Rosemary Joshua, Laurence Dreyfus, Elizabeth Kenny, Christophe Rousset, Les Talens Lyriques - Henry Purcell: Harmonia Sacra (2012) [Hi-Res]

Tracklist

01. Tell me, some pitying angel (The blessed Virgin's expostulation)
02. In the black, dismal dungeon of despair
03. We sing to him, whose wisdom form'd the ear
04. Air in G Minor
05. Great God, and just (A penitential hymn)
06. My song shall be alway (psalm 89)
07. Ground in D Minor
08. Lord, what is man
09. Let the night perish (Job's curse)
10. Chaconne in G Minor
11. The night is come (An evening hymn)
12. With sick and famish'd eyes
13. How have I stray'd
14. Suite in G Minor I. Prelude
15. Suite in G Minor II. Allemande
16. Suite in G Minor III. Courante
17. Suite in G Minor IV. Sarabande
18. My opening eyes are purged (A divine song of the Passion of our Saviour)
19. How long, great God (The aspiration)
20. Ground in C Minor
21. Sleep, Adam, and take thy rest
22. Thou wakeful shepherd (A morning hymn)
23. The earth trembled (On our Saviour's Passion)
24. Now that the sun hath veil'd his light (An evening hymn on a ground)



Purcell was not just a creature of the theatre - his genius with the human voice also extended to sacred and secular songs. Among his least well-known works, many of Purcell's sacred songs remained in manuscript and known only to a select few. It is possible that they were intended solely for an elite audience at court. Published by Henry Playford, Harmonia Sacra was a two-volume anthology of devotional song containing compositions by Purcell and several of his contemporaries. The settings here are scored for small forces - one to two voices, accompanied by continuo. The emotional range, however, is huge. This disc, featuring soprano Rosemary Joshua supported by Christophe Rousset and members of Les Talens Lyriques, presents a selection of sixteen of Purcell's solo songs interspersed with his works for harpsichord played by Christophe Rousset.

Rosemary Joshua, soprano
Les Talens Lyriques
Christophe Rousset, direction, harpsichord, organ
Elizabeth Kenny, lute
Laurence Dreyfus, viola da gamba

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