Henry Purcell – Ayres (vol. 1)

Henry Purcell – Deller Consort
Ayres avec flûtes, gambes et clavecin
aka: Musique de théâtre
The Deller Consort – Alfred Deller, dir.
Harmonia mundi « Deller Recordings » DR 214 [LP]
Harmonia mundi « Deller Recordings » HM 214 (sleeve) / DR 214 (LP) [LP]
Harmonia mundi « Musique d'Abord » HM 214 [LP]
Harmonia mundi « Musique d'Abord » HM 40 214 [Cass.]
HNH 4046 [LP]
RCA « Victrola » VICS 1506 [LP, stereo]

Contents:

    Ayres pour voix et instruments

    Henry Purcell (m) / Thomas Shadwell (t) – Cupid and Bacchus
    Masque for Shakespeare's «The History of Timon of Athens, The Man-Hater » (Z. 632, 1694)
  1. Duet (Cupid, Nymph): Hark! how the songsters of the grove (Z. 632/2)

    2. Henry Purcell (m) / Nahum Tate (t), after Shakespeare « King Richard the Second » (1680, exc.) (Z.581)
  2. Retir'd from any mortal's sight

    3. Henry Purcell (m) / Abraham Cowley (t), (Z.543)
  3. Ode: How pleasant is the flowery plain and grove

    4. Henry Purcell (m) / William Congreve (t), « The Old Bachelor » (1693, exc.) (Z.607/10)
  4. Thus to a ripe, consenting maid

    5. Henry Purcell (m) / John Dryden & Robert Howard (t), « The Indian Queen » (1695, exc.) (Z.630/4d)
  5. Why should men quarrel ?

    6. Henry Purcell (m) / Thomas Betterton (t), « Dioclesian » (1691, exc.) (Z.627/16)
  6. Chaconne

    7. Henry Purcell (m) / Abraham Cowley (t), Cantata: « If ever I more riches did desire » (exc.) (Z.544/5a)
  7. Here let my life

    8. —
    Henry Purcell: Birthday Ode for Queen Mary (1694, exc.) (Z.323/5a)
  8. Strike the Viol

    9. Henry Purcell (m) / Henry Parker (t), Elegy on latin verses « O dive Custos Auricae » (1695, exc.) (Z.504)
  9. Elegy on the death of Queen Mary

    10. Henry Purcell (m) / Anon. (t), after Shakespeare's Midsummer's night dream « The Fairy Queen » (1695, exc.) (Z.629/13b)
  10. One charming night

    11. Henry Purcell (m) / John Dryden (t), « King Arthur » (1691, exc.) (Z.628/16b)
  11. Shepherd, shepherd, leave decoying

    12. Henry Purcell (m) / William Congreve (t), edited in « Orpheus Britannicus » (1698) (Z.513)
  12. There ne'er was so wretched a lover as I (Z 513, 1690)

    13. Henry Purcell (m) / Anon. (t), Henry Playford (pub.), from Harmonia Sacra « A hymn upon the Last Day » (1688) (Z.182)
  13. Awake, awake, ye dead !

    14. Henry Purcell (m) / William Fuller (t), Henry Playford (pub.), from Harmonia Sacra « A hymn upon the Last Day » (1688) (Z.193)
  14. An Evening Hymn

Playing time: 22' 05"+24' 40" = 46' 45"

Performers:
Deller Consort
Honor Sheppard (soprano), Suzanne Green (soprano), Alfred Deller (counter-tenor), Maurice Bevan (baritone), Norman Platt (baritone/bass), David Munrow (recorder), Richard Lee (recorder), Robert Elliott (harpsichord), Desmond Dupré (viola da gamba)
Alfred Deller, dir.

Recording site and date:
All Saints' Church, Boughton Aluph, Kent, UK [1968 or prior]
Rel.: 1969

Excerpts:
[1], [3]-[4], [6], [8], [10], [12]-[13] Harmonia mundi « Musique d'Abord » HMA 190 214 [CD] Henry Purcell - Olinda
[4] Harmonia mundi HMX 290 261 / 264 [CDx4] Alfred Deller - Portrait of a Legend

Reviewed in:
Diapason (#-p.): 138-19 (jl/aug 1969)
Gramophone (Vol./#-p.): 55/657-1455 (february 1978 (as HMU 214)

Comments:
Information from LP and Nancy Freudenthal.

To FAQ references to this recording.

To FAQ CD index page.

Pierre-F. Roberge