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Home , Henry Purcell

Sweeter than roses by Henry Purcell

ANNA DENNIS soprano SOUNDS JULIAN PERKINS DIRECTOR Sweeter than roses This recording is dedicated to the memory of Gwen Serena Hooper.

Songs by Henry Purcell (1659–1695) Henry Purcell (1659–1695) Henry Purcell 1. Sweeter than roses, Z. 585/1 [3:34] 20. Love arms himself in Celia’s eyes, Z. 392 [3:05] 2. Cupid, the slyest rogue alive, Z. 367 [2:39] 21. Celia’s fond, too long I’ve lov’d her, Z. 364 [2:36] 3. On the brow of Richmond Hill, Z. 405 [1:40] 22. I came, I saw, and was undone 4. She loves and she confesses too, Z. 413 [2:25] (The Thraldom), Z. 375 [4:15] Anna Dennis soprano 23. Oh! fair Cedaria, hide those eyes, Z. 402 [4:13] (1596–1662) 24. How blest are shepherds (from Sounds Baroque 5. No Reprieve [4:20] , Z. 628, arr. Sounds Baroque) [6:14] James Akers & 6. A Lover’s Legacy [1:47] Henrik Persson da gamba Julian Perkins director, , spinet 5–6 & organ Francesco Corbea (1615–1681) Total playing me [67:33] Suite in C major for guitar 7. Caprice de Chacone [2:50] 8. [1:06] 9. Menuet [0:45] 10. Autre Chacone [1:35]

Henry Purcell 11. Urge me no more, Z. 426 [3:47] 12. In the black, dismal dungeon of despair, Z. 190 [4:18] 13. Now that the sun hath veil’d his light (An Evening Hymn), Z. 193 [4:19]

Giovanni Basta Draghi (1640–1708) Suite in E minor for harpsichord 14. Prelude [0:46] 15. Allmand [3:18] 16. Corrant [1:54] 17. The Complaint [2:34] 18. Aire [1:16] ‘[…] Dennis’s golden tone and rounded upper register held us enchanted’ 19. Jigg [2:05] The Times

‘[…] the recording [from Sounds Baroque] is a model of clarity and warmth’ Internaonal Record Review Sweeter than roses: Songs by of Sweeter than roses, for instance, he uses Henry Purcell (1659–1695) both repeon and sensuous melodic curves to intensify in turn the words ‘cool’, ‘warm’, It was the publisher Henry Playford ‘dear’, ‘trembling’ and ‘freeze’. In the 1695 (1657–1709) who established Henry Purcell’s tragedy Pausanias the is sung by the mythic status. Three years aer the calculang Pandora as she contemplates a ’s unmely death he issued a seducon for shady polical ends; the handsome memorial collecon of vocal starkly contrasng second strain, illustrang music, entling it Orpheus Britannicus. In ‘victorious love’ with suitably military the preface he declared: ‘The Author’s figures, appears to prefigure her success, extraordinary Talent in all sorts of Musick though in the event she fails. is sufficiently known, but he was especially admir’d for the Vocal, having a peculiar Cupid, the slyest rogue alive (1685), On Genius to express the energy of English the brow of Richmond Hill (1691) and She Words, whereby he mov’d the Passions loves and she confesses too (1680) give of all his Auditors [hearers]’. some idea of the sheer diversity of Purcell’s art. The first falls into no fewer than seven What exactly was Playford referring to? short and contrasng secons, but is almost Partly it was Purcell’s uncanny knack of enrely declamatory – as always with Purcell, capturing speech-rhythms, as his fellow not in the manner of Italian recitave but composer (and one-me fellow Chapel with a clear metrical structure and muscular Royal chorister) Henry Hall (1656–1707), bass lines. The seng shades briefly into organist of Hereford Cathedral, wrote in lyricism only when Cupid, stung by a bee, a prefatory poem for the collecon: flies to his mother’s arms for comfort (he gets short shri); the rhythmic subtlety Each syllable first weigh’d, or short, or long, of the vocal lines is very striking. The That it might too be Sense, as well as Song. second is a cheerfully straighorward number, with bold melodic outlines in a But that was only a first step. Purcell also dance metre. The third unfolds over a had an unerring skill at highlighng key reiterated, or ‘ground’, bass, stated words, somemes with a stab from the unaltered more than twenty mes below supporng harmony, more oen within a constantly evolving and effortlessly Engraved portrait of Henry Purcell by (1645–1703) the vocal line itself. In the opening bars varied vocal line. Purcell’s skill in creang aer John Closterman (1660–1711), from Orpheus Britannicus James Francis Brown Photography: Liz Isles such movements was extraordinary; this Now that the sun hath veil’d his light, and was undone (The Thraldom) brings us a third (twstaro- stanzas again) – but this is more than early example