The Vocal Art of Henry Purcell
00:00 If Music Be The Food Of Love (1st version. 1692) 02:37 Sweeter Than Roses (from Pausanias, 1695) 06:10 I Love And I Must (from the Gresham Ms) * 09:07 O Lead Me To Some Peaceful Gloom (from Bonduca, 1695) 12:17 Epithalamium - ¨Thrice Happy Lovers¨ (from The Fairy Queen, 1692) 15:20 The Blessed Virgin's Expostulation - ¨Tell Me, Some Pitying Angel¨(1693) * 23:09 Fairest Isle (from King Arthur, 1691) 25:54 I Attempt From Love's Sickness To Fly (from The Indian Queen, 1695) 28:10 Let The Dreadful Engines (from Don Quixote, Part I, 1694) * 35:52 Not All My Torments (from the Gresham Ms) 38:13 Music For A While (from Oedipus, 1692) 42:17 From Rosy Bowers (from Don Quixote, Part III, 1695) 49:31 Upon A Quiet Conscience - ¨Close Thine Eyes¨(1688) * Alfred Deller, countertenor / April Cantelo, soprano / Maurice Bevan, baritone Walter Bergmann & George Malcolm (*), harpsichord Henry Purcell (1659-1695) was the supreme song composer of his age, as Franz Schubert would be of the early 19th century. In both, an outpouring of inspired melody was strengthened by a mastery of musical declamation that gave the song form itself immense richness, emotional scope and free flexibility. Schubert’s songs stimulated the writing of lieder or art songs in the following generations. Purcell’s vocal art was lost in the turn following his death towards dazzling vocal technical display, so that it has remained for the 20th century to rediscover his historic achievement. Most of Purcell’s solo songs were written for the theatre, but they were not subsidiary music for a stage play; rather their integral connection to the drama was slight, and they were an equal attraction with their own performers. Usually the poetry was poor, but all Purcell needed from the words was a subject to kindle his imagination, and his music could supply the genuine human involvement and artistic beauty. The examples assembled here show his solo vocal art in all its variety, ranging from the entrancing melodies of If Music Be the Food of Love and Fairest Isle to great declamatory-melodic vocal scenes like The Blessed Virgin’s Expostulation, Let the Dreadful Engines and From Rosy Bowers. Alfred Deller is not only the most celebrated master of the countertenor voice —which was Purcell’s own voice— but also an outstanding interpretive artist of the Renaissance and Baroque. April Cantelo is a distinguished soprano in English opera and oratorio. Maurice Bevan has long been associated with Alfred Deller both as magnificent singer and a devoted scholar of 17th century music. (From the notes to the recording) Vanguard (SRV 280 SD / SRV-280 SD) 1968
00:00 If Music Be The Food Of Love (1st version. 1692) 02:37 Sweeter Than Roses (from Pausanias, 1695) 06:10 I Love And I Must (from the Gresham Ms) * 09:07 O Lead Me To Some Peaceful Gloom (from Bonduca, 1695) 12:17 Epithalamium - ¨Thrice Happy Lovers¨ (from The Fairy Queen, 1692) 15:20 The Blessed Virgin's Expostulation - ¨Tell Me, Some Pitying Angel¨(1693) * 23:09 Fairest Isle (from King Arthur, 1691) 25:54 I Attempt From Love's Sickness To Fly (from The Indian Queen, 1695) 28:10 Let The Dreadful Engines (from Don Quixote, Part I, 1694) * 35:52 Not All My Torments (from the Gresham Ms) 38:13 Music For A While (from Oedipus, 1692) 42:17 From Rosy Bowers (from Don Quixote, Part III, 1695) 49:31 Upon A Quiet Conscience - ¨Close Thine Eyes¨(1688) * Alfred Deller, countertenor / April Cantelo, soprano / Maurice Bevan, baritone Walter Bergmann & George Malcolm (*), harpsichord Henry Purcell (1659-1695) was the supreme song composer of his age, as Franz Schubert would be of the early 19th century. In both, an outpouring of inspired melody was strengthened by a mastery of musical declamation that gave the song form itself immense richness, emotional scope and free flexibility. Schubert’s songs stimulated the writing of lieder or art songs in the following generations. Purcell’s vocal art was lost in the turn following his death towards dazzling vocal technical display, so that it has remained for the 20th century to rediscover his historic achievement. Most of Purcell’s solo songs were written for the theatre, but they were not subsidiary music for a stage play; rather their integral connection to the drama was slight, and they were an equal attraction with their own performers. Usually the poetry was poor, but all Purcell needed from the words was a subject to kindle his imagination, and his music could supply the genuine human involvement and artistic beauty. The examples assembled here show his solo vocal art in all its variety, ranging from the entrancing melodies of If Music Be the Food of Love and Fairest Isle to great declamatory-melodic vocal scenes like The Blessed Virgin’s Expostulation, Let the Dreadful Engines and From Rosy Bowers. Alfred Deller is not only the most celebrated master of the countertenor voice —which was Purcell’s own voice— but also an outstanding interpretive artist of the Renaissance and Baroque. April Cantelo is a distinguished soprano in English opera and oratorio. Maurice Bevan has long been associated with Alfred Deller both as magnificent singer and a devoted scholar of 17th century music. (From the notes to the recording) Vanguard (SRV 280 SD / SRV-280 SD) 1968