Purcell: Hail, Bright Cecilia!

On this CD:

1. Hail, bright Cecilia (Ode for St. Cecilia's Day), for soloists, chorus & instruments, Z. 328
Composed by Henry Purcell
Performed by Charles Daniels, Gabrieli Consort, Gabrieli Consort and Players, Peter Harvey, Susan Hemington Jones, Mark Le Brocq, Julian Podger, Charles Pott, Christopher Purves, Timothy Wilson
Conducted by Paul McCreesh

2. My beloved spake, anthem for alto, tenor, 2 basses, chorus, strings & continuo, Z. 28
Composed by Henry Purcell
Performed by Charles Daniels, Gabrieli Consort, Gabrieli Consort and Players, Peter Harvey, Julian Podger, Charles Pott
Conducted by Paul McCreesh

3. O sing unto the Lord, anthem for soprano, alto, tenor, 2 basses, chorus, 2 violins, viola & organ, Z. 44
Composed by Henry Purcell
Performed by Charles Daniels, Gabrieli Consort, Gabrieli Consort and Players, Peter Harvey, Susan Hemington Jones, Julian Podger, Christopher Purves
Conducted by Paul McCreesh

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Purcell wrote several odes in honor of St. Cecilia, the patron saint of music, for annual concerts in London on St. Cecilia's Day. Hail, Bright Cecilia is the largest of them, with chorus, orchestra, and a larger-than-usual group of soloists depicting a competition between various musical instruments for supremacy. (Naturally, the organ, which legend held Cecilia to have invented, wins.) Paul McCreesh's performance here and Philippe Herreweghe's account on Harmonia Mundi are equally fine: Herreweghe is mellower and a touch more elegant, while McCreesh has a thrilling energy. --Matthew Westphal

Tracks:

Complete Odes And Welcome Songs Vol. 5: Welcome, Welcome Glorious Morn. Symphony And Opening Chorus
Complete Odes And Welcome Songs Vol. 3: Be Welcome Then, Great Sir
Complete Secular Solo Songs Vol.1: Oh, Fair Cedaria
The Choir Of The King's Consort: Hear My Prayer, O Lord
Great Baroque Arias: When I Am Laid In Earth ('Dido's Lament')
Complete Anthems And Services Vol.1: Let Mine Eyes Run Down With Tears (Part 1)
Complete Odes And Welcome Songs Vol.4: The Sparrow And The Gentle Dove
Complete Secular Solo Songs Vol.1: If Music Be The Food Of Love (First Setting)
Complete Anthems And Services Vol.5: Rejoice In The Lord Always ('The Bell Anthem')
Complete Anthems And Services Vol.3: Hosanna To The Highest
Complete Anthems And Services Vol.7: Thou Knowest, Lord, The Secrets Of Our Hearts
Mr. Henry Purcell's Most Admirable Composures: Fairest Isle, All Isles Excelling
Complete Odes And Welcome Songs Vol.6: Mark, How Readily Each Pliant String
Complete Odes And Welcome Songs Vol.8: Sound The Trumpet
Complete Secular Solo Songs Vol.3: She Loves And She Confesses Too
Complete Odes And Welcome Songs Vol.8: O How Blest Is The Isle
Complete Anthems And Services Vol.3: Remember Not, Lord, Our Offences
Complete Anthems And Services Vol. 11: An Evening Hymn
Complete Church Music Vol.2: Vouchsafe, O Lord, To Keep Us This Day
Complete Odes And Welcome Songs Vol.2: With Rapture Of Delight... Hail Bright Cecilia

Amazon.com essential recording

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, 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. 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

Customer Reviews:

Mad about Baroque.......2007-02-12

This is a terrific CD. The music is breathtaking. Just buy IT !!!!!

The beauty of the songs brings tears to my eyes.......2002-08-21

Absolutely beautiful baroque music! The arrangament, singing and instrumentation is superb. It is too bad that Henry Purcell is not as widely known as Bach, because he should be recognized equally well."The Sparrow and the Gentle dove" is alone worth the price of the album! I can not stop playing it!

Brilliant.......2001-10-31

Like in his renditions of Handel's oratorios, Robert King manages to bring a freshness and strenght to Purcell's music that I had seldom heard before. This CD also features some of the best performers of early music in the world. My favourite tracks are Oh, Fair Cedaria, sung by the multi-talented Barbara Bonney; Dido's Lament from Dido and Aeneas, sung by Gillian Fisher; She Loves and she Confesses too, sung by the wonderful Susan Gritton; and Welcome, Welcome Glorious Morn, sung by Rogers Covey-Crump. The only track I didn't find absolutely wonderful is Fairest Isle, sung here by James Bowman. Don't get me wrong, I generally love Mr Bowman, I think that his performance in Mr Purcell's Most Admirable Composures (also conducted by Robert King) makes it another essential Purcell recording; but I find that Fairest Isle was much better done elsewhere, particularly by Christopher Hogwood and Barbara Bonney.

These songs aren't only beautiful, they're also poignant, sweet and unpretentious. I think that it will be very clear to anyone who listens to this recording that Mr Purcell was one of the finest composers that ever lived.