is relavely simple, but he despite being by the same author and crossed swain, this me railing against love merely a lovely melody: it is art that conceals soon learnt how to manipulate the bass roughly contemporaneous with it. Purcell itself (‘hard master’), rather than the lover. art, for its direct and limpid music sets line so as to shi it into different keys, as responded with a histrionic declamatory Purcell’s seng, on an ambious scale, words celebrang a pastoral life of Arcadian he does in Now that the sun hath veil’d seng that deploys all of his rhetorical offers yet another twist on the biparte simplicity. Despite its superlave quality, the his light (An Evening Hymn, 1688), with techniques: tortured harmonies, precipitous plan, with a dramac, boldly declamatory piece never made it into print unl nearly a its quietly ecstac vocal line – and also vocal lines with jagged rhythms and opening leading into a faster secon – hundred years aer the young composer’s how to embed a ground in a larger extremes of register, and above all, insistent beginning precisely on the word ‘quickly’ – death: a surprising failure to exploit a number structure, as in Oh! fair Cedaria, hide those repeon: the words ‘Is there no redempon? with crisp short vocal phrases over a from a show which, in the theatre, had been eyes (c. 1690), where a triple-me ground no relief?’ are set three mes, each higher marching and somemes scurrying bass a smash hit. with gently florid vocal lines is framed by in pitch and more powerful. line, before a shi into triple metre and declamatory wring in common me. a more lyrical mood. Although Purcell bestrode the Restoraon Love arms himself in Celia’s Eyes (c. 1695) musical scene like a colossus, he also stood Urge me no more (1682) represents yet is another biparte song, but again one Unbridled lyricism, though, is rare in on the shoulders of earlier English giants. another disnct type of structure. The with a difference: the common-me opening Purcell’s single songs. Understandably he He was heir to the glorious sacred polyphony biparte song – the first strain declamatory, strain itself falls into two disnct secons. reserved it for other contexts: standout of the Tudors; to the rich instrumental the second tuneful – had originated in The first features militarisc fanfare figures solo movements in longer works such as of the earlier-seventeenth Italy but long since been absorbed into evoking ‘arms’; the second is an extended odes and, most notably, . In the century; and to the wonderfully disncve the English tradion. This specimen, dialogue between vocal and bass parts laer he excelled at producing, with all solo songs of mid-century , of though, offers an intriguing variant on dely suggesng the ‘repeated thoughts’ the aplomb of a conjurer drawing a rabbit whom perhaps the most notable was the familiar paern: the first strain, of the text. Most unusually, for the closing out of a hat, a knock-’em-dead show- Henry Lawes (1595–1662). The flexible, dominated by dramacally jagged vocal strain the music shis not only from common stopping tune: quite literally show-stopping, asymmetrical gestures of his No Reprieve lines vividly evoking the extravagant and to triple me but also from bright major in an age that was not shy of demanding ancipate many such in Purcell’s declamatory gloomy imagery of the text, is more than to bleak minor, reflecng the poem’s vain encores. (His great choral ode Hail! bright music, though the structure of the song is twice as long as the second, which serves appeal to piless ‘cruel reason’; a Cecilia was immediately repeated in its unusual, embodying four statements of a as lile more than a discomfing coda; curvaceous melisma and an icy dissonance enrety at its first performance – all fiy lengthy and musically memorable refrain music indeed for the violently unseled vividly highlight the ‘cold’ breast of Celia, minutes of it!) One of the most memorable reiterang submission to Fate. A Lover’s mes described in the poem. That of In the rejected lover’s mistress. Another of these c big tunes, How blest are Legacy is an Italianate biparte song – an the black, dismal dungeon of despair cruel nymph of the same name is portrayed shepherds, must sll have been ringing in antecedent of the type we have already (1688) shis the unease from the societal in Celia’s fond, too long I’ve lov’d her (1694), the ears of the audience heading homeward encountered in Purcell’s Love arms