Purcell - The Fairy Queen / Hunt, Pierard, Bickley, Crook, Padmore, Wilson-Johnson, Wistreich, Schütz Choir, LCP, Norrington [Original recording reissued]

Henry Purcell (Composer), Roger Norrington (Conductor), London Classical Players (Orchestra), Lorraine Hunt Lieberson (Performer), Susan Bickley (Performer), Howard Crook (Performer), David Wilson-Johnson (Performer), Mark Padmore (Performer), Catherine Pierard (Performer), Richard Wistreich (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Lorraine Hunt Lieberson, Susan Bickley, Howard Crook, David Wilson-Johnson, Mark Padmore, et al.
• Orchestra: London Classical Players
• Conductor: Roger Norrington
• Composer: Henry Purcell
• Audio CD (April 9, 2002)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Original recording reissued
• Label: Virgin Veritas
• ASIN: B00005IA24
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #111,658 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting and Lovely Music, February 6, 2004

By 

R. Albin (Ann Arbor, Michigan United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Purcell - The Fairy Queen / Hunt, Pierard, Bickley, Crook, Padmore, Wilson-Johnson, Wistreich, Schütz Choir, LCP, Norrington (Audio CD)

This 'semi-opera' is one of the last works of Henry Purcell, the greatest English Baroque composer. Essentially a series of scenes with linking music, The Fairy Queen, like other semi-operas, lacks the integrity of plot and action of real opera. In performance, I suspect this work would be somewhat static, sort of a serious music variety show. The music, however, is lovely. The Fairy Queen contains some of Purcell's best vocal and instrumental work with some components that became part of the concert repertoire. Hearing all the music together is a fine experience, though the semi-opera format tends to work against the dramatic and musical cohesion which can be found in even merely good operas. The vocalists are splendid, particularly Lorraine (as she was then spelling her name) Hunt. The orchestral playing is just as good.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Recording!, February 8, 2008

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Nathaniel Scott (Lexington, KY USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Purcell - The Fairy Queen / Hunt, Pierard, Bickley, Crook, Padmore, Wilson-Johnson, Wistreich, Schütz Choir, LCP, Norrington (Audio CD)

I originally heard Purcell's main theme from "The Fairy Queen" in James Newton Howard's score to the 1995 film "Restoration" starring Robert Downey, Jr. This 2CD set is a great presentation of Purcell's entire work. It was fun to discover the original context of this theme I have come to know so well. I also recommend Purcell's "King Arthur" (also featured in "Restoration").

9 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you like Monteverdi, you will love Purcell, August 20, 2002

By 

Geza Z. Madarasz (LOS ANGELES, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Purcell - The Fairy Queen / Hunt, Pierard, Bickley, Crook, Padmore, Wilson-Johnson, Wistreich, Schütz Choir, LCP, Norrington (Audio CD)

Absolutely beautifull baroque opera! The arrangament, singing and instrumentation is superb. If you liked Monteverdi's Coronation of Poppea, it is a must to have this baroque masterpiece! It is too bad that Henry Purcell is not as widely known as Bach, because he should be recognized equally well.