Be Welcome then, great Sirs (and Mesdames)........2001-10-20

If anyone has benefitted from the reversion in the last three or so decades to period instruments and historical reconstruction, it is Henry Purcell. Before, he was merely great, the peerless word-setter in the English language, a virtuoso of boundless range, a professional composer whose offical commissions were always imbued with personality and invention. But period instrumentation has added to this a greater depth, an other-worldly texture of sound. With his intricate, multi-part vocal writing, his preference for low, rumbling instruments such as the bass viol and the strange and remarkable theorbo, as well as his often sombre and low-key subject matter and treatment, Purcell creates a round, glowing, humming sound as pregnantly full as dub reggae.

This has an extraordinary effect on the listener. Whereas Bach, with his mathematical abstractions, sounds universal and timeless, Purcell's music takes the listener back 300 years, back to different ways of thinking about, feeling about and addressing things we still think etc. about today - death, love, friendship. The emotion is timeless, but the music's beauty is alien, THEIRS, hence its preciousness.

A lot of intelligence has gone into the unity of this compilation, beginning with two Welcomes (to the dawn and to the listener, in this case a King), and ending with thoughts of evening, death and a Baroque 'Thank you for the music'. These are bright, fanfare-like works, but the predominant mood is slow, ruminative, quiet. The selection covers the wide range of Purcell's oeuvre, from opera and funeral marches to secular songs and odes, and includes his most famous vocal works - Dido's Lament from Dido and Aeneas, sung by Gillian Fisher, and never more evocative of pagan loss and death; the massive 'Bell Anthem', with its ingenious opening symphony and joyful antiphon; and a miraculously serene 'Evening Hymn', Dido's opposite, death indicating hope, the treble voice swirling over the heavy ground bass like the soul released from the inert body.

it might seem quixotic to choose highlights from an exemplary collection of highlights, but the entry of the strings washing over the serene repetition of 'Be Welcome then, great Sir' always makes my heart stop still, while the musical picture of 'Bold Honour', the 'noisy Nothing, stalking shade', blocking the poet's amorous intentions in 'She loves and confesses too', adds a chilling hint of life's transience to a bouyantly bawdy song.

Brilliant Purcell Disc .......2000-11-30

With this album director and Purcell expert Robert King provides the listener with an excellent introduction to the composer's vocal works. The pieces presented here were taken from Mr. King's recordings of 'The Complete Odes and Welcome Songs', 'The Complete Anthems and Services', 'The Complete Secular Solo Songs' and diverse anthology discs. King, his wonderful soloists and musicians do the brilliance of Purcell's music fully justice. Whether he was commissioned by royalty, the church or theatre, Purcell shone in all areas. This disc certainly demonstrates the variety and originality of his craft, not to speak of his uncanny ability of setting words to music.

An outstanding Purcell offering. With a beautiful perfomance by Barbara Bonney of 'Oh, fair Cedaria'. Susan Gritton is equally captivating in 'She loves and she confesses too'. Gillian Fisher's rendition of the famous 'Dido's Lament' is haunting and poignant. Further an intelligent and brilliant 'Hosanna to the highest' by Michael George. James Bowman and Michael Chance sparkle in the countertenor duet 'Sound the trumpet' (from 'Come Ye sons of Art away'). And I should not forget to mention the joyous, luminous performance of the beautiful 'Bell Anthem'. To name but a few favourites, only James Bowman's 'Fairest Isle' was a disappointment.

Those who are familiar with Purcell's music will get an excellent disc with some of his most beloved works. If you are new to Purcell, this is, as already said a great introduction. Which might be the incentive to further explorations of Purcell.

by stardustraven

Purcell: Odes for St. Cecilia's Day - Music for Queen Mary / Taverner Consort

Average customer rating:

Unrivalled recording......uncommon brilliance.
a voice teacher and early music fan
Excellent
No Bargain
Awesome! A high tenor paradise

Purcell: Odes for St. Cecilia's Day - Music for Queen Mary / Taverner Consort
Henry Purcell , Emma Kirkby , Charles Daniels , David Thomas , John Mark Ainsley , Michael Chance , Choir & Players Taverner Consort , Roger Covey-Crump , Michael George , Simon Grant , Paul Elliott , and Kevin Smith
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Odes | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Kirkby, Emma | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Essential Purcell
Purcell: The Fairy Queen
Purcell: Songs & Airs / Argenta, North, Boothby, Nicholson, Toll
Shakespeare Songs
Gabrieli · Monteverdi · Vivaldi - Venetian Church Music / Taverner Consort, Choir & Players · Andrew Parrott

ASIN: B00000J2Q8
Release Date: 1999-06-08

Tracks:

