Album

If you keep in mind the fact that the work is supposedly a comedy and put out of mind the fact that the work is distantly based on Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, then you probably won't have any problem accepting Purcell's The Fairy Queen, a Restoration variety show unrivaled in the English composer's stage output in terms of length and breadth, if not necessarily of quality. And, speaking of breadth, if you like your comedy played broadly, then you won't have any problem with John Eliot Gardiner's 1982 Archiv recording with the Monteverdi Choir and the English Baroque Soloists featuring a performance that is very broad indeed. The vocal soloists' characterizations are sometimes close to caricature, the instrumental soloists' playing is occasionally near to parody, and the overall direction is once or twice just this side of slapstick. Considering the texts and the music, this could legitimately be considered entirely appropriate, and, of course, it has to be acknowledged that the performance itself is supremely well executed. The singers from soprano Judith Nelson to bass Stephen Varcoe are fresh and vibrant, the players from violinist Elizabeth Wilcock to oboist David Reichenberg are bright and stylish, and the conducting from Gardiner himself is poised and alert. Recorded in crisp and colorful early digital sound, this recording will please and amuse every Purcell lover.

© James Leonard, All Music Guide

CD 1 of 2
Henry Purcell Composer The Fairy Queen, Z.629 (semi-opera)...1.First Musick: Prelude and Hornpipe Work 2:53 English Baroque Soloists Chamber Orchestra, Ashley Stafford Countertenor, John Eliot Gardiner Conductor, Jennifer Smith Soprano, Judith Nelson Soprano, Martyn Hill Tenor, David Thomas [bass] Bass, Timothy Penrose Countertenor, Stephen Varcoe Bass, Wynford Evans Tenor, Eiddwen Harrhy Soprano, Elisabeth Priday Soprano, Monteverdi Choir Chorus/Choir
1	1a.First Musick: Prelude	1:58			$0.49
2	1b.First Musick: Hornpipe	0:55			$0.49
Henry Purcell Composer The Fairy Queen, Z.629 (semi-opera)...2.Second Musick: Air and Rondeau Work 2:16 English Baroque Soloists Chamber Orchestra, Ashley Stafford Countertenor, John Eliot Gardiner Conductor, Jennifer Smith Soprano, Judith Nelson Soprano, Martyn Hill Tenor, David Thomas [bass] Bass, Timothy Penrose Countertenor, Stephen Varcoe Bass, Wynford Evans Tenor, Eiddwen Harrhy Soprano, Elisabeth Priday Soprano, Monteverdi Choir Chorus/Choir
3	2a.Second Musick: Air	0:47			$0.49
4	2b.Second Musick: Rondeau	1:29			$0.49
Henry Purcell Composer The Fairy Queen, Z.629 (semi-opera)...Prelude Work English Baroque Soloists Chamber Orchestra, Ashley Stafford Countertenor, John Eliot Gardiner Conductor, Jennifer Smith Soprano, Judith Nelson Soprano, Martyn Hill Tenor, David Thomas [bass] Bass, Timothy Penrose Countertenor, Stephen Varcoe Bass, Wynford Evans Tenor, Eiddwen Harrhy Soprano, Elisabeth Priday Soprano, Monteverdi Choir Chorus/Choir
5	3.Overture: Grave and Canzona	2:02			$0.99
Henry Purcell Composer The Fairy Queen, Z.629 (semi-opera)...Act 1 Work 10:14 English Baroque Soloists Chamber Orchestra, Ashley Stafford Countertenor, John Eliot Gardiner Conductor, Jennifer Smith Soprano, Judith Nelson Soprano, Martyn Hill Tenor, David Thomas [bass] Bass, Timothy Penrose Countertenor, Stephen Varcoe Bass, Wynford Evans Tenor, Eiddwen Harrhy Soprano, Elisabeth Priday Soprano, Monteverdi Choir Chorus/Choir
6	4.Prelude and Aria: Come, come, come, let us leave the town	2:24			$0.99
7	5.Prelude, Aria and Chorus ('Scene of the Drunken Poet'): Fill up the bowl!	6:39			$0.99
8	6.First Act Tune: Jig	1:11			$0.49
