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
J.S. Bach: H-Moll-Messe cover

J.S. Bach: H-Moll-Messe

Konrad Junghanel, Cantus Cölln
Western Wind Masses cover

Western Wind Masses

Peter Phillips, The Tallis Scholars
Anima Sacra cover

Anima Sacra

Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro, Jakub Józef Orliński
Abel: Symphonies, Op. 7 cover

Abel: Symphonies, Op. 7

La Stagione Frankfurt, La Stagione Orchestra, Michael Schneider
Brixi: Magnificat. Music From Eighteenth-Century Prague cover

Brixi: Magnificat. Music From Eighteenth-Century Prague

Hipocondria Ensemble, Jan Hádek, Jaromír Nosek, Hana Blažíková
Marais: Suites for Oboe cover

Marais: Suites for Oboe

Christopher Palameta