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A celebration of Henry Purcell

Iestyn Davies and Simon Wall pay tribute to the 鈥楨nglish Orpheus鈥, Henry Purcell, led by period instrument specialist Richard Egarr and his Academy of Ancient Music.

In 2020, 主播大秀 Radio 3 is bringing together musical greats, from the past and the present, in one extraordinary Proms season. Radio 3 is broadcasting the best of four decades of unmissable Proms concerts.

The centrepiece of this concert 鈥 introduced by Suzy Klein and originally presented to celebrate the 350th anniversary year of Purcell鈥檚 birth in 2009 鈥 is an affecting tribute to the composer by his teacher and predecessor as organist of Westminster Abbey, John Blow. It sets Dryden鈥檚 poem of the same name, which describes how 鈥榯he lark and linnet sing鈥 but then fall silent at the appearance of 鈥榯he matchless man, our Orpheus鈥.

A sequence of Purcell鈥檚 solo songs and keyboard pieces and the deeply moving Evening Hymn complete this mix of mellifluous music, performed by English singers Iestyn Davies and Simon Wall. The duo are accompanied by members of the Academy of Ancient Music, led from the harpsichord by their Artistic Director Richard Egarr.

Purcell: Suite in G major 鈥 excerpts
Purcell: Hail, Bright Cecelia 鈥 鈥橳is nature鈥檚 voice
Purcell: A New Ground
Purcell: Music for a while
Purcell: Suite in D major 鈥 excerpts
Purcell: Sweeter than roses
Blow: Ode on the Death of Mr Henry Purcell
Purcell: Evening Hymn

Iestyn Davies (countertenor)
Simon Wall (tenor)
Members of the Academy of Ancient Music
Richard Egarr (harpsichord/director)

(From the 主播大秀 Proms, 7 September 2009)

57 minutes

Music Played

  • Henry Purcell

    Suite in G, Z770

    Performer: Richard Egarr.
  • Henry Purcell

    'Tis Nature's voice' (Hail, bright Cecilia)

    Singer: Iestyn Davies. Ensemble: Academy of Ancient Music. Director: Richard Egarr.
  • Henry Purcell

    A New Ground in E minor, ZT682

    Performer: Richard Egarr.
  • Henry Purcell

    Music for a while (Oedipus)

    Singer: Iestyn Davies. Ensemble: Academy of Ancient Music. Director: Richard Egarr.
  • Henry Purcell

    Suite No. 6 in D major, Z667

    Performer: Richard Egarr.
  • Henry Purcell

    Sweeter than roses (Pausanias)

    Singer: Iestyn Davies. Ensemble: Academy of Ancient Music. Director: Richard Egarr.
  • John Blow

    Mark How the lark and the linnet sing - Ode on the death of Mr Henry Purcell

    Singer: Iestyn Davies. Ensemble: Academy of Ancient Music. Director: Richard Egarr. Singer: Simon Wall.
  • Henry Purcell

    Now that the sun hath veiled his light (An Evening Hymn)

    Singer: Iestyn Davies. Ensemble: Academy of Ancient Music. Director: Richard Egarr.
  • Orlando Gibbons

    Galliard 脿 6

    Ensemble: Phantasm.
    • Gibbons: Consorts for viols: Phantasm.
    • Avie.
    • 20.

Broadcast

  • Sun 2 Aug 2020 13:00

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