Music For Queen Mary: Symphony
Music For Queen Mary: Welcome To All The Pleasures
Music For Queen Mary: Here The Deities Approve - While Joys Celestial
Music For Queen Mary: Then Lift Up Your Voices
Music For Queen Mary: Beauty, Thou Scene of Love
Music For Queen Mary: In A Consort Of Voices
Music For Queen Mary: Man That Is Born Of A Woman
Music For Queen Mary: In The Midst Of Life
Music For Queen Mary: Thou Knowest, Lord
Music For Queen Mary: Symphony (Adagio - Allegro) - Adagio
Music For Queen Mary: Come Ye Sons Of Art
Music For Queen Mary: Sound The Trumpet
Music For Queen Mary: Come Ye Sons Of Art
Music For Queen Mary: Strike The Viol
Music For Queen Mary: The Day That Such A Blessing Gave
Music For Queen Mary: Bid The Virtues
Music For Queen Mary: These Are The Sacred Charms
Music For Queen Mary: See, Nature, Rejoicing
Music For Queen Mary: March
Music For Queen Mary: Thou Knowest, Lord
Music For Queen Mary: Canzona

Tracks:

Odes For St. Cecilia's Day: Symphony (Introduction) - Canzona & Adagio - Allegro - Grave - Allegro
Odes For St. Cecilia's Day: Hail! Bright Cecilia
Odes For St. Cecilia's Day: Hark! Hark! Each Tree
Odes For St. Cecilia's Day: 'Tis Nature's Voice
Odes For St. Cecilia's Day: Soul Of The World
Odes For St. Cecilia's Day: Thou Tun'st This World Below
Odes For St. Cecilia's Day: With That Sublime Celestial Lay
Odes For St. Cecilia's Day: Voluntary - In D Minor - Wonderous Machine!
Odes For St. Cecilia's Day: The Airy Violin
Odes For St. Cecilia's Day: In Vain The An'rous Flute
Odes For St. Cecilia's Day: The Fife And All The Harmony Of War
Odes For St. Cecilia's Day: Let These Amongst Themselves Contest
Odes For St. Cecilia's Day: Hail! Bright Cecilia
Odes For St. Cecilia's Day: With Rapture Of Delight - Hail! Bright Cecilia

Amazon.com essential recording

Andrew Parrott and his Taverner Consort, Choir, and Players have made some of the finest Purcell recordings to have appeared since the period-instrument revival began; unfortunately, most of those discs had been out of print for years. Happily, Virgin has reissued some of Parrott's best work on this reasonably priced two-for-one release. The performances aren't just exemplary, they're something of a landmark: in them Parrott pioneered the now-standard practice of using high tenors rather than falsettists on some of Purcell's low-lying "countertenor" parts. (One example is "Sound the trumpet," a duet for "high" and "low" countertenors from Purcell's ode Come, ye sons of art, sung by falsettist Timothy Wilson and high tenor John Mark Ainsley.) Excellent performances of the Funeral Sentences and Funeral Music for Queen Mary are here as well, but the centerpiece of this set is Hail, bright Cecilia!, the longest and most colorful of Purcell's odes in praise of the patron saint of music. There is some serious competition here--Paul McCreesh and Philippe Herreweghe have made superb recordings of this work--but Parrott edges them out. For example, alone among the ode's conductors on record, Parrott interpolates an organ solo amidst all of the text's praise of the organ (an instrument St. Cecilia was thought to have invented); he also provides appealing variety by using 12 different soloists (as Purcell did at the premiere). Those soloists are an impressive lot--they include Emma Kirkby, David Thomas, Paul Elliott and Charles Daniels (gently enchanting in the tenor duet "In vain the am'rous Flute"), and the Hilliard Ensemble's Rogers Covey-Crump, who gives an extraordinary rendition of the famous and fearsomely difficult air "'Tis Nature's Voice." --Matthew Westphal

Customer Reviews:

Unrivalled recording......uncommon brilliance........2006-11-24

The mind boggles when listening to Purcell. Certainly his was a genius that could vie with any great contrapuntist. It is sad that he had to go so early in his life. But then I guess we wouldn't have seen the rise and rise of Handel.

Having said that, this recording is a marvellous one, one of uncommon brilliance I might add. It does not represent a summary of his work and style, even if restricted to just his vocal music, such was the originality and fertility of his invention. But it is revealing of the enormity of his command of music. Why this composer isn't as well-known as Mozart or Bach, or yes even Handel, I will never know.

I assure all that the quality of these recordings is unrivalled. Careful attention is paid to detail, and a first-rate line up of soloists ensures a world-class performance. I give this recording 5 stars out of five, for a stunning example of excellence and high standards.

a voice teacher and early music fan.......2006-07-29

This is a 2 CD package which involves 2 different recording dates and recording groups. Disc l: Odes "Welcome to all the Pleasures"-"Funeral Sentences"-"Come Ye sons of Art"-"Funeral Music for Queen Mary". The singers on this disc are:Emily Evera(soprano),Timothy Wilson (countertenor),John Mark Ainsley(tenor),Charles Daniels (tenor) and David Thomas (bass). It was recorded in 1988, Disc 2: ode "Hail Bright Cecelia" with singers Emma Kirkby (soprano),Michael Chance , Kevin Smith (countertenors),Paul Elliot, Neil Jenkins, Andrew King (tenors)and Michael George, Richard Wistreich (basses).This disc was recorded in 1985.Contrary to Westphal's opinion, I do not like tenors to be given solos that should be sung by countertenors; the quality of the tenor voice is not light enough for these tunes. Also Disc 1 has it over disc 2 in quality because the singers are better balanced as to skill than on Disc 2; this is most unfortunate because the better soprano (Kirkby) and the better countertenor (Chance)are on Disc 2. I absolutely do not like the sound of Kevin Smith's voice; it is "edgy" and lacks warmth. In fact, it detracts from whatever he sings on the Disc. There are a lot better recordings of these odes by other conductors; try them if you have no recordings of these at all.

