Purcell: Royal Welcome Songs for King James II
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HENRY PURCELL
Purcell: Royal Welcome Songs for King James II
The Sixteen Harry Christophers
[ Coro / CD ]
Release Date: Friday 22 September 2017
Despite being written for the celebration of royal occasions, Purcell's Royal Welcome Songs were penned during a time of immense disillusionment with the monarchy. Filled with humour as well as an ironic detachment from the politics of the time, Ye tuneful muses and Sound the trumpet fizz with the dramatic energy which characterised his later operas and mark a crucial turning point in Purcell's career.
This programme showcases the variety and diversity of Purcell's writing, opening with the Chacony in G minor, which is among the great glories of music for strings, and including When on my sick bed I languish - an amazingly impassioned piece in which he bares his soul...quintessential Purcell!
"In Ye Tuneful Muses and Sound the Trumpet, the Sixteen's vocal forces are halved, permitting immaculately stylish singers to shine as 'soloists': Kirsty Hopkins and Katy Hill perform a beguiling duet in the first 'Song'; Daniel Collins and Jeremy Budd are hardly less compelling in Let Caesar [James] and Urania [Mary] Live, in the second." Sunday Times
"Christophers coaxes virtuosic performances from eight members of the Sixteen, with a fine band of period instrumentalists revelling in the glories of Purcell's unique harmonic palette. Recommended." Observer
"Christophers is in his element here, and though his string ensemble is half the size of Purcell's Twenty-Four Violins, he coaxes a robust, full-bodied sound from his players. The detailed recording puts the octet of singers up-front, so the words seem to chisel the musical line." BBC Music
Tracks:
Chacony in G minor Z730
When on my sick bed I languish Z144
True Englishmen drink a good health Z284
Welcome Song: Ye tuneful Muses Z344
A New Irish Tune in G ('Lilliburlero') Z646
God is gone up (Canon a 7) Z107
A New Scotch Tune in G Z655
Save me, O God Z51
Welcome Song: Sound the trumpet Z335