himself to the spiritual sphere – a self-lacerang this me in a skish dance-measure seng, from King Arthur (1691). Purcell secured and Urge me no more, though its first strain rant, far removed from the peaceful full of vocal flourishes indicave of her maximum impact by stang it five mes – is more melodious than declamatory, while certaines expressed in the poem of wantonness and inconstancy. I came, I saw, orchestra, solo (two stanzas), and chorus its second taps into the same vein of simple direct lyricism that Purcell was to mine so ground-bass movements. Curiously, What makes a composer English? This enigma about Purcell connues to deeply thirty or forty years later. another forms the finale. intrigue this performer. His musical fluidity Musick and Poetry have ever been is extraordinary. And how can his powerful For all his rootedness in English tradions, Purcell certainly knew Giovanni Basta acknowledg’d Sisters, which walking harmonies be both so simple and yet so hand in hand, support each other; As Purcell was keenly aware of musical trends Draghi (1640–1708), and was directly sophiscated? In the same way that J. S. Bach’s Poetry is the harmony of Words … so in France and Italy. The constant traffic influenced by him, in the important area (1658–1750) keyboard suites combine the is Musick the exaltaon of Poetry. Both between the courts of Charles II and of wring for full orchestra. Draghi, another of them may excel apart, but sure they dance-like with the intellectual, the Louis XIV included strong cultural and Italian composer and virtuoso performer, are most excellent when they are overlapping of bass and melody phrases specifically musical elements; for this me on the harpsichord and organ, joyn’d, because nothing is then wanng in ‘’s ’ are at once cerebral, example, (1647–1674), had been long resident in London. He was to either of their Perfecons… human and theatrical. The earthy man who a former chorister, who the first composer in to add penned the instrucon ‘Belch’ in his was choirmaster there during Purcell’s trumpets to the customary strings and From the dedicaon to , notorious Catches was also he who created final chorister years, had been sent to woodwind, in From Harmony, his seng Henry Purcell scenes of unparalleled tenderness and drama study in France as soon as his own voice of ’s (1631–1700) 1687 ode in vocal and instrumental works that haunt us had broken. Purcell will certainly have to St Cecilia; Purcell famously and totally Henry Purcell’s mastery at seng the to this day. Let us imaginavely reconstruct known of Francesco Corbea (1615–1681), eclipsed Draghi’s orchestral prowess in English language is undisputed. But those the meeng between a fiy-one-year-old an Italian composer who had risen to his operas and odes from 1690 onwards. of us who are not scholars perhaps pay Purcell and the twenty-five-year-old George eminence at the French court as a Nevertheless the two seem to have insufficient aenon to the influences Frideric Handel (1685–1759) when the virtuoso guitarist and theorbo player, and remained on friendly terms: an autograph he drew from France and Italy. Many of laer first came to London in 1710. One had, moreover, made extended visits to manuscript of harpsichord music by his songs have extensive runs on single of musical history’s most galling ‘What ifs…’. London (though there is no evidence of Purcell, sll containing blank pages, syllables and arresng declamatory any musical link between the two men). passed at some point into the hands of vocal figures whose roots are surely It would be presumptuous to claim that our Corbea’s Suite in C major appeared in Draghi, who added further works of his the madrigalian dramas of Claudio musical medley answers any of these print in a volume which was published own. Draghi’s Suite in E minor is one of Monteverdi (1567–1643), or even quesons. Rather, by drawing aenon to in Paris in 1671 but, following his first six published in London in 1707. Its layout Carlo Gesualdo (1566–1613), while his Purcell’s creave contradicons, we hope visit to the English court, was dedicated follows the well-worn baroque formula, seamless shiing between recitave to engage you in creave listening. On a to Charles II. It follows the well established a prelude followed by a sequence of and dance-like arioso is reminiscent of technical level, the hypnoc eternal ground outline of the dance suite, save that its contrasng dance movements – exactly