Sound the Trumpet: Royal Music of Purcell and Handel
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Label: EMI
Cat No: 4403292
Format: CD
Number of Discs: 1
Release Date: 15th October 2012
Contents
Works
Amadigi di Gaula, HWV11Ode for the Birthday of Queen Anne 'Eternal source of light divine', HWV74
Water Piece in D major
Come ye Sons of Art, Z323
King Arthur: Suite
The Fairy Queen, Z629
Artists
Alison Balsom (trumpet)Iestyn Davies (countertenor)
Lucy Crowe (soprano)
English Concert
Conductor
Trevor PinnockWorks
Amadigi di Gaula, HWV11Ode for the Birthday of Queen Anne 'Eternal source of light divine', HWV74
Water Piece in D major
Come ye Sons of Art, Z323
King Arthur: Suite
The Fairy Queen, Z629
Artists
Alison Balsom (trumpet)Iestyn Davies (countertenor)
Lucy Crowe (soprano)
English Concert
Conductor
Trevor PinnockAbout
'Sound the Trumpet' is an album of glorious baroque music associated with royalty in which Alison brings the music of the Purcell and Handel to life.
This disc expands the repertoire for the instrument, whilst also maintaining a respect for the idioms and period style of these works. Alison is working with the top experts in this field - Trevor Pinnock and the English Concert. She is also joined by the countertenor, Iestyn Davies and soprano Lucy Crowe in some delightful and slightly different performances of some familiar repertoire.
Contents:
1. Handel: “Sento la gioia” from Act 3 of Amidigi di Gaula
Purcell: King Arthur Suite
2. Act 1 Overture
3. Act 1 Come if you dare
4. Act 5 Symphony
5. Act 2 Shepherd, shepherd, leave decoying
6. Act 5 Round thy shores
7. Act 5 Trumpet Tune
8. Act 5 Fairest Isle
9. Handel: Atalanta - Overture
10. Handel: Eternal Source of light divine From Birthday Ode for Queen Anne HWV 74 (published 1713), with Iestyn Davies
Purcell: The Fairy Queen - Suite of Musicks and Dances
11. Symphony
12. Rondeau
13. Jig First Act Tune
14. Act 5 prelude
15. Chaconne and chorus
16. Purcell: Sound the trumpet from Come, ye Sons of Art
(Birthday Ode composed for the birthday of Queen Mary, 30 April 1694), with Iestyn Davies
Handel: Water Piece in D major
17. Overture
18. Gigue (Allegro)
19. Minuet (Aria)
20. Bourree
21. March no. 2
22. Purcell: The Plaint from The Fairy Queen
with Lucy Crowe
Handel: Oboe Concerto No.1 in Bb major (transposed into C major)
23. Adagio
24. Allegro
25. Siciliana (Largo)
26. Vivace
Sound/Video
Paused
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1Handel - Sento la goia (from Amadagi di Gaula)
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2Purcell - Trumpet Tune (from King Arthur)
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3Purcell - Fairest Isle (from King Arthur)
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4Handel - Overture (from Atalanta)
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5Handel - Eternal Source of Light Divine
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6Purcell - Symphony (from Fairy Queen Suite)
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7Purcell - Sound the Trumpet
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8Handel - Overture (from Water Piece in D)
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9Purcell - Plainte - O, Let Me Weep
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10Handel - Vivace (from Concerto in B flat major, HWV301)
Europadisc Review
It is this combination of brilliance with supreme tonal control and expression that makes this new disc from Alison Balsom so remarkable. As she argues in comments reprinted in the booklet, it is the baroque natural trumpet, rather than its modern valved successor, that is best capable of achieving this unique combination of musical qualities. And so here she uses just such a period instrument (or rather, several), accompanied by those veterans of the baroque repertoire, the English Concert under their founder director, Trevor Pinnock.
This is one of those ideal marriages of youth and experience, and it extends to the music itself, edited and arranged variously by Balsom and Pinnock, and taken from the two giants of the English baroque, Henry Purcell and George Frederic Handel. Much of this music was originally written for members of the famous trumpet-playing Shore family. Some pieces have more obvious royal connections — excerpts from birthday odes for Queen Mary and Queen Anne, and from the Water Music — but all of them sparkle in the hands of these performers. It is good to have more extended Purcell suites from both King Arthur and The Fairy Queen: not all the numbers feature trumpet, but this has the effect of putting Balsom’s solo contributions into heightened relief.
It was an inspired decision to include beautifully delivered cameos from award-winning countertenor Iestyn Davies (‘Eternal source of light divine’ and ‘Sound the trumpet’) and soprano Lucy Crowe (the heart-rending Plaint from The Fairy Queen). Their duets with Alison Balsom perfectly illustrate just how expressively ‘vocal’ the baroque natural trumpet can be in the right hands.
The perfectly judged stylistic niceties help to bring out the points of contrast between Purcell and Handel, whilst not overlooking their shared heritage in this repertoire. However, what really sets this recording apart is that it strangely doesn’t feel like a trumpet recital at all, but rather a tasteful selection of great music that works uncommonly well together. Let’s hope that there are further opportunities to hear this fine, sensitive musician on baroque instruments in the near future.
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