Glory of Purcell: 300th Celebration

Purcell (Artist), Kirkby (Artist), Bowman (Artist), Hogwood (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 16, 1995)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Polygram Records
• ASIN: B000004CYK
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #171,505 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #52 in Music > Classical > Opera & Vocal > Vocal Non-Opera > Odes

Track Listings

1. The Douple Dealer: Overture/Hornpipe - Academy of Ancient Music/Christopher Hogwood

2. Come Ye Sons of Art/Sound the Trumpet - Alfred Deller/John Whitworth/St Anthony Singers

3. The Old Bachlor: Rondeau/Menuet/Boree/March/Jig - Academy of Ancient Music/Chrostopher Hogwood

4. Birthday Song For Queen Mary: Crown the Altar, deck the Shrine - Emma Kirkby/Anthony Rooley

5. Oedious: Music for a while - James Bowman

6. Amphitryon: Hornpipe/Scotch Tune - Academy of Ancient Music/Christopher Hogwood

7. King Arthur: Fairest Isle - Catherine Bott/Paula Chateauneuf

8. Divine Andate, president of war... - James Bowman/Martyn Hill/Christopher Keyte/Taverner Choir/Parrott

9. The Fairy Queen: O, o let me weep - Emma Kirkby/Catherine Mackintosh/Anthony Rooley/Richard Campbell.

10. Son No.9 in F (Ten Sonatas in Four Parts) - Catherine Mackintosh/Monica Huggett/Christophe Coin/Christopher Hogwood

11. Dido and Aeneas: Thy hand, Belinda....When I am laid in earth... - Catherine Bott/Orch And Chorus of the Achedemy of Ancient Music/Christopher Hogwood

12. Abdelazer: Overture-Rondeau - Academy of Ancient Music/Christopher Hogwood

13. Bess of Bedlam - Emma Kirby/Anthony Rooley/Richard Campbell/Christopher Hogwood

14. The Married Beau: Trumpet Air-March-Hornpipe on a Ground - Academy of Ancient Music/Christopher Hogwood

15. Hear My Prayer, O Lord - Winchester Cathedral Choir/David Hill

16. Rejoice In The Lord Alway - Stephen Roberts/Christopher Robson/Winchester cathedral Choir/Brandenburg Consort/David Hill

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A stellar overview, January 4, 2008

By 

Curmudgeon "grantc" (West Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Glory of Purcell: 300th Celebration (Audio CD)

Yes, it's a Greatest Hits Of Henry Purcell, but there's absolutely nothing wrong with that! A stellar selection of (partial) works by superb musicians on a packed single disc, it's a one-stop introduction to a very great composer. It's worth mentioning the remastered sound, too, because it adds to the music's vibrancy.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Purcell Sampler, or a Greatest Hits disk, if you prefer., February 4, 2006

By 

Craig Matteson (Saline, MI) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Glory of Purcell: 300th Celebration (Audio CD)

This is a compilation disk of Greatest Hits, as it were, of Henry Purcell recorded by various artists from 1953 (the Alfred Deller track) through the 1970s through 1994. The point of the disk was part of the celebration of the 300th anniversary of the much to early death of this great composer and one of the great geniuses of music that England or Britain has ever produced. I have always been a devotee of his music and absolutely adore the way he set English. It is absolutely unique to him and so full of wonderful effects that create a greater whole than the music or words alone.

1995 was a year when we got to revel in everything Purcell. I was able to see a very delightful staging of "The Indian Queene" in London at the Barbican. It had narration, dancing, the singing, and wonderful playing. At the other portion of the concert, I enjoyed a performance of "Come, Ye Sons of Art" and other works by Hogwood et al. I was hoping to hear Kirkby, and she was billed. However, she was ill. Catherine Bott did a fine job as did John Bowman (both on this disk). Another counter-tenor I was so impressed with was Robin Blaze. I haven't heard much of him since, but he was terrific that night.

There are selections from his works for stage such as "King Arthur", "The Fairy Queen", Did and Aneas, and more. The disk also provides a selection of instrumental works, some sacred selections, and all the works are a delight. The track of "Come, Ye Sons of Art" is from 1953 and recorded by Alfred Deller. If you love the movement of historically informed performance, you do owe some debt to Deller. He was an early reviver of the counter-tenor voice and trying to create a style of performance that might be more appropriate and true to the music of earlier times. He helped bring about new interest in madricals, and other early music forms.

That Emma Kirkby sings on the disk is, of course, a delight for me. I have been captivated by her singing since I first heard her live in December 1980. We also get to delight in the singing of soprano Catherine Bott and counter-tenor John Bowman. All are led by the great Christopher Hogwood (except for the Deller track, obviously).