as the courtly music dramas of Jean-Bapste (in which the bass line repeats a musical opening movement is not in free form do Purcell’s eight keyboard suites, with Lully (1632–1687). So, how is it that phrase) weaves a thread through our but instead based on a regular repeated which those of Draghi may worthily Purcell’s frame of reference is European, programme, underpinning She loves and harmonic framework (rather contradicng stand comparison. yet his musical identy remains she confesses too, Now that the sun hath its tle, ‘Caprice’) – a distant cousin, then, quintessenally English? veil’d his light (An Evening Hymn) and Oh! of Purcell's own and © 2019 Bruce Wood fair Cedaria, hide those eyes, while we reserve the idiom of the repeated verse Would Purcell have known works by the Texts How it has gor’d and wounded me!’ for the final item in our own arrangement, Lawes brothers? It seems likely that Purcell ‘And are not you’, replied his mother, that celebrates a long tradion of was drawn to Henry Lawes’s songs with Henry Purcell (1659–1695) ‘For all the world just such another, domesc music-making. connuo, many of which are infused with 1. Sweeter than roses, Z. 585/1 Just such another peevish thing, the spoken qualies of Italian recitave Like in bulk, and like in sng? Interspersed are works that embrace and deliberate rhythmic disconnuity. Sweeter than roses, or cool evening breeze, For when you aim a pois’nous dart Against some poor unwary heart, emoonal extremes; a tortured harmonic Purcell uses similar devices to conjure On a warm flow’ry shore, was the dear kiss, First trembling made me freeze, How lile is the archer found, shi ushers in the ‘untuned fortunes’ in ephemeral beauty from seemingly Then shot like fire all o’er. And yet how wide, how deep the wound!’ the woeful Urge me no more, while dance fragmentary musical components. But What magic has victorious love! itself extols the tangible bliss of that first he goes further in turning up the For all I touch or see since that dear kiss, John Dryden (1631–1700), from Sylvae, kiss in Sweeter than roses. An angular dramac heat. His songs can even seem I hourly prove, all is love to me. derived from Theocritus, Idyll No. 19 vocal line evokes a profound bleakness like vignees from Samuel Becke’s in In the black, dismal dungeon of despair, plays: powerful narraves that do not shy Richard Norton (1666–1732), from 3. On the brow of Richmond Hill, Z. 405 while jerky rhythms depict the ‘pricking’ away from moments of awkwardness, Pausanias, the Betrayer of his Country of Cupid by a bee in the delighully vulnerability and ambiguity. How can one On the brow of Richmond Hill, coquesh Cupid, the slyest rogue alive. not be lured by the emoonal honesty 2. Cupid, the slyest rogue alive, Z. 367 Which Europe scarce can parallel, of this ‘English Orpheus’? Ev’ry eye such wonders fill Nobody can exist in a vacuum, of course, Cupid, the slyest rogue alive, To view the prospect round; and the other composers featured here are © 2019 Julian Perkins One day was plund’ring of a hive, Where the silver Thames does glide, And stately courts are edified, only a selecon among those many who in But as with too, too eager haste, He strove the liquid sweets to taste, Meadows deck’d in summer’s pride, some way acted in with A bee surpris’d the heedless boy, With verdant beaues crown’d; Purcell. Francesco Corbea and Giovanni Prick’d him and dash’d the expected joy. Lovely Cynthia passing by, Basta Draghi were esteemed London- The urchin, when he felt the smart With brighter glories blest my eye, based Italian musicians, the laer losing to Of the envenom’d, angry dart, Ah, then in vain, in vain, said I, Purcell in the infamous Bale of the Organs He kick’d, he flung, he spurn’d the ground, The fields and flow’rs do shine; in 1684. Despite his Italian provenance, He blow’d, and then he chaf’d the wound, Nature in this charming place Draghi’s E minor suite is strongly Anglo- He blow’d, and chaf’d the wound in vain, Created pleasure in excess, French in character; while the first three The rubbing sll increas’d the pain. But all are poor to Cynthia’s face, movements draw from the rarefied French Straight to his mother’s lap he hies, Whose features are divine. world of Louis Couperin (1626–1661), the With swelling cheeks and blubber’d eyes. last three have the rhythmic zest common Cries she: ‘What does my Cupid ail?’ Thomas d’Urfey (1653–1723), from to many tunes composed for the English When thus he told his mournful tale: Ode to Cynthia Restoraon theatre. ‘A lile bird they call a bee, With yellow wings, see, mother, see, 4. She loves and she confesses too, Z. 413 Alas! Undone to Fate, I bow my head Ready to die, now die, and now am dead. She loves and she confesses too, You look to have an age of trial There’s then at last no more to do; Ere you a lover will repay; The happy work’s enrely done, But my state brooks no more denial, Enter the town which thou hast won; I cannot this one minute stay. The fruits of conquest now begin, Alas! Undone to Fate, I bow my head Io, triumph, enter in. Ready to die, now die, and now am dead. What’s this, ye Gods? What can it be? Look in my wound and see how cold, Remains there sll an enemy? How pale and gasping my soul lies, Bold Honour stands up in the gate, Which nature strives in vain to hold, And would yet capitulate. Whilst wing’d with sighs away it flies. Have I o’ercome all real foes, Alas! Undone to Fate, I bow my head And shall this phantom me oppose? Ready to die, now die, and now am dead. Noisy nothing, stalking shade, See, see already Charon’s boat, By what witchcra wert thou made, Who grimly asks, ‘Why all this stay?’ Thou empty cause of solid harms? Hark how the fatal Sisters shout! But I shall find out counter charms, And now the call ‘Away, away!’ Thy airy devilship to remove Alas! Undone to Fate, I bow my head From this circle here of love. Ready to die, now die, and now am dead. Sure I shall rid myself of thee By the night’s obscurity, Sir John Berkenhead (1617–1679) And obscurer secrecy; Unlike to ev’ry other spright 6. A Lover’s Legacy Thou aempt’st not men to affright, Nor appear’st but in the light. Fain would I, Chloris, ere I die, Bequeath you such a legacy, Abraham Cowley (1618–1667) from The Mistress As you might say when I am gone, ‘None has the like!’ My heart alone Henry Lawes (1596–1662) Were the best gi I could bestow 5. No Reprieve But that's already yours you know. So that ll you my heart resign Now, now, Lucaa, now make haste, Or fill with yours the place of mine, If thou wilt see how strong thou art, And by that grace my store renew, There needs but one frown more to waste I shall have nought worth giving you, The whole remainder of my heart. Whose breast has all the wealth I have,

Save a faint carcase and a grave. 12. In the black, dismal dungeon of despair, Z. 190 Dear, dear God, even in thy arms, Ere she lov’d I did adore her, But had I as many hearts as hairs, And can there be any so sweet security? And give over thus, thus before her. As many loves as love has fears, In the black, dismal dungeon of despair, Then to thy rest, O my soul, As many lives as years have hours, Pined with tormenng care, And singing, praise the mercy ar. Peter Anthony Moeux (1663–1718) They should be all and only yours. Wracked with my fears, Drowned in my tears, That prolongs thy days! With dreadful expectaon of my doom Alleluia! 22. I came, I saw, and was undone, Z. 375 Anonymous And certain horrid judgement soon to come: Lord, here I lie, Bishop William Fuller I came, I saw, and was undone, Henry Purcell Lost to all hope of liberty, Lightning did thro’ my bones and marrow run; 11. Urge me no more, Z. 426 Hence never to remove 20. Love arms himself in Celia’s eyes, Z. 392 A pointed pain pierc’d deep my heart, But by a miracle of Love, A swi cold trembling seiz’d on ev’ry part; Urge me no more, this airy mirth belongs Which I scarce hope for or expect, Love arms himself in Celia’s eyes My head turn’d round, nor could it bear To beer mes, these mes are not for songs. Being guilty of so long, so great neglect. Whene’er weak reason would rebel, The poison that was enter’d there. The sprightly twang of the melodious Fool that I was, worthy a sharper rod, And ev’ry me I dare be wise, So a destroying angel’s breath Agrees not with my voice, and both unsuit To slight thy courng, O my God! Alas, a deeper wound I feel. Blows in the plague and with it hasty Death; My untun’d fortunes. Th’affected measure For thou did’st woo, entreat and grieve, Repeated thoughts present the ill, Such was the pain did so begin, Of strains that are constrain’d afford no pleasure. Did’st beg me to be happy and to live; Which seeing I must sll endure. To the poor wretch when Legion enter’d in. Music’s the child of mirth, where griefs assail But I would not; I chose to dwell They tell me love has darts to kill, ‘Forgive me, God’, I cry’d, for