The Royal Welcome Songs of Henry Purcell, written for several monarchs, are among the composer's least-performed works. The texts tend to be unimpressive, and the theme of serenading the King as he moved around is clunkily executed. Yet the pieces are full of good dance-like tunes from the young Purcell, and The Sixteen, with conductor Harry Christophers stocking his group with fine young singers who take the solos, is to be commended for taking up these works in a series of albums that here reaches its fourth volume. ...
Read More
The Royal Welcome Songs of Henry Purcell, written for several monarchs, are among the composer's least-performed works. The texts tend to be unimpressive, and the theme of serenading the King as he moved around is clunkily executed. Yet the pieces are full of good dance-like tunes from the young Purcell, and The Sixteen, with conductor Harry Christophers stocking his group with fine young singers who take the solos, is to be commended for taking up these works in a series of albums that here reaches its fourth volume. Christophers' approach is intelligent; he pairs the Royal Welcome Songs (there are two sets here) with works that may have been more obliquely connected to the monarchs involved. On this volume, that involves songs and incidental music for a play called Theodosius, or The Force of Love, by Nathaniel Lee; earlier Lee plays had been thought to be critical of the King, although this one apparently put him back in Charles II's good graces. These works illustrate much about the world in which...
Read Less
