Henry Purcell was born 350 years ago today...maybe. Birthdays were not as big a deal in 17th century England as they are for us, and Purcell's family kept no record of the date of his birth, or even his baptism. Whether it's the exact date or not, Thursday is a fine day to celebrate the 350th birthday of this great English composer. We'll hear highlights from his Ode for Saint Cecilia's Day, and three miniatures by Purcell.
Episode Playlist
Hour 1
Henry Purcell: Music for a While from Oedipus ~ 3:15
Dawn Upshaw, soprano; Myron Lutzke, cello; Arthur Haas, Harpsichord/Organ
Henry Purcell: Sonata I in g minor, Z 790: II. Vivace ~ 1:02
Musica Amphion; Remy Baudet, vioin; Sayuri Yamagata, violin; Mieneke van der Velden, viola da gamba; Peter-Jan Belder, harpsichord/organ
Felix Mendelssohn: 2 Songs Without Words; Lied ohne Worte in G minor, Op. 19 No. 6, Venezianisches Gondellied (Venetian Boat Song), Lied ohne Worte in C Major, Op. 67 No. 4, Spinnerlied (Spinning Song)
Gilbert Kalish, piano
St. Mark's Episcopal Church, Palo Alto, CA
Henry Purcell: Selections from Ode for St. Cecilia's Day I. Symphony (6:26); VI. Thou Tun'st this World (3:48); VII. With That Sublime Celestial Lay (2:55); XI. The Fife and All The Harmony of War (3:10); XIII. Hail! Bright Cecilia (4:26) + appl
Collegium Novum, Choir of New College, Oxford; Susan Gilmour Bailey, soprano; David Allsopp, alto; Nicholas Mulroy, countertenor; Mark Dobell, tenor; Matthew Brook, bass; Edward Higginbottom, conducto
Abbey, Ambronay, France
Claude Debussy: Children's Corner
Netherlands Radio Chamber Philharmonic; Kenneth Montgomery, conductor
Concertgebouw, Amsterdam
Hour 2
Henry Purcell: Trumpet Tune and Bell Symphony
Michael Murray, Organ; Empire Brass
Henry Purcell: Fantasia upon One Note, Z. 745
The Escher String Quartet, Hsin-Yun Huang, viola
Music@Menlo, St. Mark's Episcopal Church, Palo Alto, CA
Henry Purcell: I'll Sail Upon the Dog Star" from A Fool's Preferment (encore)
David Daniels, countertenor; Martin Katz, piano
Spivey Hall, Morrow, GA
Henry Purcell: Three Parts on a Ground
Seattle Baroque Orchestra; Ingrid Matthews, violin; Tekla Cunningham, violin; Carrie Krause, violin; Nathan Whittaker, cello; Jennifer Streeter, harpsichord; John Lenti, theorbo; Ingrid Matthews, cond
Illsley Ball Nordstrom Recital Hall at Benaroya Hall
Aram Khachaturian: Sabre Dance, from the ballet "Gayaneh"
Alexander Gavryluk, piano
International Chopin Festival, Chopin Manor, Duszniki Zdroj, Poland
Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony No. 5 in c minor, Op. 67
Dallas Symphony Orchestra; Jaap van Zweden, Conductor
McDermott Concert Hall of the Meyerson Symphony Center, Dallas, TX
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