Purcell: Complete Ayres for the Theatre cover

Purcell: Complete Ayres for the Theatre

Composer
Released

This three-disc set features all of the overtures, suites, and other incidental instrumental music (as well as instrumental versions of arias and songs) written for operas and other theater works by the great English baroque composer Henry Purcell. They include incidental music for such “semi-operas” as King Arthur, Dioclesian, and (of course) The Fairy Queen. Many of the brief pieces are written in dance rhythms, but some of the work is more serious and magisterial. Roy Goodman and the Parley of Instruments perform with all requisite nimbleness and grace.

Rick Anderson

Recommended by

Suggestions
Pfleger: The Life and Passion of the Christ cover

Pfleger: The Life and Passion of the Christ

Orkester Nord, Augustin Pfleger, Martin Wåhlberg, Vox Nidrosiensis
La Oreja de Zurbaran cover

La Oreja de Zurbaran

Huelgas Ensemble, Paul van Nevel
The Ockeghem Collection cover

The Ockeghem Collection

Edward Wickham, The Clerks' Group
Voix humaines: Pièces inédites pour flûte cover

Voix humaines: Pièces inédites pour flûte

François Lazarevitch, Les Musiciens de Saint-Julien, Marin Marais
On Early Music cover

On Early Music

Francesco Tristano
A Feather on the Breath of God cover

A Feather on the Breath of God

Gothic Voices, Emma Kirkby, Christopher Page
Del Cinque: Sonatas for Three Cellos cover

Del Cinque: Sonatas for Three Cellos

Teodoro Baù, Cristina Vidoni, Ludovico Minasi