The ode 'Fly, bold rebellion' refers to the Rye House Plot of 1683, a conspiracy to murder King Charles II and his brother James due to their pro-Catholic policies.
Composer Biography
Henry Purcell, the composer, was described by English music historian Charles Burney as 'our British Orpheus, or rather our musical Shakespeare' in 1789.
Composer Biography
Despite a massive and high-quality body of work spanning 26 volumes, very little is known about Henry Purcell's life and personality.
Composition History
Henry Purcell's composing activities focused on works of homage to the royal family after he was appointed a Gentleman of the Chapel Royal in 1682.
Compositional Technique
In his court odes, Henry Purcell developed a mixed style combining English 17th-century vocal polyphony with French and Italian elements.
Composition History
The court ode, a genre featured on this album, was a uniquely English form with no direct French or Italian precedents, tied to royal ceremonial.
Recording & Production
This album was recorded in February 2021 at the TAP - Théâtre Auditorium de Poitiers, France, which is known for having one of the best acoustics in Europe.
You might also enjoy...
No Early Music, No Life?
Couperin: Leçons de ténèbres & motets
Labirinto d'Amore
Emily Howard: The Anvil
Così amor mi fa languire
Purcell: Odes "Come, ye sons"; " Welcome to all"; "Of old, when heroes"
La chambre bleue: Music of the 17th-Century Parisian Salons
Les Plaisirs du Louvre, Airs pour la Chambre de Louis XIII