I The troubled soul, both voice and fingers fail; With Death, far from thee, too near to Hell. And wisdom has no pow’r to cure. Flaer’d myself I was to die; My grief’s too great for smiling eyes But is there no redempon, no relief? Then cruel reason give me rest, But quickly to my cost I found To cure or counter charms to exorcise. Thou saved’st a Magdalen, a thief – Quit in my heart thy feeble hold, ‘Twas cruel Love, not Death had made the wound. The raven’s dismal croaks, the midnight howls O Jesu! Thy mercy, Lord, once more advance; Go try thy force in Celia’s breast, Death a more gen’rous rage does use, Of empty wolves mix’d with the screech of owls, O give me such a glance For that is disengag’d and cold. Quarter to all he conquers does refuse, The nine sad knolls of a dull passing bell, As Peter had; thy sweet, kind, chiding look There all thy nicest arts employ, Whilst Love with barbarous mercy saves With the loud language of a nightly knell, Will change my heart, as it did melt that rock. Confess thyself her beauty’s slave, The vanquish’d lives to make them slaves. And horrid outcries of revenged crimes, Look on me, sweet Jesu, as thou did’st on him! And argue whilst she may destroy, I am thy slave, then let me know, Join’d in a medley, is music for these mes. ‘Tis more than to create, thus to redeem. How great, how godlike ‘s to save. Hard master, the great task I have to do; These are no mes to touch the merry strings Who pride and scorn do undergo, Of Orpheus, no, Ah! no, these are no mes to sing. Bishop William Fuller (1608–1675) Mahew Prior (1664–1721) In tempests and rough seas thy gallies row, How can my music relish in your ears, They pant, and groan, and sigh, but find That cannot speak for sobs nor sing for tears? 13. Now that the sun hath veil’d his light, Z. 193 21. Celia’s Fond, too long I’ve lov’d her, Z. 364 Their sighs increase the angry wind. Like an Egypan tyrant, some Anonymous, c. 1600 Now, now that the sun hath veil’d his light Celia’s fond, too long I’ve lov’d her, Thou weariest out in building but a tomb; And bid the world goodnight; Too much flame consumes the fuel; Others with sad and tedious art To the so bed my body I dispose, Much she pleas’d when first I mov’d her, Labour i’ the quarries of a stony heart. But where shall my soul repose? But much more when she was cruel. Of all the works thou dost assign To all the sev’ral slaves of thine, Age will come me enough for your repenng. Employ me, mighty Love, to dig the mine. John Dryden Abraham Cowley Instruments 23. Oh! fair Cedaria, hide those eyes, Z. 402 14 course theorbo made by Günter Marx, Erlangen Oh! fair Cedaria, hide those eyes 1986, aer Maeo Sellas (Brussels No. 255), That hearts enough have won; c. 1635. For whosoever sees them dies, And cannot ruin shun. 5 course baroque guitar made by Bruce Brook, Such beauty and charms are seen East Sussex 2003, aer Alexandre Voboam, United in your face, Paris 1676. The proudest can’t but own you queen Of beauty, wit and grace. Viola da gamba made by Jane Julier, Devon 2012, Then pity me, who am your slave, aer Michel Colichon, Paris 1695. Bow made by And grant me a reprieve; Gerhard Landwehr, the Netherlands. Unless I may your favour have, I can’t one moment live. Double-manual harpsichord made by Malcolm Rose, Lewes 1997, aer an anonymous Parisian Anonymous instrument of 1667 in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Kindly loaned by Malcom Rose and tuned 24. How blest are shepherds (from by Edmund Pickering. King Arthur, Z. 628) Spinet made by John Rawson, London c. 1979, How blest are shepherds, how happy their lasses, aer an anonymous English spinet of 1708 in the While drums and trumpets are sounding alarms. Royal College of Music Museum, London. Kindly Over our lowly sheds all the storm passes loaned by Malcolm Greenhalgh and tuned by And when we die, ‘s in each other’s arms. Edmund Pickering. All the day on our herds and flocks employing, All the night on our flutes and in enjoying. Chest organ made by Winold van der Puen Bright nymphs of Britain with graces aended, and Berend Veger, Winschoten 1993, aer Let not your days without pleasure expire. historical models. Kindly loaned by James Honour's but empty, and when youth is ended, Johnstone and tuned by Edmund Pickering. Julian Perkins (Photography: Benjamin Harte) All men will praise you but none will desire. Let not youth fly away without contenng; Tuning: 1/6 comma circulang temperament.

