Purcell & his Contemporaries - Countertenor Duets & Song
A welcome airing, delightfully performed, of the surprisingly low-profile Purcell
View record and artist detailsRecord and Artist Details
Composer or Director: Henry Purcell, John Blow, Pelham Humfrey, Daniel Purcell
Label: Deux-Elles
Magazine Review Date: /2000
Media Format: CD or Download
Media Runtime: 61
Mastering:
DDD
Catalogue Number: DXL911
Tracks:
| Composition | Artist Credit |
|---|---|
| Birthday Ode, 'Come ye sons of art away', Movement: Sound the trumpet |
Henry Purcell, Composer
Henry Purcell, Composer Laurence Cummings, Harpsichord Laurence Cummings, Organ Mark Chambers, Alto Reiko Ichise, Bass viol Ryland Angel, Alto Taro Takeuchi, Lute Taro Takeuchi, Guitar Taro Takeuchi, Theorbo |
| If music be the food of love |
Henry Purcell, Composer
Henry Purcell, Composer Laurence Cummings, Harpsichord Laurence Cummings, Organ Mark Chambers, Alto |
| Oedipus, Movement: Music for a while (song) |
Henry Purcell, Composer
Henry Purcell, Composer Laurence Cummings, Organ Laurence Cummings, Harpsichord Reiko Ichise, Bass viol Ryland Angel, Alto |
| St Cecilia's Day Ode, 'Hail, bright Cecilia', Movement: In vain the am'rous flute |
Henry Purcell, Composer
Becky Davey, Recorder Henry Purcell, Composer Laura Hird, Recorder Laurence Cummings, Harpsichord Laurence Cummings, Organ Mark Chambers, Alto Reiko Ichise, Bass viol Ryland Angel, Alto Taro Takeuchi, Lute Taro Takeuchi, Theorbo Taro Takeuchi, Guitar |
| St Cecilia's Day Ode, 'Welcome to all the pleasures' |
Henry Purcell, Composer
Claire Duff, Violin Emma Alter, Viola Henry Purcell, Composer Laurence Cummings, Organ Laurence Cummings, Harpsichord Reiko Ichise, Bass viol Rodolfo Richter, Violin Ryland Angel, Alto Taro Takeuchi, Guitar Taro Takeuchi, Theorbo Taro Takeuchi, Lute |
| O dive custos Auriacae domus |
Henry Purcell, Composer
Henry Purcell, Composer Laurence Cummings, Harpsichord Laurence Cummings, Organ Mark Chambers, Alto Ryland Angel, Alto Taro Takeuchi, Theorbo Taro Takeuchi, Lute Taro Takeuchi, Guitar |
| (The) Fairy Queen, Movement: One charming night |
Henry Purcell, Composer
Becky Davey, Recorder Henry Purcell, Composer Laura Hird, Recorder Reiko Ichise, Bass viol Ryland Angel, Alto Taro Takeuchi, Lute Taro Takeuchi, Theorbo Taro Takeuchi, Guitar |
| (A) Hymne to God the Father, 'Wilt thou forgive th |
Pelham Humfrey, Composer
Laurence Cummings, Harpsichord Laurence Cummings, Organ Mark Chambers, Alto Pelham Humfrey, Composer |
| (The) Maid's Last Prayer, Movement: No, resistance is but vain (duet) |
Henry Purcell, Composer
Henry Purcell, Composer Laurence Cummings, Organ Laurence Cummings, Harpsichord Mark Chambers, Alto Reiko Ichise, Bass viol Ryland Angel, Alto Taro Takeuchi, Lute Taro Takeuchi, Guitar Taro Takeuchi, Theorbo |
| O ravishing delight |
Daniel Purcell, Composer
Becky Davey, Recorder Daniel Purcell, Composer Laura Hird, Recorder Laurence Cummings, Organ Laurence Cummings, Harpsichord Reiko Ichise, Bass viol Ryland Angel, Alto Taro Takeuchi, Lute Taro Takeuchi, Guitar Taro Takeuchi, Theorbo |
| Ah, Heav'n! What is't I hear? |
John Blow, Composer
John Blow, Composer Laurence Cummings, Organ Laurence Cummings, Harpsichord Mark Chambers, Alto Reiko Ichise, Bass viol Ryland Angel, Alto Taro Takeuchi, Lute Taro Takeuchi, Theorbo Taro Takeuchi, Guitar |
| (The History of) Dioclesian, or The Prophetess, Movement: Since from my dear Astrea's sight (song: soprano) |
Henry Purcell, Composer
Henry Purcell, Composer Reiko Ichise, Bass viol Ryland Angel, Alto Taro Takeuchi, Lute Taro Takeuchi, Theorbo Taro Takeuchi, Guitar |
| Quam diligo legem tuam |
John Blow, Composer
John Blow, Composer Laurence Cummings, Harpsichord Laurence Cummings, Organ Mark Chambers, Alto Reiko Ichise, Bass viol Ryland Angel, Alto Taro Takeuchi, Lute Taro Takeuchi, Theorbo Taro Takeuchi, Guitar |
| (An) Evening Hymn on a Ground, 'Now that the sun hath veil'd his light' |
Henry Purcell, Composer
Henry Purcell, Composer Mark Chambers, Alto Reiko Ichise, Bass viol Taro Takeuchi, Theorbo Taro Takeuchi, Lute Taro Takeuchi, Guitar |
| Paratum cor meum |
John Blow, Composer
John Blow, Composer Laurence Cummings, Harpsichord Laurence Cummings, Organ Mark Chambers, Alto Reiko Ichise, Bass viol Ryland Angel, Alto Taro Takeuchi, Theorbo Taro Takeuchi, Guitar Taro Takeuchi, Lute |
Author: Jonathan Freeman-Attwood
In an age of ubiquitous countertenors, there is every chance that Purcell’s music will now recover from an unintelligibly low profile since his heady celebration year in 1995. This programme of airs and duets, interspersed with Purcell’s contemporaries, Blow and Humfrey and brother Daniel, was recorded last year in the resonant Douai Abbey in Berkshire and features two well-matched, if timbrally and musically distinctive singers. ‘In vain the am’rous flute’ is one of several duets which reveals an easy exchange of like-minded phrasing, gratifyingly extended to an agreeably receptive instrumental ensemble. Ryland Angel is the more fruity of the two and demonstrates his effortless legato in ‘Music for a while’ and ‘Here the deities approve’ (from the 1683 St Cecilia’s Day Ode) – the former rather more projected than the famous Deller ‘signature tune’, with the latter as sensuously caressed as James Bowman in his heyday. Angel can indeed boast a most fluent delivery in all registers, as we hear in the relatively growly fathoms of ‘One charming night’. Mark Chambers sings his quota of solo songs with pin-point clarity of sound, occasionally a touch unyielding, though at best reminding me of David Hurley’s lofty rendering of Humfrey’s ‘A Hymne to God the Father’ (EMI – nla); his account of Evening Hymn may appear too clean-shaven and remote for some, and he never quite relaxes into the somnolent ‘alleluia’. The booklet tells us nothing about the artists at all, somewhat unfortunate since singers and instrumentalists manage, after a good hour, to keep one wanting more: with all due respect, quite an achievement in back-to-back countertenor songs.'
Purcell & his Contemporaries - Countertenor Duets & Song
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