Composer: Henry Purcell
Performer: Mhairi Lawson, Carolyn Sampson, Ashley Riches, Roderick Williams, Jeremy Budd, Rowan Pierce, James Way, Anna Dennis
Orchestra: Gabrieli Players
Conductor: Paul McCreesh
Audio CD
Number of Discs: 2
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Signum
Size: 6.3 GB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes
King Arthur, Z628
01. Aire (from Amphitryon, Z. 572)
02. Minuet (from Amphitryon, Z. 572)
03. Hornpipe (from Amphitryon, Z. 572)
04. Scotch Tune (from Amphitryon, Z. 572)
05. Overture
06. Aire
ACT 1
07. Verse & Chorus – Woden, First to Thee / We Have Sacrific’d (Chorus)
08. Verse & Chorus – The White Horse Neigh’d Aloud / To Woden Thanks We Render (Chorus)
09. Verse & Chorus – The Lot Is Cast / Brave Souls (Chorus)
10. Song & Chorus – I Call You All to Woden’s Hall (Chorus)
11. Prelude, Song & Chorus – Come If You Dare, Our Trumpets Sound (Chorus)
ACT 2
12. Prelude – Aire
13. Song & Chorus – Hither This Way (Philadel)
14. Song – Let Not a Moonborn Elf Mislead Ye (Grimbald)
15. Chorus – Hither This Way (Chorus)
16. Verse & Chorus – Come Follow Me (Chorus)
17. Prelude, Song & Chorus – How Blest Are Shepherds (Shepherd)
18. Prelude & Song – Shepherd, Shepherd, Leave Decoying (Two Shepherdesses)
19. Chorus & Dance – Come, Shepherds, Lead up a Lively Measure (Chorus)
20. Second Act Tune – Rondeau (From Distress’d Innocency, Z. 577)
ACT 3
21. Prelude & Verse – What Ho, Thou Genius of This Isle! (Cupid)
22. Prelude & Song – What Power Art Thou (Cold Genius)
23. Song – Thou Doting Fool, Forbear (Cupid)
24. Song – Great Love, I Know Thee Now (Cold Genius)
25. Verse – No Part of My Dominion Shall Be Waste (Cupid)
26. Chorus & Dance – See, See, We Assemble (Chorus)
27. Prelude, Song & Chorus – ’Tis I That Have Warm’d Ye / ’Tis Love That Has Warm’d Us (Cupid)
28. Song – Sound a Parley (Cupid & Cold Genius)
29. Chorus – ’Tis Love That Has Warm’d Us (Chorus)
30. Third Act Tune – Aire
ACT 4
31. Soft Music – Aire (from Bonduca, Z. 574)
32. Song – Two Daughters of This Aged Stream Are We (Two Sirens)
33. Passacaglia – How Happy the Lover / For Love Every Creature (Chorus)
34. Song by Mr. Howe – You Say, ’Tis Love Creates the Pain (He & She)
ACT 5
35. Fourth Act Tune – Hornpipe
36. Prelude – Rondeau (From The Old Bachelor, Z. 607)
37. Prelude & Song – Ye Blust’Ring Brethren / Serene and Calm (Aeolus)
38. Soft Tune
39. Prelude, Song & Chorus – Round Thy Coasts (Nereid)
40. Song – For Folded Flocks (Three Shepherds)
41. Song & Dance – Your Hay It Is Mow’d (Comus & Peasants)
42. Prelude & Song – Fairest Isle (Venus)
43. Tune for Trumpets (after Dioclesian, Z. 627)
44. New Song & Chorus for Britannia & St George – Sound Heroes, Your Brazen Trumpets Sound! / Let All Rehearse (Fame)
45. Grand Dance – Chaconne
The great patriotic opera of the 17th century, recorded here in a lively new performing edition after two decades in the Gabrieli’s touring repertoire. Notoriously difficult to present on disc or in concert, this version presented by Gabrieli was created to allow an obvious musical narrative, despite Purcell’s music often being completely dislocated from much of the original theatre context.
Gabrieli have been performing the music from King Arthur for nearly a quarter of a century, evolving their interpretation over time. With the score having to be pieced together using separate versions (due to Purcell’s originals being lost), and with Gabrieli’s evolved interpretation of the music, the end product of this recording is truly unique. Their next release on Signum will be with the semi-opera by Purcell, Fairy Queen, in April next year, which is an adaptation of A Midsummer Nights Dream.