Purcell
Suite in G major – excerpts
Purcell
Hail, Bright Cecelia – ’Tis nature’s voice
Purcell
A New Ground
Purcell
Music for a while
Purcell
Suite in D major – 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)
Reviewed by:
Reviewed: 2 August, 2020
Venue:
The centrepiece of this concert – introduced by Suzy Klein and originally presented to celebrate the 350th anniversary year of Purcell’s birth in 2009 – is an affecting tribute to the composer by his teacher and predecessor as organist of Westminster Abbey, John Blow. It sets Dryden’s poem of the same name, which describes how ‘the lark and linnet sing’ but then fall silent at the appearance of ‘the matchless man, our Orpheus’.
A sequence of Purcell’s 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.