Excellent.......2005-12-01

This is an excellent set of performances of these Purcell gems. The soloists, choir, and instrumentalists are all first rate. The infrequently performed funeral and birthday music for Queen Mary is a real treat. Recommended strongly.

No Bargain.......2004-01-23

I agree with the Editorial Review and the comments posted with this release. These are superb recordings of Purcell's great works. But there is a big problem with this package. This is a Virgin Veritas x2 pack. The original recordings have been bundled up in a space saving jewel case and sold at half the price of the originals. Unfortunately, this comes at cost to the potential buyer. Gone is the original artwork, gone are the original notes by Richard Luckett and Eric Van Tassel, and most seriously, gone are the lyrics of these great works. Unless you already own versions of these works that have the lyrics, this is not the place to start. I strongly urge you to acquire these wonderful works in their original editions from Virgin: Hail! Bright Cecilia on disc #45160 and Come ye sons of art on disc #45159 (for some reason, Amazon has these listed under the label EMI). This release is no bargain.

Awesome! A high tenor paradise.......1999-07-22

What a wonderful recording! The lineup of soloists is simply stunning. There are many of them: practically a different person for each air. This achieves admirable variety, and each voice is a pleasure to hear. I'm a big fan of hautes-contre, so I was really happy to discover that they get to sing most of the "alto" airs on this set. The highlight of this recording is my all time favorite Purcell air 'Tis Nature's Voice, stunningly sung here by Rogers Covey-Crump. I think I've heard just about every 'Tis Nature's Voice ever recorded (except for Rene Jacobs, who I wouldn't really want to hear), and Covey-Crump undeniably gets the most out of it. But my favorite remains Mark Padmore on the Herreweghe recording of Hail! Bright Cecilia. Herreweghe uses fewer soloists (Padmore sings all tenor and half of all countertenor parts), and slower tempi that, in my view, help the singers' intonation. But all in all, the choice ends up being a matter of taste. There is no rational basis to prefer one of these two recordings over the other: both are wonderful.

Average customer rating:

Dated but fascinating

Henry Purcell: Odes and Anthems

Manufacturer: Vanguard Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Anthems | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Odes | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Purcell: Odes for St. Cecilia's Day - Music for Queen Mary / Taverner Consort
The Last King of Scotland (Widescreen Edition)

ASIN: B0001Z4992
Release Date: 2004-06-08

Customer Reviews:

Dated but fascinating.......2005-05-09

When I first heard this recording of Purcell's "Come Ye Sons of Art" over the radio some 25 years ago, I was struck dumb with amazement. A man could sing like this? Since then, the skills of countertenors have improved markedly, and revisiting this performance was a bit of a let down. That said, it is a fascinating bit of musical history, a decent performance that gives us a look at the dawn of the modern countertenor phenomenon. Sir Michael Tippett conducts the Ode on St. Cecelia's day, and for circa 1960 these are good recordings, well conducted. Alfred Deller's place in musical history is secure.

Purcell · Dieupart - Suites for recorder / La Simphonie du Marais · Hugo Reyne

Average customer rating:

nice sound
Wonderful tuning
out of tune recorders

Purcell · Dieupart - Suites for recorder / La Simphonie du Marais · Hugo Reyne
Henry Purcell , Charles Dieupart , Hugo Reyne , La Simphonie du Marais , Jérôme Hantaï , and Pascal Monteilhet, Alain Viau Pierre Hamon Pierre Hantaï
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Odes | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Tracks:

Prld, Z.N773
Son, Z.780: Adagio - (Canzona)
Son, Z.780: Largo - Vivace
Dioclesian, Z.627/16: Two In One Upon A Ground
Celebrate This Festival, Z.321/12: Return, Fond Muse
Ste in G, Z.770: Ov
Ste in G, Z.770: Air
Ste in G, Z.770: Borry
Ste in G, Z.770: Minuet
Ste in G, Z.770: Jigg
Chacony, Z.730
A Choice Collection Of Lessons, Z.660-62: Ste in G: Prld, Z.660/1
A Choice Collection Of Lessons, Z.660-62: Ste in G: Almand, Z.660/2
A Choice Collection Of Lessons, Z.660-62: Ste in G: Courant, Z.662/3
A Choice Collection Of Lessons, Z.660-62: Ste in G: Saraband, Z.661/4
A Choice Collection Of Lessons, Z.660-62: Ste in G: (Minuet), Z.660/4
The Fairy Queen, Z.629/10: Prld
Three Parts Upon A Ground, Z.731
Hail! Bright Cecilia, Z.328/10: In Vain The Am'rous Fl
Welcome To All The Pleasures, Z.T682; Z.339/3: A New Ground
Sym in g (How Pleasant Is This Flowery Plain, Z.543)
Sym in g (Soft Notes And Gently Raised, Z.510)
Sym in g: (Saraband) (Hark, Damon, Hark, Z.541)
Sym in g: King Arthur, Z.628/17: (Rigadoon)
Pavan Of Four Parts, Z.752
Ground, Z.D221
Funerall March & Canzona, Z.860

