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Another significant aspect of Purcell’s music is his contributions to stage music. Alongside musical compositions for numerous plays and the short opera “Dido and Aeneas” (featuring the famous “Dido’s Lament”), Purcell created about half a dozen semi-operas, which are musical accompaniments to spoken drama. The most notable of these semi-operas is undoubtedly “King Arthur” from 1691, precisely 100 years before Mozart’s “The Magic Flute.” This work is worthy of inclusion here as it contains several baroque “hits,” both instrumental and vocal. While John Elliot Gardiner’s productions of Purcell’s major stage works are well-regarded, another recording deserves attention:
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Henry Purcell: King Arthur, YouTube link, with a total duration of 2 hours and 1 minute, uploaded on December 2, 2022, currently with 17,098 views. This recording captures a live performance from the Centre AMUZ (Festival van Vlaanderen, Antwerp) in January 2018, released as a double-CD album on Alpha Classics/Outhere. Vox Luminis, under Lionel Meunier’s direction, stands out as one of the world’s leading baroque ensembles. The spoken text (the theatrical part) is masterfully delivered, significantly extending the overall duration compared to purely musical recordings. The audio and visual quality of the recording, including post-production, is exceptional, offering a vibrant live atmosphere.
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One of the highlights is the bucolic scene “How blest are shepherds, how happy their lasses…” around minute 35, followed by “Shepherd, shepherd leave decoying…” and “Come Shepherds, lead up a lively measure…” with remarkable text. Another highlight is the famous Frost Scene (The Cold Genius) starting around minute 53, featuring strings imitating the scraping of ice, while the Cold Genius shivers in sync, followed by a faster shivering of the common people until love warms everything again. Towards the end, around minute 97, there’s another standout moment: first, the drunken fair scene “Your hay it is mow’d…”, followed by the intimate and hymn-like soprano song “Fairest isle…” - a quintessential display of British patriotism, ending with a lovely Chaconne.
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It’s difficult to assess the suitability of the vivid soundscapes for young children. Initially, they might serve as a background to stimulate inner movement, gradually allowing them to appreciate the rhythmic instrumental pieces, the songs, and eventually the story due to the compelling delivery.
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For those interested in a detailed track-by-track exploration, another recording is available, though not of the same quality: King Arthur (Complete Opera) - Henry Purcell (Best Version) - Links in description, YouTube link, with a total duration of 1 hour and 16 minutes, uploaded on April 1, 2018, currently with 65,510 views. This is a rendition by Le Concert Spirituel under Hervé Niquet from 2003/2004 on Glossa. While the performance is commendable, it doesn’t match the excellence of the Vox Luminis recording. The detailed breakdown of each track with timestamps is provided in the video description, allowing listeners to navigate to specific sections according to their preferences.
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For a detailed tracking of individual numbers, another recording is offered, also worth listening to but not of the same quality: King Arthur (Complete Opera) - Henry Purcell (Best Version) - Links in description, YouTube link, with a total duration of 1 hour and 16 minutes, uploaded on April 1, 2018, currently with 65,510 views. This recording is a rendition by Le Concert Spirituel under Hervé Niquet from 2003/2004 on Glossa. It offers a flawless, relatively brisk performance (e.g., slightly exaggerated at Nr. 25) with a highly esteemed ensemble. The detailed sequence with the respective temporal entry addresses is listed in the preamble: 1. Overture 0:00, 2. Air 2:04, 3. Symphony (Act 1) 2:58, 4. Woden, first to thee 4:27, 5. To Woden thanks we render 6:23, 6. The lot is cast and Tanfan pleas’d 7:40, 7. Brave souls to be renown’d in story 8:03, 8. I call you all to Woden’s hall 9:51, 9. Come if you dare, our trumpets sound 11:53, 10. Hither this way, this way bend 15:10, 11. Let not a moon-born elf mislead ye 17:18, 12. Hither this way, this way bend 18:28, 13. Come follow, follow, follow me 19:02, 14. How blest are shepherds, how happy their lasses 21:07, 15. Shepherd, shepherd leave decoying 25:49, 16. Come, shepherds, lead up a lively measure 27:02, 17. Symphony (Act 2) 27:56, 18. Prelude to ‘Frost scene’ 28:50, 19. What ho! thou genius of this isle 29:18, 20. What power art thou, who from below, hast made me rise 30:07, 21. Thou doting fool, forbear, forbear 32:39, 22. Great Love, I know thee now 33:17, 23. No part of my dominion shall be waste 34:01, 24. Prelude (Act 3) 34:47, 25. See, see we assemble thy revels to hold 35:38, 26. Tis I, tis I, tis I, that have warmed ye 36:52, 27. Duet: Sound a parley, ye fair, and surrender 39:05, 28. Symphony (Act 3) 43:52, 29. Two daughters of this aged stream are we 44:22, 30. Passacaglia : How happy the lover 46:21, 31. Symphony (Act 4) 52:18, 32. Trumpet Tune (Act 5) 52:49, 33. Ye blust’ring brethren of the skies 53:36, 34. Symphony (Act 5) 56:08, 35. Round thy coasts, fair nymph of Britain 58:05, 36. For folded flocks, and fruitful plains 59:11, 37. Your hay it is mow’d and your corn is reap’d 1:01:17, 38. Fairest isle, all isles excelling 1:02:48, 39. Duet: You say, ‘tis love creates the pain 1:06:47, 40. Trumpet tune: Our natives not alone appear 1:11:17, 41. Chaconne 1:13:01. So you can specifically jump to desired individual titles or sections as desired.