Daniel Purcell: The Judgment of Paris

Daniel Purcell: The Judgment of Paris

Regular price £12.99
Total playing time [78:46]

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Anna Dennis (soprano)
Amy Freston (soprano)
Ciara Hendrick (mezzo-soprano)
Samuel Boden (tenor)
Ashley Riches (bass)
Rodolfus Choir
Spiritato
Julian Perkins (director)


In their second album for the Resonus label, the London-based early music group Spiritato present the world premiere recording of Daniel Purcell's opera The Judgment of Paris.

Composed for the Music Prize of 1700-01 to a libretto by William Congreve, Daniel, the younger cousin or brother of Henry Purcell, here demonstrates an endlessly inventive and innovative style in a bold attempt to create a school of all-sung English opera. Used by all of the four entrants to the Music Prize (John Eccles, Gottfried Finger, John Weldon and Daniel Purcell), the libretto tells the tale of a shepherd Paris, who is visited by a messenger of the Gods, Mercury, who gives him the Golden Apple of Discord, which he has to award to the most deserving of three goddesses - Venus (goddess of love), Pallas (goddess of war) or Juno (goddess of marriage).

Album Booklet (PDF)

Tracklist

The Judgment of Paris

1. Symphony
2. Mercury: From High Olympus and the Realms Above
3. Paris: Symphony for Hoboys to Paris
4. Paris: Wherefore dost thou seek
5. Mercury: Symphony for Violins (This Radiant fruit behold)
6. Symphony for Paris
7. Paris: O Ravishing Delight – Help me Hermes
8. Mercury: Symphony for Violins (Fear not Mortal)
9. Mercury, Paris and Chorus: Happy thou of Human Race
10. Symphony for Juno – Saturnia, Wife of Thundering Jove
11. Trumpet Sonata for Pallas
12. Pallas: This way Mortal, bend thy Eyes
13. Venus: Symphony of Fluts for Venus
14. Venus, Pallas and Juno: Hither turn thee gentle Swain
15. Symphony of all
16. Paris: Distracted I turn
17. Juno: Symphony for Violins for Juno (Let Ambition fire thy Mind)
18. Juno: Let not Toyls of Empire fright
19. Chorus: Let Ambition fire thy Mind
20. Pallas: Awake, awake!
21. Trumpet Flourish – Hark! Hark! The Glorious Voice of War
22. Trumpet Sonata
23. Pallas: O what Joys does Conquest yield
24. Chorus: O how Glorious
25. Venus: Stay lovely Youth, delay thy Choice
26. Venus: Far from thee be anxious Care
27. Venus & Chorus: One only Joy Mankind can know
28. Venus: Nature fram’d thee sure for Loving
29. Venus: Gentle Shepherd
30. Paris: I yield, I yield
31. Grand Chorus

'Daniel Purcell’s drama is absorbing and certainly musically entertaining [...] High quality entertainment'

- BBC Radio 3 CD Review

'Daniel Purcell’s drama is absorbing and certainly musically entertaining [...] High quality entertainment'
BBC Radio 3 CD Review

'[...] this ia a genial performance that brings light to a surprisingly lovely work'
BBC Music Magazine

'Thanks to this well-made recording, with a cast led by soprano Anna Dennis and countertenor Samuel Boden, an overlooked episode in English musical history is exposed.'
Financial Times

'[...] heartening dramatic energy under Julian Perkins's assured direction [...] Well done to Resonus for jumping in where others have not'
Gramophone

'The florid writing is extremely well handled here by a splendid cast, Samuel Boden's Paris and Ashley Riches' Mercury in particular, while the opera is directed by Julian Perkins with verve and wit'
Early Music Today

'Director Julian Perkins, his soloists and period-instrument Spiritato! ensemble make a good case for the work'
Classical Ear

'More to the point, the work is delightful – not the equal of Henry’s Dido and Æneas, but as entertaining as his Indian Queen – and the performances do it excellent service. All the singers are thoroughly competent [...] and are very well supported and directed.'
MusicWeb International (Recording of the Month)

'[...] all soloists are stylish and involving. Spiritato! lives up to its name, giving us a spirited and sophisticated performance. There is crisp support from the Rodolfus Choir. Perkins keeps the work flowing nicely and gets a stylish performance all round.'
Planet Hugill

'Such is the vigour of the chaconne as a musical structure that there is no sense of the recording palling with repetition – every work is a delight in itself.'
Lark Reviews

Credits
© 2014 Resonus Limited
Ⓟ 2014 Resonus Limited
Catalogue No. RES10128
Producer, engineer & editor: Adam Binks
EAN: 5060262790304
Cover image: The Judgment of Paris (1716) by Adriaen van der Werff (1659-1722)