Tracks:

Ste No.1 in A: Ov
Ste No.1 in A: Allemande
Ste No.1 in A: Courante
Ste No.1 in A: Sarabande
Ste No.1 in A: Gavotte
Ste No.1 in A: Menuet
Ste No.1 in A: Gigue
Ste No.2 in D: Ov
Ste No.2 in D: Allemande
Ste No.2 in D: Courante
Ste No.2 in D: Sarabande
Ste No.2 in D: Gavotte
Ste No.2 in D: Passepied
Ste No.2 in D: Gigue
Ste No.3 in b: Ov
Ste No.3 in b: Allemande
Ste No.3 in b: Courante
Ste No.3 in b: Sarabande
Ste No.3 in b: Gavotte
Ste No.3 in b: Menuet Serieux
Ste No.3 in b: Gigue
Ste No.4 in e: Ov
Ste No.4 in e: Allemande
Ste No.4 in e: Courante
Ste No.4 in e: Sarabande
Ste No.4 in e: Gavotte
Ste No.4 in e: Menuet
Ste No.4 in e: Gigue
Ste No.5 in F: Ov
Ste No.5 in F: Allemande
Ste No.5 in F: Courante
Ste No.5 in F: Sarabande
Ste No.5 in F: Gavotte
Ste No.5 in F: Menuet En Rondeau
Ste No.5 in F: Gigue
Ste No.6 in f: Ov
Ste No.6 in f: Allemande
Ste No.6 in f: Courante
Ste No.6 in f: Sarabande
Ste No.6 in f: Gavotte
Ste No.6 in f: Menuet
Ste No.6 in f: Gigue

Customer Reviews:

nice sound.......2002-10-14

this recording the purcell's wunderfull music sounds nice, but not more. h. reyne is a fine player but his intonation is not perfect even his sound is good but everytime on the same level. other recorder players like steger or marq are much better.

Wonderful tuning.......2002-09-05

This is very good recording of very interesting music, not easy music anyway, at least if we talk about Dieupart, the Frenchman living in London. His style is pure orthodox French, always following the suite schema, including very amazing overtures, beautiful allemandes and some polyphonical giges. This suites are so well conceived that gain recognizance from Bach at the time. Is the kind of music to listen again and again and enjoy more and more as one gets into the stile. The playing of Hugo Reyne is expressive, absolutely in style, helped by warm tone and (well, I have to point it out) absolutely in tune. In the passpied of suite N2 he gives us an example of perfect French articulation, according with Hotetterre principles. To tell the truth I didn't enjoy the use of violin in Suite 3, which IMHO calls for a more introspective approach without artificial "ritornellos". Remarkable is the research work, leading them to the design and construction of a b' flat fourth used for the first time here (I remember the W.V. Hawe version with a b'' flat soprano fourth flute, sure best suited for a live concert not a cd, and of course all the "arrangements" for standard soprano).
The Purcell cd is the only "modern" recording (after 1980) in authentic old recorders. In fact it is so rare for a recorder player to have the opportunity to play at least once in his/her life an old instrument, and here we have a whole baroque consort (the legendary chester Bressan, the equivalent of Stradivarius) playing together, allowing us to appreciate the magnificent way their "voices" blend. The English recorder music is a whole universe partially unknown, and extremely rich, going from renaissance to high baroque. From the provincial taste, brought back to the city with the restoration, to the eclectic 1700 London musical scene, featuring many of the best musicians around the world working together.
The players in this cd are among the best and most renowned in the world, from the new and very interesting French school of recorder playing, focusing in color and expressivities. Is interesting to note here how close their style relate to Franz Bruggen. By the way there was a controversy about him been out of tune 30 years ago... Some day may be we can start a controversy about the piano been out of tune, or how awfully out of tune is a tempered major third, or about how can you be in tune and make vibrato all the time (is the way I feel after only 5 yrs of not listening romantic music)... not now, not here.
Enjoy the cd is really worth buying.

out of tune recorders.......2002-04-07

Simply put, this is a highly mediocre recording. The music itself is perfectly nice - several of the Purcell works are quite memorable, and overall these are a fine representative sample of his chamber music, as well as that of the lesser known Dieupart. But this is weak recorder playing. They are frequently extremely out of tune - and I'm perfectly aware that baroque intonation can be quite different from modern intonation and that the recorder has even greater leeway with regard to this than many other instruments, but this is just plain out of tune - and their tone is husky and not always pleasant. The miking is too close as well. Skip this one.

Henry Purcell: Ode For St. Cecilia's Day/Dido And Aeneas

Average customer rating:

An excellent version for an excellent opera.

