songs Vol.6: Mark, How Readily Each Pliant String 14: Complete Odes And Welcome Songs Vol.8: Sound The Trumpet 15: Complete Secular Solo Songs Vol.3: She Loves And She Confesses Too 16: Complete Odes And Welcome Songs Vol.8: O How Blest Is The Isle 17: Complete Anthems And Services Vol.3: Remember Not, Lord, Our Offences 18: Complete Anthems And Services Vol. 11: An Evening Hymn 19: Complete Church Music Vol.2: Vouchsafe, O Lord, To Keep Us This Day 20: Complete Odes And Welcome Songs Vol.2: With Rapture Of Delight... Hail Bright Cecilia

Editoral Review There are, of course, some of Purcell's most-performed pieces (which probably are "essential"): Dido's Lament from Dido and Aeneas, "Sound the trumpet" from Come, ye sons of Art, Rejoice in the Lord alway (the "Bell Anthem," named for the string figure at the opening that sounds like pealing bells), the gently patriotic "Fairest isle, all isles excelling" (sung by a miscast James Bowman), and a selection from the funeral music for Queen Mary. The "Essential" Purcell? Well, you could get a bunch of critics to argue about that for a few days, but in the meantime, here is a sampler of highlights from the King's Consort's three admirable Purcell series: the Complete Odes and Welcome Songs, Complete Anthems and Services, and Complete Secular Solo Songs. There are also some delightful surprises--particularly among the little-known secular songs and church music. The plaintive "O fair Cedaria" gets a lovely performance by Barbara Bonney (a singer not usually associated with Purcell); tenor Rogers Covey-Crump (possibly the ideal high tenor for Purcell) sings the enchanting "If music be the food of love"; the church anthems "Let mine eyes run down with tears" and "Remember not, O Lord, our offences" have some startling harmonies as daring as any Monteverdi ever wrote. If you're unfamiliar with Purcell, this reasonably priced disc is a good place to start exploring without a big initial investment. --Matthew Westphal .. You can see a complete list of all Henry Purcell, New College Choir Oxford, King's Consort, Robert King, Roy Goodman, Charles Daniels, John Mark Ainsley, James Bowman, Peter Buckoke, Jane Coe discography, or go back to the Henry Purcell, New College Choir Oxford, King's Consort, Robert King, Roy Goodman, Charles Daniels, John Mark Ainsley, James Bowman, Peter Buckoke, Jane Coe tabs