Photography: Johnny Millar Sounds Baroque and premiered at London’s Kings Place in 2016. Praised by Opera magazine as ‘a wiy Since its creaon by Director Julian Perkins pasccio’, it features re-arranged and re-texted in 2005, Sounds Baroque has devoted itself works by seventeen mostly baroque and to conveying the thrilling theatricality and classical composers (but including Bellini as intense passion of music in the seventeenth well!) and has what might well be the and eighteenth centuries. Comprising some world’s longest-held note in a recitave. of the finest period instrumentalists of our mes, Sounds Baroque has collaborated Sounds Baroque’s discs for Avie Records, with many eminent singers and actors Conversazioni I and Conversazioni II, explore including Simon Callow, Peter Capaldi, the wealth of vocal and instrumental music Rebecca Evans, Dame Emma Kirkby, conceived for arsc gatherings – or Timothy West and David Wilson-Johnson, conversazioni – in Rome at the turn of the as well as an illustrious array of younger eighteenth century. stars including Anna Dennis, Ashley Riches, Anna Starushkevych and William Towers. 2018 saw the birth of a new partnership with Cambridge Handel Opera where group Sounds Baroque is heard regularly on BBC principals perform alongside and mentor Radio 3 and has appeared at London’s the next generaon of period instrumentalists Southbank Centre, Kings Place and in operas by Handel and his contemporaries. St John’s Smith Square, and at internaonal Their acclaimed producon of Handel’s fesvals in Cheltenham, JAM on the Marsh, Rodelinda included advanced students London, Roman River, Ryedale, Tel Aviv, from Cambridge University, Guildhall School Two Moors and York. Beyond the baroque of Music & Drama, Royal College of Music, it has given world premieres of works by Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama Paul Ayres, Stephen Dodgson and Iain and the Utrechts Conservatorium. Farrington, and oen undertakes educaonal projects and engages in pre-performance Anna Dennis (soprano) talks and debates. y: Jet) Anna Dennis studied at the Royal Academy aph ogr Recent and ongoing projects include the of Music, London. Notable concert opera pasccio, Casanova, devised by writer performances have included Brien’s (Phot and cric Stephen Pe and Julian Perkins War at the Berlin Philharmonie, Anna Dennis Photography: Johnny Millar Russian operac with Philharmonia Festspiel Orchester Göngen; Couperin’s Henrik Persson (viola da gamba) Julian Perkins (director, harpsichord, Baroque in San Francisco, roles in all three Lecons de Tenebre with Jonathan Cohen and spinet & organ) Monteverdi operas in John Eliot Gardiner’s Arcangelo; and a disc featuring chamber Originally from Stockholm, Henrik Persson world tour of the Trilogy, Thomas Ades’ works by the Russian composer Elena Langer, studied baroque and classical with Julian Perkins is Founder Director of Life Story accompanied by the composer Landscape with Three People, on the Jennifer Ward-Clark and viola da gamba Sounds Baroque and Arsc Director of at the Lincoln Center’s White Light Fesval Harmonia Mundi label. with Richard Campbell at the Royal Cambridge Handel Opera. in New York, Orff’s Carmina Burana and Academy of Music, London. Specialising Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater with the Orquestra James Akers (theorbo & baroque guitar) in seventeenth- and eighteenth-century As a player, Julian has performed Gulbenkian in Lisbon and Bach repertoire, Henrik has performed and with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, with Les Violons du Roi in Montreal. James Akers studied with Jakob Lindberg at toured extensively throughout the UK Royal Northern Sinfonia and Orchestra of Her BBC Proms appearances include the Royal College of Music, London and, and the world for many years as first , and has gained a wealth of performances with the City of Birmingham following a Junior Fellowship at Trinity connuo player for the New London experience performing with many leading Symphony Orchestra, the BBC Symphony College of Music, began performing widely Consort and with the Musicians of the period instrument ensembles and modern Orchestra, the Brien Sinfonia and the with leading arsts, ensembles, orchestras, Globe. He is a member of the Musical orchestras. He has performed as the solo Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. opera and theatre companies including and Amicable Society in the Midlands, harpsichordist in producons at the Royal , Dame Emma Kirkby, with whom he also makes solo Opera House, Welsh Naonal Opera and Recent opera roles include: