Album review: Henry Purcell
Theatre Music ****
Naxos 8.570149, 5.99
Henry Purcell was born just in time for the Restoration, and by the time he was a practising theatre composer, Shakespeare's open-air, male-only dramatics had long since been replaced by small, stuffy theatres featuring real women.
This recording focuses on music for three plays, written in the form of overtures, incidental music and songs. Purcel changes his style to suit each play, adopting various musical idioms, from French dance music to Scottish airs and the hornpipe. The song lyrics are an equal mix of sacred and profane: 'A Pastoral Dialogue' is really no more than a desperate shepherd trying to persuade a nymph into bed.
Brightly performed and clearly sung, this is a highly enjoyable first CD in a series exploring Purcell's music.
Email to a friend
Print this page- Family mourn death of Glasgow ‘fight’ schoolboy
- Rangers takeover: Duff & Phelps threaten legal action against BBC
- Today’s youth not fit to be employed, says car firm Arnold Clark
- Rangers administration: Fans fear Duff & Phelps claims could scare off Green
- Rangers takeover: triple penalty punishment enough, says Johnston
- Alistair Darling leads ‘No to independence’ fight over tea and biscuits
- Scottish independence: SNP flip-flops over Nato
- Scottish Independence: SNP ‘won’t be Yes campaign’s only voice’
- Scottish independence: Alex Salmond’s pledge to sign up 1m voters
- Today’s youth not fit to be employed, says car firm Arnold Clark
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Edinburgh
Sunday 27 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North east
