Music for a while

PURCELL

I Fagiolini

Director - Robert Hollingworth

ANNA DENNIS — SOPRANO

HUGO HYMAS — TENOR

FREDERICK LONG — BASS-BARITONE

2 violins, viola, bass violin, 2 theorbo/guitar, harpsichord, organ

An 18 month search through every single piece of Henry Purcell to identify his absolute masterworks: a personal view, of course, but Robert Hollingworth's choices make an astounding evening's listening.  Some are no surprise, others feel newly uncovered, and all sung by three of the most engaging character singers (plus period instruments) to ravish the ear as only Purcell can.

‘Music for a while’, the sensual ‘O fair Cedaria’ and the catchy ‘She loves and confesses too’ (the baseline stolen from Monteverdi) are wound around foot-tapping hornpipes from Fairy Queen, ‘Dance of the Fairies’, ‘Chair Dance’ and a ‘Curtain Tune’. From the Odes, arias including the heartfelt ‘ When Orpheus Sang’.