Henry Purcell: Ode For St. Cecilia's Day/Dido And Aeneas

Manufacturer: Polygram Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

English | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Odes | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00000413B
Release Date: 1994-01-18

Tracks:

Ode For St. Cecilia's Day: Symphony: 'Welcome To All The Pleasures That Delight'
Ode For St. Cecilia's Day: Here The Deities Approve
Ode For St. Cecilia's Day: While Joys Celestial Their Bright Souls Invade
Ode For St. Cecilia's Day: Beauty Thou Scene Of Love
Dido and Aeneas: Overture
Dido and Aeneas: Act One: Shake The Cloud Off Your Brow
Dido and Aeneas: Act One: Ah! Belinda, I Am Prest With Torment
Dido and Aeneas: Act One: Whence Could So Much Virture Spring?
Dido and Aeneas: Act One: See, Your Royal Guest Appears
Dido and Aeneas: Act One: Francesco Corbetta: Ciaccona
Dido and Aeneas: Act One: To The Hills And The Vales
Dido and Aeneas: Act Two: Prelude For The Witches
Dido and Aeneas: Act Two: In Our Deep Vaulted Cell
Dido and Aeneas: Act Two: Ritornelle - Thanks To These Lonesome Vales
Dido and Aeneas: Act Two: Gaspar Sanz: Folias
Dido and Aeneas: Act Two: Oft She Visits This Lone Mountain
Dido and Aeneas: Act Two: Behold, Upon My Bending Spear
Dido and Aeneas: Act Three: Prelude
Dido and Aeneas: Act Three: See The Flags And Streamers Curling
Dido and Aeneas: Act Three: Your Counsel All Is Urged In Vain
Dido and Aeneas: Act Three: But Death, Alas, I Cannot Shun
Dido and Aeneas: Act Three: Thy Hand Belinda - When I Am Laid In Earth
Dido and Aeneas: Act Three: With Drooping Wings Ye Cupids Come

Customer Reviews:

An excellent version for an excellent opera........2002-02-07

I don't know how I got started in the opera stuff, all I know is that Purcell's Dido and Aeneas was one of my first operas. Nowadays, with a lot more of knowledge, I still recall this opera as one of the best I have ever heard.
This version, from my humble point of view, is one of the best you can get. I love Gardiner's versions and, particulary, this one.

Tracks:

There Were Three Ravens
The Eighth Book Of Madrigals: Lamento Della Ninfa: Amor, Dicea
The Muses Garden For Delights: Might I Redeem Mine Errors
The 1589 Florentine Intermedi: The Harmony Of The Spheres: Dalle Piu Alte Sfere
The First Booke Of Songes Or Ayres: Can She Excuse My Wrongs?
The Eighth Book Of Madrigals: Dolcissimo Uscignolo
Vespro Della Beata Vergine: Con 'Pulchra Es'
Christmas Story SWV 435: The Angels To The Shepherds
Hail! Bright Ceclilia: Thou Tun'st This World Below
Armida Abbandonata, Cantata: Recitativo: Dietro L'orme Fugaci
Armida Abbandonata, Cantata: Aria: Ah! Crudele
Armida Abbandonata, Cantata: Recitativo: Per Te Mi Struggo/Recitativo Accompagnato: O Voi, Dell'inconst
Armida Abbandonata, Cantata: Aria: Venti, Fermate
Armida Abbandonata, Cantata: Recitaiivo: Ma Che Parlo, Che Dico?
Armida Abbandonata, Cantata: Siciliana: In Tanti Affanni Miei
Messiah: Rejoice Greatly
Messiah: I Know That My Redeemer Liveth
Ascension Oratorio BWV 11: Jesu, Deine Gnadenblicke

Customer Reviews:

Gorgeous virtuosity!.......2003-07-03

I have been a fan of Emma Kirkby's for several years, and I believe this collection of early music contains some of her best work. Included are pieces in English, Italian, Latin and German by Handel, Purcell, Bach, Monteverdi, Schutz, et al. Monteverdi's "Lamento della ninfa" is simply lovely. Kirkby easily tackles the gorgeous and complex ornamentation of "The Harmony of the Spheres." The pure drama of Handel's "Armida abbandonata; Venti, fermate" is touching and tragic:

"Winds, cease blowing,
no, do not drown him;
true, he has betrayed me,
yet still I adore him."

How many women have had similar thoughts?

Tracks:

come ye sons Of Art, Z323: Sound the Trumpet
Hail, Bright Cecila, Z328: In Vain the Am'rous Flute
O Solitude, My Sweetness Choice Z406
Bonduca Z574: Sing, Sing Ye Druids
O Dive Custos Auriacae Domus Z514
The Maid's Last Prayer Z601: No, Resistance Is But Vain
Tim Of Athens Z632: Hark How the Songsters
Incassum, Lesbia, Rogas - Z383
Ah, Heav'n! What is't I Hear?
Ode on the Death of Mr. Henry Purcell

Customer Reviews:

a voice teacher and early music fan.......2006-01-03

Henry Purcell became under the influence of John Blow's compositional style while they were both employed at Westminster Abbey. Purcell was an assistant to the royal instrument keeper while Blow was the organist. Later on Purcell became the organist succeeding Blow and in l6 years had established himself as the greatest English composer of the age. At his untimely death Blow returned as the organist at the Abbey. This CD includes the following songs by Purcell: 6 duets: "Sound the trumpet"; "In Vain the am'rous flute"; "Sing, sing ye druids";"O dive custos...";"No resistance is but vain";and "Hark how the songsters". Also 2 solos:"O solitude my sweetest choice" (Bowman); "Incassum,Lesbia rogas" (Chance). Two duets by Blow:"Ah, Heav'n! What is't I hear?" and the absolute high point of the disc :"Ode on the death of Mr. Henry Purcell". The voices of Chance and Bowman are a perfect blend and each song is rendered just to perfection!!! I personally prefer the performance of Michael Chance because of the unique quality of his vocal sound and his sensitivity to the demands of each selection. His one solo on the disc is truly a thing of beauty. It's all very enjoyable and is a nice variety of tunes.

