Composer: Henry Purcell
Performer: Le Banquet Céleste
Conductor: Damien Guillon
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Alpha
Catalogue: ALPHA780
Release: 2022
Size: 2.22 GB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes
From those serene and rapturous joys, Z 326
01. I. SymphonyLe Banquet Céleste
02. II. “From Those Serene and Rapturous Joys”Le Banquet Céleste
03. III. “Behold the Indulgent Prince is Come”Le Banquet Céleste
04. IV. “Welcome Home”Le Banquet Céleste
05. V. “Not with an Helmet or a Glittering Spear”Le Banquet Céleste
06. VI. “Allegro vivace”Le Banquet Céleste
07. VII. “Welcome as Soft Refreshing Showers”Le Banquet Céleste
08. VIII. “Welcome Home”Le Banquet Céleste
09. IX. “Welcome, More Welcome Does he Come”Le Banquet Céleste
10. X. “Nor Does the Sun More Comfort Bring”Le Banquet Céleste
11. XI. “With Trumpets and Shouts We Receive the World’s Wonder”Le Banquet Céleste
Fly, bold rebellion, Z 324
12. I. SymphonyLe Banquet Céleste
13. II. “Fly, Bold Rebellion”Le Banquet Céleste
14. III. “The Plot is Displayed”Le Banquet Céleste
15. IV. “Then With Heart and With Voice”Le Banquet Céleste
16. V. “Rivers From Their Channels Turned”Le Banquet Céleste
17. VI “For Majesty Moves”Le Banquet Céleste
18. VII. “If Then We’ve Found the Want of His Rays”Le Banquet Céleste
19. VIII. “But Kings, Like the Sun”Le Banquet Céleste
20. IX. “But Heaven Has Now Dispelled Those Fears”Le Banquet Céleste
21. X. “Come Then, Change Your Notes”Le Banquet Céleste
22. XI. “But With Heart and With Voice”Le Banquet Céleste
23. XII. “Be Welcome Then, Great Sir”Le Banquet Céleste
24. XIII. “Welcome To All Those Wishes Fulfilled”Le Banquet Céleste
Why Are All the Muses Mute, Z 343
25. I. “Why, Why Are All the Muses Mute?”Le Banquet Céleste
26. II. SymphonyLe Banquet Céleste
27. III. “When Should Each Soul Exalted Be”Le Banquet Céleste
28. IV. “But When for Caesar’s Welcome We Prepare?”Le Banquet Céleste
29. V. “Britain, Thou Now Art Great”Le Banquet Céleste
30. VI. “Look up, and to Our Isle Returning See”Le Banquet Céleste
31. VII. “Great Caesar’s Reign With Conquest Did Begin”Le Banquet Céleste
32. VIII. “Accursed Rebellion Reared His Head”Le Banquet Céleste
33. IX. “So Jove, Scarce Settled in His Sky”Le Banquet Céleste
34. X. “Caesar for Milder Virtues Honour’d More”Le Banquet Céleste
35. XI. “The Many-Headed Beast is Quelled at Home”Le Banquet Céleste
36. XII. “In the Equal Balance Laid”Le Banquet Céleste
37. XIII. “The Glory of Earth and the Darling of Heaven!”
There are 24 Odes and Welcome Songs composed by Purcell between 1680 and 1695: 4 celebrate St Cecilia, 6 are to welcome royalty, 3 celebrate King James II’s birthday and 6 celebrate that of Queen Mary (from 1684 to 1694). The others were written for specific events – royal wedding, Yorkshire festival, Duke of Gloucester’s birthday, hundredth anniversary of Dublin’s Trinity College, etc. For these occasions, Purcell composed incredibly imaginative music of amazing quality – often keeping his most beautiful pieces for less remarkable texts, most of the time conventionally obsequious when it came to royalty. According to the registers, the number of singers and musicians were surprisingly small during special events. Purcell’s most elaborate Odes (namely Come Ye sons of Art and Hail! bright Cecilia) seem to have been designed for about twelve instruments and four singers, for solos and choruses. The Banquet Céleste chose a chamber music-like spirit for these extremely expressive and musical works.