Purcell: The Fairy Queen

Henry Purcell
The Fairy Queen
Les Arts Florissants - William Christie, dir.
Harmonia Mundi HMC 40 1308 / 09 [Cass. x2]
Harmonia Mundi HMC 90 1308 / 09 [CDx2]

Contents:

    Henry Purcell
    CD-1

    The Fairy Queen
    Libretto after "A Midsummer Night's Dream" by William Shakespeare
    First Musick
  1. Prelude
  2. Hornpipe

    3. Second Musick
  3. Air
  4. Rondeau
  5. Overture

    6. ACT I
  6. Duet "Come, let us leave the town"
  7. Scene of the drunken Poet "Fill up the bowl"
  8. First act tune: Jig

    9. ACT II
  9. "Come all ye songsters"
  10. Prelude
  11. Chorus "May the God of Wit inspire"
    Echo
  12. Chorus "Now join your warbling voices all"
    "Sing while we trip it"
    Dance of Fairies
  13. Entrance of Night "See, even Night herself is here"
  14. Entrance of Mystery "I am come to lock all fast"
  15. Entrance of Secrecy "One charming night gives more delight"
  16. Entrance of Sleep "Hush, no more"
  17. Dance for the followers of Night
  18. Second act tune: Air

    19. ACT III
  19. "If love's a sweet passion"
  20. Symphony while the swans come forward
  21. Dance for the Fairies
  22. Dance for the Green Men
  23. "Ye gentle spirits of the air"
  24. Dialogue between Coridon and Mopsa
  25. "When I have often heard young maids complaining"
  26. Dance for the Haymakers
  27. "A thousand, thousand ways"
  28. Third act tune: Hornpipe

    29. CD-2

    ACT IV
  29. Symphony
  30. "Now the night is chased away"
  31. "Lete the Fifes and the Clarions"
  32. Entry of Phoebus
  33. "When a cruel long winter"
  34. Chorus "Hail! great parent of us all"
  35. Spring "Thus the ever grateful Spring"
  36. Summer "Here's the Summer, sprightly, gay"
  37. Autumn "See, see my many colour'd fields"
  38. Winter "Next Winter comes slowly"
  39. Fourth act tune: Air

    40. ACT V
  40. Prelude
  41. Juno "Thrice happy lovers"
  42. The Plaint "O let me weep!"
  43. Entry Dance
  44. Symphony
  45. A Chinese Man "Thus the gloomy world"
  46. Chinese Woman "Thus happy and free"
  47. Chinese Man "Yes, Daphne"
  48. Monkey's Dance
  49. "Hark! how all things with one sound rejoice"
  50. "Hark! the echoing air a triumph sings"
  51. "Sure the dull God of Marriage does not hear"
  52. Prelude
  53. Hymen "See, I obey"
  54. "Turn then thine eyes"
  55. Hymen "My torch indeed will from such brightness shine"
  56. "They shall be happy as they are fair"
  57. Chaconne
  58. "They shall be as happy as they are fair"

Playing time: 64' 48" + 63' 54" = 2h 08' 42"

Performers:
Nancy Argenta (soprano) et al.
Les Arts Florissants
William Christie, dir.

Recording site and date:
Unknown [07/1989]
Rel.: 1989 (HMC)

Excerpts:
[9]-[11] Harmonia Mundi "Century" HMX 290 8174 L'Angleterre baroque - Baroque England / Un siècle de musique anglaise (1650-1760) - Masks, Anthems & Semi-operas
[1], [11], [24] Harmonia mundi HMX 290 801 / 810 [CDx10] Prélude baroque
[1], [11], [24] Harmonia mundi "HM-Plus" - Grands compositeurs baroques HMP 390 807 [CD] Henry Purcell

Reviewed in:
Diapason (#-p.):
Early Music America (Vol./#-p.):
Fanfare (Vol./#-p.):
Goldberg (y., #-p.):
Gramophone (Vol./#-p.):

Comments:
Information from Harmoniamundi.fr and Bn-Opale plus

Pierre-F. Roberge

Other recordings:

Purcell: The Fairy Queen
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London Classical Players - Roger Norrington
EMI Reflexe 55234 (2 CDs)
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Collins Classics 7013 (2 CDs)
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New English Voices / Accademia Bizantina - Ottavio Dantone
Arts 47679 (2 CDs)
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Naxos 8.550660 (2 CDs)

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Todd M. McComb