Composer: Henry Purcell
Performer: Carolyn Sampson, Emily Owen, Iestyn Davies, Hugh Cutting, Charles Daniels, David de Winter, Matthew Brook, Edward Grint
Orchestra: King’s Consort
Conductor: Robert King
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Vivat
Catalogue: VIVAT122
Release: 2021
Size: 1.46 GB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes
Arise, my Muse
01. Symphony
02. Arise, my muse, and to thy tuneful lyre
03. Ye sons of music, raise your voices high
04. Then sound your instruments
05. See how the glitt’ring ruler of the day
06. Hail, gracious Gloriana, hail
07. And since the time’s distress
08. To quell his country’s foes
09. But ah, I see Eusebia drown’d in tears
Love’s goddess sure
10. Symphony
11. Love’s goddess sure was blind
12. Those eyes, that form, that lofty mien
13. Sweetness of nature
14. Long may she reign over this isle
15. May her blest example chase
16. Many such days may she behold
17. May she to heaven late return
18. As much as we below shall mourn
Celebrate this festival
19. Symphony
20. Opening solos & chorus
21. Britain, now thy cares beguile
22. ‘Tis sacred, bid the trumpet cease
23. Let sullen Discord smile
24. Crown the altar, deck the shrine
25. Expected Spring at last is come
26. April, who till now has mourned
27. Departing thus you’ll hear him say
28. Happy realm, beyond expressing
29. While, for a righteous cause he arms
30. Return, fond Muse, the thoughts of war
31. Kindly treat Maria’s day
Following their much-lauded recent recording of Purcell Royal Odes, The King’s Consort gathers together the same world-class vocal and instrumental ensemble in three more of Purcell’s finest odes written to celebrate the birthday of Queen Mary.
Purcell’s odes for Queen Mary show him at his best. A glorious succession of overtures, choruses, arias and delicious ritornelli display astonishing imagination and ingenuity: whilst overtly celebratory, never far beneath the surface lies the sense of melancholy which is the hallmark of Purcell’s greatest music. “Arise my Muse” (1690), “Love’s goddess sure” (1692) and “Celebrate this festival” (1693) are amongst his finest works.
For more than three decades TKC has been renowned across the globe for its performances of the music of Henry Purcell. In 1988, TKC recorded its first disc of Purcell’s odes: that ground-breaking series was followed by complete series of the sacred music and the secular songs, and changed the musical world’s perception of Purcell. Since then there has been hardly a year in which the odes haven’t appeared in TKC’s concert programmes: this is music which runs through the ensemble’s veins.
In April 2021, TKC returned to the studio to record three substantial odes written for the birthday of Queen Mary. An outstanding team of soloists (led by Carolyn Sampson, Iestyn Davies, Charles Daniels and Matthew Brook) included one member of the ensemble who took part in that first recording, alongside others who have been performing these works with TKC for twenty years. On the other hand, three of the singers were not even born when TKC first recorded Purcell odes. A superlative instrumental ensemble provides equally outstanding contributions.
The recording was made in the spacious surroundings of recently restored Fairfield Halls, whose warm, clear acoustic is perfect for this music. Extensive presentation includes a 52 page booklet with substantial liner notes in three languages, together with sung texts and session photos.