Paride in Gluck’s I Fagiolini, the Dunedin Consort, Sle Anco, appearances, and is a founding member Northern Ireland Opera, featured on BBC Paride ed Elena and Iphigenie (Iphigenie English Naonal Opera, Opera North, the and co-director together with Caroline Radio 3’s Early Music Show and appeared en Tauride; both Nürnberg Internaonale Scosh Chamber Orchestra, Essen Ritchie of the Newe Vialles consort. at numerous venues such as London’s Gluck Festspiele); Katherine Dee in Damon Philharmonie, Shakespeare's Globe Theatre Other work includes regular appearances Wigmore Hall, New York’s Lincoln Center Albarn’s Dr Dee (English Naonal Opera); and Damon Albarn. He has released several with Amici Voices, Florilegium, the and Sydney Opera House, as well as at the Emira in Handel’s Siroe and Rosmene in solo recordings of lute and romanc guitar Hanover Band, the Academy of Ancient BBC Proms and Edinburgh Internaonal Handel’s Imeneo (Göngen Händel music and given recitals throughout Europe Music, Cambridge Handel Opera and Fesval. His acclaimed discography Festspiele); Bersi in Andrea Chenier at major venues and fesvals. He lectures Spiritato. Henrik also tutors at the annual includes chamber, solo and opera recordings (Opera North), Ilia in Idomeneo directed on period plucked string instruments and Baroque Opera and Oratorio courses at for Avie, Chandos, Coro, Opus Arte and by Graham Vick (Birmingham Opera performance pracce at the Royal Benslow Music. His first solo recording Resonus on a wide range of instruments, Company) and Queen of the Night Conservatoire of Scotland. together with Jonathan Rees and the including the Royal Harpsichord at Kew Palace. Zauberflöte (Clarion, New York). Musical and Amicable Society of music Throughout his varied career James has for Weston Park was released in 2018. Conducng engagements have included Her recordings include: Rameau’s explored music from a stylisc perspecve, staged opera producons for the Buxton Anacreon of 1754 with the Orchestra of combining diligent research with expressive Internaonal Fesval, Cambridge Handel the Age of Enlightenment; Handel’s Siroe playing, to communicate the connuity of Opera, Dutch Naonal Opera Academy, and Joshua with Laurence Cummings and musical expression through the centuries. Grimeborn Fesval, Guildhall School of

Photography: Johnny Millar More titles from Resonus Classics Music & Drama, Kings Place, New Chamber Dr Alan Sainer Opera and New , in addion to Janet Snowman O Sing Unto the Lord: Sacred Music by Henry Purcell numerous concert performances. Heather Swain Saint Thomas of Men & Boys, Yvonne Horsfall Turner Fifth Avenue, New York Julian read music at King’s College, Charloe Way Concert Royal Cambridge, before pursuing advanced Mark Windisch John Scott (conductor) RES10184 studies at the Schola Cantorum, Basle and the , London. In addion to those listed, I should like to ‘The singers do excellent justice to Purcell’s He is also a vising coach at the Royal thank Richard Austen, Philip Blake-Jones, eloquent music’ Opera House, directs the annual Baroque Merith Godwin-Greer, Malcolm Greenhalgh, Early Music America project with Southbank Sinfonia, and has Emeritus Professor Peter Holman MBE, given masterclasses at the Naonal Richard and Abigail Hooper, James Music for Windy Instruments: Opera Studio and several music colleges. Johnstone, Edmund Pickering, Malcolm Rose, Sounds from the Court of James I Laura Royde, Dr William Salaman, The English & Ensemble Subscribers Dr Ruth Smith, Michael Wade OBE, RES10225 Judith Wardman and many others who Subscribers were essenal in supporng have made this project possible. ‘It’s difficult not to smile, the group’s sonorous music publicaons throughout the burblings the sonic equivalent of a friendly hug’ baroque era. i have resurrected this Julian Perkins The Arts Desk tradion in order to help fund this recording, and am very grateful to the subscribers listed below.

© 2019 Resonus Limited Lionel Anthony Charitable Trust è 2019 Resonus Limited Recorded in Trafalgar Park, Salisbury on 21–23 January 2018, by kind permission of Michael Wade OBE. Di Allison Trafalgar Park supports a range of musical activities, often linked to charitable fundraising (www.trafalgarpark.com). Producer, engineer & editor: Adam Binks Anonymous Recorded at 24-bit/96kHz resolution Lionel and Marylyn Anthony Session photography © Resonus Limited Peter Colle Cover image: Rose by Lobo Studio Hamburg (pixabay.com) David Griffel RESONUS LIMITED – UK David Ireson Derek Kehoe [email protected] Hazel Morgan www.resonusclassics.com

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