Purcell: Hail! Bright Cecilia (Ode for St Cecilia's Day 1692), Z328

The last, and greatest, of Purcell’s four Odes to St Cecilia, Hail! bright Cecilia was composed to a text by Nicholas Brady in 1692 in honour of the feast day of Saint Cecilia, patron saint of musicians. It is a celebratory work comprising of masterful instrumental sections, majestic choruses, and varied solos, duets and trios. Written in 1695, Who can from joy refrain? was composed as an ode celebrating the Duke of Gloucester’s sixth birthday. Both these works reveal the unparalleled richness of the composer’s musical invention and explain why, more than three hundred years later, Henry Purcell is still regarded as one of Britain’s finest composers.

The King’s Consort and a distinguished line-up of soloists perform this glorious music, originally issued as Volume 2 in The Complete Odes & Welcome Songs series, with a high measure of perfection and flawless technique.

In 1692 the ‘musical society’, a group of musicians and amateur including the publisher John Playford, initiated a specifically British annual celebration to celebrate St Cecilia’s Day on 22 November. The festivities were to include singers from Westminster Abbey, St Paul’s Cathedral and the Chapel Royal, along with musicians from the King’s band and from the London theatres. Purcell’s composed two Odes for these occasions – the first ‘Welcome All the Pleasures’ was completed in 1683, and the second, ‘Hail Bright Cecilia’, in 1692. It is laid out for a large group of instrumentalists and singers, and runs to 40 minutes. The opulent style of writing, and the sheer inventiveness and freedom of Purcell’s inspiration laid the foundations for Handel’s oratorios 25 years later. It is the grandest and most brilliant vocal work to be composed in England prior to the advent of Handel.

Booklet notes and sung texts.

‘This performance is exceptionally receptive to the brilliance of the score. The trumpets are bold and brassy (only occasionally overblown) and the ensemble as a whole moves effortlessly from discretion and intimacy to the imposing timbral homogeneity of McCreesh's most extrovert Venetian exploits. His tempos - especially in the grand opening instrumental sinfonia – are irrepressible and invigorating.’ Gramophone 1995

2CD+Book

Marc Minkowski and Les Musiciens du Louvre’s latest recording present three major works celebrating Saint Cecilia, the patron saint of music. While St Cecilia is the figure who inspired this recording, the album showcases music by three composers whose anniversary years are being celebrated in 2009: Purcell was born in 1659, while Handel and Haydn died in 1759 and 1809, respectively. The three featured works have never before been brought together on a single recording. The programme was performed earlier this year at the Salle Pleyel in Paris, the Barbican Centre in London, the Bozar in Brussels, and the Festspiele in Salzburg, and received an enthusiastic response from the press.

The vocal cast includes five outstanding soloists: Richard Croft, Lucy Crowe, Nathalie Stutzmann, Anders J. Dahlin and Luca Tittoto. Marc Minkowski chose to record a Missa Breve version of Haydn’s Cäcilienmesse, which includes only the Kyrie and Gloria. These were composed by Haydn some years before the complete Mass was written. Minkowski decided to focus on this shorter version, and to augment it with two exceptional arias from the complete mass, ‘Et incarnatus est’ and ‘Et resurrexit’. The accompanying 134-page book includes 12 paintings and representations of Saint Cecilia by the likes of Raphael, Rubens, Mignard, Lely, De Vouez, Da Cortona and Domenichino. A deluxe edition that enhances this ambitious project.

A 3CD set including works with the 3 composers’ anniversary 2009 Haydn (1809), Purcell (1659) and Handel (1759) and presenting 3 works on the theme of Saint Cecilia.

“Come ye Sons of Art is splendidly paired here with the unforgettable funeral music… With the Monteverdi Choir at its most incisive and understanding the performances are exemplary…” Penguin Guide 08 *** Key recording

Musical Concepts is pleased to announce the second release in one of the most ambitious early music reissue projects of all time — Alfred Deller: The Complete Vanguard Recordings. The series brings together every recording made by Alfred Deller – as solo countertenor, ensemble member of the Deller Consort, and conductor – for the legendary, enterprising Vanguard record label. These recordings created a sensation with their initial release, and have influenced and inspired three generations of music lovers, from casual listeners to the top tiers of performing artists and scholars.

Music of England's greatest composer was a speciality of Alfred Deller. His artistry was particularly welll suited to Purcell and Deller's role in establishing the greatness of this music cannot be exaggerated.

This collection includes iconic performances of solo vocal works with groundbreaking recordings of operas, sacred music and theatical works which Deller performs and conducts. Being at the forefront of the re-birth of the early music movement, he naturally attracted many of the other supreme artists of the time, all of whom went on to become great figures in their own right.

Well, strictly speaking this is not a new release, but as the original issue of this important and unique set has been out of stock for almost two years we think a reminder is called for.

The need to create new artwork caused the hiatus in repressing, but it also gave us the opportunity to re-think the packaging, and the set is now contained within a slim clamshell box with cardboard inner sleeves (rather than the original large box containing eight standard jewel cases with individual booklets for each disc). There is now one substantial and fully updated 72-page booklet which contains all the texts and a trilingual note.

This is the only complete recording of Purcell’s Odes and Welcome Songs and, as such, one of the treasures of the Hyperion catalogue—it makes a very welcome return.