EXCELENCIA MUSICAL.......2005-09-08

EL CD CUENTA CON UNA RECOPILACION MUY EQUILIBRADA Y DE LA MAS ALTA CALIDAD

One of the best CDs around.......2000-01-10

Two exceptional countertenors -- Bowman's voice has always been most successful in the higher range and it has a strength that many more fluttery ones don't. Michael Chance is the most secure of the countertenors I've heard and the most overall musical.

The John Blow number "Ode to ... Purcell" is, alone, worth the entire LP. A beautifully crafted piece that more people should hear.

Since so much of the other material is also prime, this is a Don't Miss, as far as I'm concerned.

Delightful, a must-have........1999-06-01

With all the hype about the new North American countertenors, fans of that voice shouldn't overlook this now-venerable gem. James Bowman and Michael Chance are in superb voice in this wonderful array of duets, and the sum of their two voices is even greater than the two constituent parts. The choice of music is gorgeous, the tempi are fast and ebullient, and the CD is altogether delightful.

Average customer rating:

Purcell: Airs & Duets

Manufacturer: Lyrichord Discs Inc.
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Duets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Renaissance (c.1450-1600) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Masses | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Odes | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
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Ignaz Holzbauer: Five Symphonies

ASIN: B0000022BJ
Release Date: 1996-09-24

Tracks:

Let the Fifes and the Clarions - Jeffrey Dooley/Howard Crook/Louise Shulman/Daniel Reed/Mary Springfels/David Carp/Dennis Godburn...
Hark! The Ech'ing Air - Jeffrey Dooley/Howard Crook/Louise Shulman/Daniel Reed/Mary Springfels/David Carp/Dennis Godburn...
Beauty, thou Scene of Love - Jeffrey Dooley/Howard Crook/Louise Shulman/Daniel Reed/Mary Springfels/David Carp/Dennis Godburn...
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Saccharissa's Grown Old - Jeffrey Dooley/Howard Crook/Louise Shulman/Daniel Reed/Mary Springfels/David Carp/Dennis Godburn...
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Lord, What Is Man? - Jeffrey Dooley/Howard Crook/Louise Shulman/Daniel Reed/Mary Springfels/David Carp/Dennis Godburn...
Sweetness of Nature - Jeffrey Dooley/Howard Crook/Louise Shulman/Daniel Reed/Mary Springfels/David Carp/Dennis Godburn...
Be Welcome, Then, Great Sir - Jeffrey Dooley/Howard Crook/Louise Shulman/Daniel Reed/Mary Springfels/David Carp/Dennis Godburn...
Lovely Albina's Come Ashore - Jeffrey Dooley/Howard Crook/Louise Shulman/Daniel Reed/Mary Springfels/David Carp/Dennis Godburn...
One Charming Night - Jeffrey Dooley/Howard Crook/Louise Shulman/Daniel Reed/Mary Springfels/David Carp/Dennis Godburn...
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Tracks:

Las Cantigas de Santa Maria: Cantigas 36 - Russel Oberlin/Joseph Iadone
The Two Three Voice Masses: Kyrie - Schola Discantus
Istanpitta! Vol.I: Saltarello & Trotto - NY's ensemble for Early Music
Missa de Sancta Anna & Lamentations: Sanctus - Schola Discantus
The Art of the Lute: Credo in Unum Deum - Joseph Iadone
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Mensa Sonora: Ciacona - La Follia Salzburg
Flute Duets: Moderato - Tom Moore/Kimberly Reighly

Purcell: Odes for Saint Cecilia's Day (Hail! bright Cecilia! & Welcome to All the Pleasures)

Average customer rating:

Bright Cecilia and Bright Herreweghe!
Superb
The soloists are incomparable!!!

Purcell: Odes for Saint Cecilia's Day (Hail! bright Cecilia! & Welcome to All the Pleasures)

Manufacturer: Harmonia Mundi Fr.
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Odes | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Classical | Imports | Stores | Music
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Purcell: Odes for St. Cecilia's Day - Music for Queen Mary / Taverner Consort
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ASIN: B000007SXU
Release Date: 1998-06-09

Tracks:

