Eccles - The Judgment of Paris & Three Mad Songs - Chandos: CHAN0759 - CD or download

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Christian Curnyn elegantly captures the unique charms of Eccles's music. …as Venus, Lucy Crowe's melting lyricism, delicately underpinned by plucked and bowed instruments, is irresistible; the... — BBC Music Magazine, May 2009, 5 out of 5 stars More…

Release Date: 30th Mar 2009
Catalogue No: CHAN0759
Label: Chandos
Series: Chaconne
Length: 61 minutes

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Eccles, J: The Judgment of Paris

Work length49:40

$24.15

$29.90

Christian Curnyn, Early Opera Company, Roderick Williams, Susan Bickley, Claire Booth, Lucy Crowe, Chorus of Early Opera Company, Benjamin Hulett

Symphony for Mercury I

Track length1:22

$1.05

$1.30

Symphony for Mercury II

Track length2:16

$1.05

$1.30

Symphony for Mercury. Slow

Track length1:46

$1.05

$1.30

Symphony for Mercury. Brisk

Track length0:56

$1.05

$1.30

From high Olympus, and the Realms above (Mercury, Paris)

Track length3:25

$1.05

$1.30

O Ravishing Delight! (Paris)

Track length2:37

$1.05

$1.30

Fear not, Mortal. None shall harm thee (Mercury)

Track length1:28

$1.05

$1.30

Happy thou of Human Race (Mercury, Paris)

Track length1:51

$1.05

$1.30

Symphony for Juno - Saturnia, Wife of Thundring Jove, am I (Juno)

Track length3:45

$1.05

$1.30

Symphony for Pallas - This way, Mortal, bend they Eyes (Pallas)

Track length2:27

$1.05

$1.30

Symphony for Venus - Hither turn thee, gentle Swain (Venus)

Track length4:07

$1.05

$1.30

Hither turn thee, gentle Swain (Venus, Pallas, Juno)

Track length1:52

$1.05

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Distracted I turn, but I cannot decide - Apart let me view then each heav'nly Fair (Paris)

Track length2:28

$1.05

$1.30

Symphony. Let Ambition fire thy Mind (Juno)

Track length3:31

$1.05

$1.30

Awake, awake, they Spirits raise - Symphony (Pallas)

Track length1:12

$1.05

$1.30

Hark, hark! the glorious Voice of War - Symphony (Pallas)

Track length1:16

$1.05

$1.30

Oh what Joys does Conquest yield! (Pallas)

Track length1:05

$1.05

$1.30

O how glorius 'tis to see (Chorus)

Track length1:10

$1.05

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Symphony

Track length1:17

$1.05

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Stay, lovely Youth, delay thy Choice - Far from thee be anxious Care (Venus, Chorus)

Track length2:59

$1.05

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Nature fram'd thee sure for Loving - Fairest she, all Nymphs transcending (Venus)

Track length3:48

$1.05

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I yield, I yield, O take the Prize (Paris)

Track length1:09

$1.05

$1.30

Hither all ye Graces, all ye Loves (Grand Chorus)

Track length1:53

$1.05

$1.30

Eccles, J: Three Mad Songs

Work length12:25

$3.15

$3.90

Christian Curnyn, Early Opera Company, Claire Booth, Susan Bickley, Lucy Crowe

She Ventures, and He Wins. Restless in Tought disturb'd in Mind

Track length4:17

$1.05

$1.30

The Way of the Word. Love's but the frailty of the Mind

Track length4:40

$1.05

$1.30

The Comical History of Don Quixote. I Burn, I burn, my Brain consumes to Ashes

Track length3:28

$1.05

$1.30

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Christian Curnyn, whose reputation continues to grow in the world of Baroque opera, here conducts the world premiere recording of Judgment of Paris performed by the award-winning Early Opera Company, along with a stellar cast of soloists.

One of the earliest all-sung English operas, this one-act opera by John Eccles was composed in 1700 for a competition advertised in the London Gazette. Created by the ‘Persons of Quality’, a group of noblemen headed by Lord Halifax, the purpose of the competition was an ambitious and worthy one, namely the development of all-sung opera in English.

The text came from William Congreve, widely accepted as one of England’s leading playwrights. Four composers took up the challenge and to the surprise of many, Eccles, the pre-competition favourite did not win, being beaten by John Weldon. However, of all the settings, Eccles’s best captures the atmosphere of the London stage of the time and as a composer has since come to be recognised as one of Purcell’s most gifted London contemporaries.

Reviews

May 2009

Christian Curnyn elegantly captures the unique charms of Eccles's music. …as Venus, Lucy Crowe's melting lyricism, delicately underpinned by plucked and bowed instruments, is irresistible; the vigour of Claire Boothe (Pallas) and dignity of Susan Bickley (Juno) are equally impressive.

2010

Eccles's one-act 'semi-opera' (1701) calls for five solo singers, a choir and relatively modest instrumental resources – four-part strings, four trumpets, two recorders, kettledrums and continuo.
Absent are castrati and countertenors.
The music is tuneful, the boundaries between recitatives and airs often blurred. To address the lack of anguish or whiff of treachery in the masque, three 'mad' arias by the composer, each sung by a different soprano, are included at the end. The Early Opera Company band delivers delicately balanced homophonic accompaniments to the airs, varied by ground basses that remind us of Henry Purcell, and occasional solos, duos and quartets. As charming as it is, it doesn't bear comparison with opera seria of the day and, in particular, Handel's Rinaldo, presented to London audiences a decade later.
Christian Curnyn offers an unaffected, faithful reading of the printed score. If anything, it is understated, the instrumental forces reduced (the premiere employed 85 musicians in addition to the 'verse singers') and the recording acoustic intimate. Lucy Crowe's Venus may win the prize, but all of the soloists contribute beautifully judged portrayals.

June 2009

Christian Curnyn offers an unaffected, faithful reading of the printed score. If anything, it is understated, the instrumental forces reduced… and the recording acoustic intimate. Lucy Crowe's Venus may win the prize, but all of the soloists contribute beautifully judged portrayals.

12th April 2009

Really stylish singing by Lucy Crowe, Susan Bickley and Claire Booth as the three goddesses, with Juno the clear winner in the magnificently relentless number "Let Ambition Fire Thy Mind", and lithe playing and singing under a rising young baroque conductor.

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