Tyrannic love

"This is a strikingly original and innovative CD. Purcell and Crumb, equally accessible, make a stimulating mix in a structure explained in the booklet but Schafer’s selection of connecting Shakespeare, as noted in the heading, didn’t work for me".

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"The title is really a handle on which to hang a pleasant recital of theatre music by Purcell and distinguished contemporaries, John Eccles, John Blow, Jeremiah Clarke - the real composer of what for years was called the 'Purcell Voluntary' - and younger brother Daniel Purcell. The programme ranges over a gamut of emotions, and does so with gusto - and without, where appropriate - yet never losing a sense of style".

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"Late in his short life, Henry Purcell (1659-95) wrote mainly for the theatre. On Tyrannic Love (Alpha), the French ensemble Les Surprises have gathered some of his stage pieces - from King Arthur, The Fairy Queen, The Virtuous Wife and more - with music by Purcell's circle: John Blow, John Eccles ... Directed by Louis-Noël Bestion de Camboulas, with singers Eugénie Lefebvre and Etienne Bazola, the group take a brisk approach, but are capable of intimacy too".

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"If a meeting of minds between England's first great composer and one of America's most idiosyncratic experimental voices at first seems an unlikely gambit, then Schäfer reaches inside this material to uncover connections that are wholly convincing".

"Den tyske sopran Christine Schäfer går hele vejen: Mystisk, kunstnerisk cover og en helt usædvanlig sammenblanding af musik der lægger op til at man hører pladen i sin helhed - hver gang ... Mellem numrene hvisker en tysk barneskuespiller uddrag fra Shakespeares sonetter på en baggrund af elektroniske lyde. Schäfer er en skarpsindig sangerinde der forvandler Purcell til avantgarde og Crumb til melodier. Fremragende og intens musiceren af både hende og pianisten".

"Vurdering: Editor's choice" - "Sampson achieves the perfect degree of joyful radiance, seductiveness, witty comment or melancholy in each song ... First-class new recordings of Purcell's music are much too rare, and this one deserves to be an enormous success".

"Sopranen Carolyn Sampsons nye Purcell-cd indeholder et virkelig godt udvalg af sange ... Sampson har en jublende klang, en fuldstændig ubesværet teknik og et livligt humør. Sprogligt bliver der leget helt i Purcells ånd, og hun akkompagneres af supersmidige barokmusikere".

"The vocal numbers are sung by Tim Mead, a top-class English countertenor of the kind that could have been made for this music ... His singing radiates rich colour, smooth lyricism and exquisite melancholy ... Yet the most striking aspect of these performances undoubtedly lies in the instrumental music, full of life and colour ... This disc is a hugely enjoyable Purcellian celebration".

"Editor's choice: The theme is love, but there's nothing coy or sugary about either music or performances that embrace extremes of emotion and expression ... Much of this is theatre music, and in the absence of a stage Les Surprises supply all the drama ... There's delight after delight here, both in repertoire - which includes plenty of lesser-known treasures - and performances. This is one French invasion to welcome with open arms".