Henry Purcell - King Arthur

Purcell: King Arthur or The British Worthy
Deller Consort and Choir - Alfred Deller, dir. & The King's Musick - Roderick Skeaping, dir.
Harmonia Mundi HM 252 / 253 [LPx2]
Harmonia Mundi HM 40 252 / 253 [Cass. x2]
Musical Heritage Society MHS 4188 / 4199 [LPx2]

Contents:

    Henry Purcell (m) / John Dryden (t)
    King Arthur or the British Worthy (Z 628, 1691)

    LP-1

  1. Overture
    1. Overture
        a) 1st Music (Z. 628/1)
        b) 2nd Music (Z. 628/2)
    2. Air (Z. 628/3)
    3. Overture (Z. 628/4)
  2. Act I, scene 2
    1. Woden first to thee
        a) Prelude and Aria: Woden first to thee (Z, 628/5)
        b) Aria: The white horse (Z. 628/6)
    2. Prelude, Aria and Chorus: Brave Souls (Z. 628/7-8)
    3. Aria: I call ye all to Woden's hall (Z. 628/9)

  3. Act I, scene 2: Come if you dare
      a) Symphony, Aria and Chorus: Come if you dare (Z. 628/10)
      b) First Act tune (Z. 628/11)
  4. Act IIa
    1. Prelude and Aria (Philidel): Hither this way bend (Z. 628/12)
    2. Aria (Grimbald), Ritornello: Let not a moon-born Elf (Z. 628/13)
    3. Aria (Philidel) and Chorus: Hither this way (Z. 628/12)

      4. —
    4. Dialogue and Chorus: Come follow me (Z. 628/14)
  5. Act IIb
    1. Dance, Aria and Chorus: How blest are Shepherds (Z. 628/15)
    2. Symphony and Duet (dialogue – 2 Shepherdesses): Shepherd, leave decoying (Z. 628/16)
    3. Hornpipe
        a) Chorus and Hornpipe: Come, Shepherds (Z. 628/17)
        b) Second Act Tune (Z. 628/18)
    6. Act III, scene 2a
  6. Prelude and Aria (Cupid): What ho (The Frost Scene) (Z. 628/19)
  7. Act III, scene 2b
    1. Prelude and Aria (Cold Genius): What power art thou (Prelude while the cold Genius rises) (Z. 628/20)
    2. Thou doting fool forbear
      1. Aria (Cupid): Thou doting fool forbear (Z. 628/21)
      2. Aria (Cold Genius): Great love (Z. 628/22)
      3. Aria (Cupid): No part (Z. 628/23)
    3. Prelude, Chorus and Dance: See, see (Z. 628/24)

    8. LP-2

  8. Act III, scene 2c
    1. Aria (Cupid), Ritornello and Choris: Tis I, that have warm'd ye (Z. 628/26)
    2. Sound a Parley
      1. Prelude and Duet (Cupid, Cold Genius): Sound a Parley (Z. 628/26)
      2. Aria (Cupid), Ritornello and Choris: Tis I, that have warm'd ye (Z. 628/27)
    3. Air: Third Act Tune (Z. 628/28)

    9. Act IV, scene 2a
  9. Duet (Two Sirens): Two Daughters (Z. 628/29)
  10. Act IV, scene 2b
    1. How happy the Lover
        a) Passaglia (Z. 628/30a)
        b) Aria, Ritornello and Chorus: How happy the Lover (Z. 628/30b-d)
        c) Dialogue and Chorus: No, no joy (Z. 628/30e-i)
    2. 4th Act tune (Z. 628/31)
  11. Act V, scene 2a
    1. Prelude: Trumpet Tune (Z. 628/32a)
    2. Aria (Aeolus): Ye Blust'ring Brethren (Z. 628/32b-c)
  12. Act V, scene 2b
    1. Symphony (Z. 628/33)

      2. —
    2. Duet (Nereid, Pan) and Chorus: Round thy Coasts (Z. 628/34)
    3. Duet: For Folded Flocks (Z. 628/36)
    13. Act V, scene 2c
  13. Aria (Comus): Your hay is mown (Z. 628/37)

    14. Act V, scene 2d
  14. Aria (Venus): Fairest Isle (Z. 628/38)
  15. Act V, scene 2e
    1. Aria (She): You say tis love (Z. 628/35a)
    2. Aria (He) and Chorus: This not my passion (Z. 628/35b-c)
    3. Aria (He) and Chorus: But one soft moment (Z. 628/35d-e)
  16. Act V, scene 2f
    1. Trumpet Tune
    2. Chorus (with Honour): St. George (Z. 628/39)
    17. Act V, scene 2g
  17. Fifth Act Tune: Chaconne (Z. 628/40)

Performers:
The Deller Consort
Honor Sheppard (soprano – Venus, She, Honour), Jean Knibbs (soprano – Philidel, Nereid), Rosemary Hardy (soprano – Cupid), Alfred Deller (counter-tenor), Mark Deller (counter-tenor), Paul Elliott (tenor), Leigh Nixon (tenor – Comus), Maurice Bevan (baritone – Cold Genius, Pan, He), Nigel Beavan (bass – Grimbald)
The Deller Choir
Claire Shanks (baroque oboe), Valérie Dark (baroque oboe), Martin Stancliffe (tenor oboe), David Pugsley (recorder), Nicholas McGegan (recorder),Michael Laurd (trumpet), Bill Houghton (trumpet), Jane Ryan (continuo: viola di gamba), Jeremy Ward (continuo: baroque bassoon), Ian Gammie (comtinuo: violone), Robert Elliott (continuo: harpsichord)
The King's Musick
Roderick Skeaping, cond.
Alfred Deller, dir.

Playing time: (26' 10" + 23' 00") + (23' 40" +24' 37") = 1h 37' 27"

Recording site and date:
Unknown [10/1978];
Rel.: 1979

Compilations:
Harmonia mundi HMC 90252.53 Purcell: King Arthur & "The Masque" (from Timon of Athens)

Excerpts:
[3], [14] Harmonia mundi HMX 290 605 / 607 [CDx3] Opéra Baroque
[2.3] Harmonia mundi HMX 290 261 / 264 [CDx4] Alfred Deller - Portrait of a Legend
[6]-[7] Harmonia mundi HMP 390 807 [CD] Great Baroque Masters: Purcell
[6] -[7] Harmonia mundi HMX 290 801 / 810 [CDx10] Prélude baroque / Bach, Charpentier, Couperin
[7.1], [7.3] Harmonia mundi HM 1020 [LP] Molière
[1.1]-[1.2], [2]-[3], [5]-[7], [11.2], [13]-[14], [16]-[17] Harmonia mundi HM 200 [LP] King Arthur (excerpts)
[1.1]-[1.2], [2]-[3], [5]-[7], [11.2], [13]-[14], [16]-[17] Harmonia Mundi HMX 290 8057 / 8059 [CDx3] Les plus belles oeuvres de Henry Purcell
[12.3] Harmonia mundi "Passerelles" HMB 590 017 / 18 [CDx2 + book] Les Contre-ténors - Mythes et Réalités (with a book by Peter Giles)

Reviewed in:
Diapason (#-p.): 237- (March 1979 (as HM 252.53))

Comments:
Information from LPs.

To FAQ references to this recording.

To FAQ CD index page.

Pierre-F. Roberge