Chacony in G minor Z730 When on my sick bed I languish Z144 True Englishmen drink a good health (Catch No. 45) Z284 Welcome Song - Ye tuneful Muses, raise your heads Z344 A New Irish Tune in G (‘Lilliburlero’) Z646 God is gone up with a merry noise (Canon a 7) Z107 A New Scotch Tune in G Z655 Save me, O God, for thy name’s sake Z51 Welcome Song - Sound the trumpet, beat the drum Z335
Despite being written for the celebration of royal occasions, Purcell’s Royal Welcome Songs were penned during a time of immense disillusionment with the monarchy. Filled with humour as well as an ironic detachment from the politics of the time, Ye tuneful muses and Sound the trumpet fizz with the dramatic energy which characterised his later operas and mark a crucial turning point in Purcell’s career.
This programme showcases the variety and diversity of Purcell’s writing, opening with the Chacony in G minor, which is among the great glories of music for strings, and including When on my sick bed I languish - an amazingly impassioned piece in which he bares his soul...quintessential Purcell! Recording: Church of St Augustine’s, Kilburn, London, 8-10 June 2016
