Henry Purcell - The Fairy Queen

Henry Purcell: The Fairy Queen
An Opera in Five Acts
Deller Consort and Stour Music Chorus & Orchestra - Alfred Deller, dir.
Vanguard "Everyman" 311 / 12 [LPx2, US]

Contents:

    Henry Purcell: The Fairy Queen

    LP-1

  1. Overture

    2. Act I

  2. A Fairy and an Elf: Come let us leave
  3. A Poet, two Fairies and elves: Scene of the drunken poet
  4. First Act tune

    5. Act II

  5. Prelude (an Elf): Come all ye songsters of the sky
  6. Prelude (Birds fly down, singing)
  7. Three Elves: May the God of Wit
  8. Three Elves: Echo
  9. Fairies, elves and a Fairy: Sing while we trip
    Fairy Dance
  10. Night: See even Night
  11. Mystery: I am come to lock
  12. Secrecy: One charming night

    13. ----
  13. Sleep: Hush, no more
  14. Dance for the followers of Night
  15. The Second Act tune

    16. Act III

  16. A Wood Nymph, Nymphs: If love's a sweet passion
  17. Symphony of the swans
  18. Dance for the Fairies
  19. Dance for the Green Men
  20. Dialogue between Corydon and Mopsa
  21. A Water Nymph: When I have oftten heard
  22. Dance for the Haymakers
  23. Corydon, Mopsa and Haymakers: A thousand, thousand ways
  24. Third Act tune

    25. LP-2

    Act IV

  25. Symphony
  26. Ist Attendant: Now the night
  27. Two other Attendants: Let the fifes and the clarions
  28. Entry of Phoebus
  29. Phoebus: When a cruel long winter
  30. Fairies and Elves: Hail! Great parent
  31. Spring: Thus the ever grateful Spring
  32. Summer: Here's the Summer
  33. Autumn: See my many coloured fields
  34. Winter: Now Winter come slowly
    Fairies and Elves: Hail! Great parent
  35. Fourth Act tune

    36. ----

    Act V

  36. Prelude
  37. Junon: Thrice Happy Lovers
  38. Entry dance
  39. Symphony
  40. Chinese man: Thus, the gloomy world
  41. Chinese woman: Thus happy and free
  42. Chinese man: Yes, Xansi
  43. Monkies' Dance
  44. Chinese woman: Hark, how all things
  45. Second chinese woman: Hark, how the echoing air
  46. Chinese woman: Sure the dull God
  47. Prelude (Hymen enters)
  48. Hymen: See, I obey
  49. Both women: Turn then thine eyes
  50. Hymen: My torch indeed
  51. Trio (Women and Hymen): They shall be as happy
  52. Chaconne
  53. Chorus: They shall be as happy

Playing time: 54' 02" + 58' 06" = 112' 08"

Performers: Deller Consort [Honnor Sheppard (soprano - Fairy, Night, Wood Nymph, Spring, woman, 2nd Chinese woman), Jean Knibbs (soprano - Fairy, Mystery, Water Nymph, 1st Attendant, 1st Chinese woman), Christina Clarke (soprano - Fairy, Wood Nymph, Juno), Alfred Deller (counter-tenor - Elf, Mopsa, Attendant, Summer, Chinese man), Mark Deller (counter-tenor - Secrecy, Attendant), John Buttrey (tenor - Elf, Autumn), Neil Jenkins (tenor - Phoebus), Maurice Bevan (baritone - Elf, Sleep, Winter, Hymen), Norman Platt (baritone - Drunken poet, Corydon)], Stour Music Chorus and Orchestra (leader: Penelope Howard) - Alfred Deller, dir.

Recording site and date:
Unknown [1972]
Rel. 1972

Compilation:
Harmonia mundi HMD 231 Purcell - The Fairy Queen

Reviewed in:
Diapason (#-p.):
Gramophone (Vol./#-p.):
Fanfare (Vol./#-p.):

Comments:
Information from owned LP.
This is a slightly abridged version (112' 08" vs 130' 07") compared to the Harmonia mundi release. It is stated on the back cover that this is "the original 1692 version, omitting the 1693 additions to Acts Three and Five, and the First and Second Music" (included in the Harmonia mundi release).

To FAQ references to this recording.

To FAQ CD index page.

Pierre-F. Roberge