Purcell - King Arthur / Timon of Athens

Purcell: King Arthur or the British worthy & "The Masque" (from Timon of Athens)

Deller Consort and Choir - Alfred Deller, dir. & The King's Musick - Roderick Skeaping, dir.
Harmonia mundi HMC 90 252 / 253 [CD]

Contents:

Henry Purcell: King Arthur or the British Worthy (Z 628, 1691)


CD-1

1. 1. Overture
   2. Air
   3. Overture

Act I, scene 2

2. 1. Woden first to thee ... (bass, chorus, tenor, duet, soprano)
   2. Brave Souls (chorus)
   3. I call ye all ... (counter-tenor, chorus)
3. Come if you dare ... (tenor, chorus)
   First Act tune

Act II

4. 1. Hither this way bend ... (Philidel, chorus of Phil. Spirits, chorus of Grim Spirits)
   2. Let not a Moon-born Elf (Grimbald)
   3. Hither this way ... (Philidel, chorus of Phil. Spirits, chorus of Grim. Spirits)
   4. Come follow me ... (Philidel, chorus, 2 & 3 voices)
5. 1. How blest are Shepherds ... (1 Shepherd, chorus)
   2. Shepherd, leave Decoying (2 Shepherdesses)
   3. Hornpipe
   4. Come, Shepherds (chorus of All)
   5. Hornpipe

Act III, scene 2

6. Prelude
   What ho (Cupid)
7. 1. What Power Art Thou (Genius)
   2. Thou Doting Fool forbear ... (Cupid, Genius)
   3.Prelude
   Chorus: See, see

CD-2

8. 1. Tis I, that have warm'd ye ... (Cupid, chorus)
   Sound a Parley ... (Cupid & Genius, chorus)
2. Air

Act IV, scene 2

9. Two Daughters (2 Syrens)
10. 1. How happy the Lover ... (alto, chorus, soprano & brass, 3 Nymphs, 3 men, 3 women)
    2. Fourth Act tune

Act V, scene 2

11. 1. Trumpet tune
    2. Ye blust'ring Brethren (Aeolus)
12. 1. Symphony
    ----
    2. Song tune
    Round thy Coasts ... (Nereid & Pan, chorus)
    3. For Folded Flocks (alto, tenor & bass)
13. Song Tune
    Your Hay ... (Comus, chorus, 1, 2 & 3 men)
14. Fairest Isle (Venus)
15. 1. You say (soprano (She))
    2. This not my passion ... (bass (He), soprano)
    3. But one soft moment ... (bass, soprano, soprano & bass)
16. 1. Trumpet Tune
    2. St. George ... (Honour, chorus)
17. Chaconne

Henry Purcell: "The Masque" (from Timon of Athens)

18. 1. Overture
    2. Air
    3. Ouverture
19. 1. Duet: Hark' (soprano 1 & 2)
    2. Solo: Love in their little veins (soprano)
    3. Trio: But ah! (soprano 1 &2, baritone)
    4. Solo, Chorus: Hence with your triffling deity (baritone)
20. 1. Cupid: Come all (soprano)
    2. Chorus: Who can resist
    3. Bacchus: Return, revolting rebels (baritone)
    
21. 1. Solo: The cares of lovers (soprano)
    2. Solo: Love quickly is palled (tenor)
    3. Duet (Cupid & Bacchus), Chorus: Come, let us agree

Playing time: 57' 54" + 60' 23" = 1h 58' 17"

Performers:
[1]-[17] Deller Consort & Choir [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), Neil Jenkins (tenor), Leigh Nixon (tenor - Comus), Maurice Bevan (baritone - Cold Genius, Pan, He), Nigel Beavan (bass - Grimbald)]
The King's Musick [Claire Shanks (baroque oboe), Valérie Darke (baroque oboe), Martin Stancliffe (tenor oboe, David Pugsley (recorder), Nicholas McGegan (recorder), Michael Laird (trumpet), Bill Houghton (trumpet), Jane Ryan (viola da gamba), Jeremy Ward (baroque bassoon), Ian Gammie (violone), Robert Elliott (harpsichord)] - Roderick Skeaping, cond.
Alfred Deller, dir.
[18]-[21] Deller Consort & Choir [Honor Sheppard (soprano - Cupid's disciple), Jean Knibbs (soprano - Cupid), Paul Elliott (tenor - Bacchus' disciple), Maurice Bevan (baritone - Bacchus)] - Alfred Deller, dir.

Recording site and date:
[1]-[17] [10 / 1978], rel. 1979
[18]-[21] [1976], rel. 1976

Excerpts (from original rec.):
[1]-[17] Harmonia mundi HM 252.53 [LP] Purcell: King Arthur
[18]-[21] Harmonia mundi HM 243 [LP] Purcell: The Indian Queen & "The Masque" (from Timon of Athens)

Reviewed in:
Diapason (#-p.): 333-159 (December 1987)
Gramophone (Vol./#-p.):
Fanfare (Vol./#-p.):

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