Sym Maestoso-Canzon.Allegro-Adagio-Allegro-Grave
Hail! Bright Cecilia
Hail! Bright Cecilia!: Hark! Hark! Each Tree
Hail! Bright Cecilia!: 'Tis Nature Voice
Hail! Bright Cecilia!: Soul Of the World
Hail! Bright Cecilia!: Thou Tun' St This World
Hail! Bright Cecilia!: With That Subline Celestial Love
Hail! Bright Cecilia!: Wonderous Machine
Hail! Bright Cecilia!: The Airy Violin
Hail! Bright Cecilia!: In Vain The Among Themselves Contest
Hail! Bright Cecilia!: The Fife And All the Harmony Of War
Hail! Bright Cecilia!: Let these Among Themselves
Hail! Bright Cecilia!: Hai! Bright Cecilia
Welcome To All The Pleasure: Sym
Welcome To All The Pleasure: Welcome To All The Pleasure
Welcome To All The Pleasure: Here The Deties Approve
Welcome To All The Pleasure: While Joys Cecilia
Welcome To All The Pleasure: Then Lift Up Your Voices
Welcome To All The Pleasure: Beauty Thou Scene Of Love
Welcome To All The Pleasure: In A Consort Of Voices

Amazon.com

The odes that Purcell wrote for annual concerts in honor of St. Cecilia (the patron saint of music) are among his most celebrated works. Chief among them is Hail! Bright Cæcilia, which calls for the "Warb'ling Lute ... airy Violin ... Am'rous Flute," and all the Harmony of War," along with chorus and a bevy of soloists, to demonstrate their prowess. Choosing between this performance and Paul McCreesh's equally fine version on DG isn't easy. McCreesh has a stronger chorus, quicker tempos and energy to burn; what the more deliberate Philippe Herreweghe loses in excitement, he gains in grace and his soloists (the stronger set) get more space for musical and rhetorical nuance. Herreweghe finishes the disc with an earlier Cecilian ode, the sprightly Welcome to all the pleasures. --Matthew Westphal

Customer Reviews:

Bright Cecilia and Bright Herreweghe!.......2001-04-30

Here's how I went about purchasing this piece. I went to my local Border (book store). I was just cruising along the aisle's of classical music with no intention of buying something in particular. I decided that I needed to get something that was choral. That was the scope of it. "Buy something that's choral". Not a good way to go about getting music in a genre where one choral conductor can do a magnificent job and another a rather sub par version. However, I usually do try to look for ones which win awards from Grammaphone or the like.

I cruise along and stumble upon this CD in H. Purcell's section. Frankly, I never heard of Purcell's Hail! Bright Cecilia. Before you turn away thinking I'm some lame music student keep in mind that there are thousands of great choral works and how am I to know of them all in one night. So, I decide to read FIRST, to see if it's in English. I dont mind pieces in German but I would rather hear them in my native tongue. Ok, so that area is clear. Now let's look at the conductor and see if it rings a bell. Herreweghe.....hmm.....yeah, I know of him only too well. Now then, the music. I played a sample piece of it to see if I'd like it and in just the first few seconds I was taken by the orchestra! Wait, let me hear the chorus and soloist a tid bit. Ok, so I listen to that for a bit and once more, wow. I guess you can imagine that this was a CD that I had to buy.

I head to the counter and buy the piece. I listen to it in the car and I'm just taken by the music. I knew now that I was going to be hypnotized and I immediately wanted play it over and over again. Now, when I look back at how I came about buying this CD, it seems as if it were almost destiny. I didnt hear the Paul McCreesh version but I bet it's hard to get any better than this stellar job done by everyone. My only complaint is what soloists are doing what pieces? You cant tell from the booklet. Oh well, a must buy for Purcell fanatics.

Superb.......1999-06-22

Says BBC Music: "[Herreweghe's] way is refined, the playing of the Collegium Vocale instrumentalists highly polished, full of colours, delicate, yet also with a solidness of sound and technique. ... And his team of soloits is wonderful, though I wish the booklet had been more specific in telling us which singer was singing which air. ... [B]ut I am almost sure that it is the alto Robin Blaze and the baritone Peter Harvey who do such a wonderful job in the duet "Hark each tree." ... Meanwhile Mark Padmore, king of haut-contres [sic], is surely responsible for "Tis nature's voice," investing each syllable with poetic thought, making the most of dynamic contrasts, yet avoiding the sensation of affectation. It's a stunning performance from him here and in the duet "In vain the am'rous flute." Says Gramophone: "[Herreweghe] shapes this music with a rapture and precision ... This is, for the most part, a compendium of his most persuasive musical attributes ... The whole is infectiously fresh and never rushed. If not as brilliant or as full as McCreesh, Herreweghe is rather more sensitive to the nuances which irradiate from Purcell's colouring of words. ... For beauty of sound, then, Herreweghe is your man." Gramophone praises by name the same three singers (so you can be sure it is indeed Blaze and Harvey in "Hark each tree;" and Harvey also does the "Wondrous machine.") Funny that both magazines complain that "the beguiling high tenor of Mark Padmore is confusingly labelled `A' for alto." Since when did they start noticing? There's nothing confusing about a haute-contre in an "A" part. I've been saying all along this is a hell of a recording. See, I was right.

The soloists are incomparable!!!.......1999-01-09

I'm not an expert, I can't talk about the tempos, musical nuances or comparisons between this conductor or that conductor. But I do have a set of ears, and they tell me that the singing on this recording is outstanding. If you don't like 'Tis Nature's Voice in Mark Padmore's breath-taking performance on this CD, you simply don't like baroque.