Henry Purcell Composer The Fairy Queen, Z.629 (semi-opera)...Act 2 Work 22:08 English Baroque Soloists Chamber Orchestra, Ashley Stafford Countertenor, John Eliot Gardiner Conductor, Jennifer Smith Soprano, Judith Nelson Soprano, Martyn Hill Tenor, David Thomas [bass] Bass, Timothy Penrose Countertenor, Stephen Varcoe Bass, Wynford Evans Tenor, Eiddwen Harrhy Soprano, Elisabeth Priday Soprano, Monteverdi Choir Chorus/Choir
9	7.Prelude and Aria: Come all ye songsters of the sky	1:53			$0.49
10	8a.Prelude	0:49			$0.49
11	8b.Trio: May the God of Wit inspire	1:05			$0.49
12	8c.Echo	1:32			$0.49
13	9.Chorus: Now joyn your warbling voices all	0:28			$0.49
14	10c.A Dance of Fairies	0:44			$0.49
15	10a.Song and 10b.Chorus: Sing while we trip it on the Green	1:42			$0.49
16	11.Prelude and Aria: See, even Night herself is here ('Night')	4:16			$0.99
17	12.Aria: I am come to lock all fast ('Mystery')	1:11			$0.49
18	13.Prelude and Aria: One charming Night ('Secresie')	1:58			$0.49
19	14.Aria and Chorus: Hush, no more, be silent all ('Sleep')	3:19			$0.99
20	15.A dance for the followers of night	1:50			$0.49
21	16.Second Act Tune: Air	1:21			$0.49
Henry Purcell Composer The Fairy Queen, Z.629 (semi-opera)...Act 3 Work 28:40 English Baroque Soloists Chamber Orchestra, Ashley Stafford Countertenor, John Eliot Gardiner Conductor, Jennifer Smith Soprano, Judith Nelson Soprano, Martyn Hill Tenor, David Thomas [bass] Bass, Timothy Penrose Countertenor, Stephen Varcoe Bass, Wynford Evans Tenor, Eiddwen Harrhy Soprano, Elisabeth Priday Soprano, Monteverdi Choir Chorus/Choir
22	17.Prelude, Aria and Chorus: If Love's a sweet passion	8:01			$1.49
23	18.Overture: Symphony while the swans come forward	2:03			$0.99
24	19.Dance for the Fairies	0:49			$0.49
25	20.Dance for the Green Men	1:27			$0.49
26	21.Aria: Ye gentle spirits of the air, appear	5:09			$0.99
27	22.Dialogue between Coridon and Mopsa: Now the maids and the men	3:55			$0.99
28	23.Aria: When I have often heard ('A nymph')	3:13			$0.99
29	24a.Dance of Haymakers	0:57			$0.49
30	25.Aria and Chorus: A thousand thousand ways we'll find	2:08			$0.99
31	26.Third Act Tune: Hornpipe	0:58			$0.49
CD 2 of 2
Henry Purcell Composer The Fairy Queen, Z.629 (semi-opera)...Act 4 Work 26:01 English Baroque Soloists Chamber Orchestra, Ashley Stafford Countertenor, John Eliot Gardiner Conductor, Jennifer Smith Soprano, Judith Nelson Soprano, Martyn Hill Tenor, David Thomas [bass] Bass, Timothy Penrose Countertenor, Stephen Varcoe Bass, Wynford Evans Tenor, Eiddwen Harrhy Soprano, Elisabeth Priday Soprano, Monteverdi Choir Chorus/Choir
1	27.Symphony: Sonata while the sun rises	6:11			$0.99
2	28.Aria and Chorus: Now the Night is chas'd away	2:06			$0.99
3	29.Duet: Let the Fifes, and the Clarions	1:56			$0.49
4	30.Entry of Phoebus	0:34			$0.49
5	31.Prelude and Aria: When a cruel long Winter; 32.Chorus: Hail! Great Parent of us all	4:18			$0.99
6	33.Prelude and Aria: Thus the ever Grateful Spring	1:57			$0.49
7	34.Prelude and Aria: Here's the Summer, Sprightly, Gay	1:39			$0.49
8	35.Prelude and Aria: See my many Colour'd Fields	3:03			$0.99
9	36.Prelude and Aria: Now Winter comes Slowly	3:22			$0.99
10	38.Fourth Act Tune: Air	0:55			$0.49
Henry Purcell Composer The Fairy Queen, Z.629 (semi-opera)...Act 5 Work 42:05 English Baroque Soloists Chamber Orchestra, Ashley Stafford Countertenor, John Eliot Gardiner Conductor, Jennifer Smith Soprano, Judith Nelson Soprano, Martyn Hill Tenor, David Thomas [bass] Bass, Timothy Penrose Countertenor, Stephen Varcoe Bass, Wynford Evans Tenor, Eiddwen Harrhy Soprano, Elisabeth Priday Soprano, Monteverdi Choir Chorus/Choir
11	39.Prelude	1:07			$0.49
12	39a.Juno's Aria: Thrice happy lovers ('Epithalamium')	2:38			$0.99
13	40.The Plaint: O let me weep	7:41			$1.49
14	41.Entry Dance	1:09			$0.49
15	42.Symphony	1:12			$0.49
16	43.Song of the Chinese Man: Thus the gloomy world	5:44			$0.99
17	44.Song of the Chinese Woman and Chorus: Thus happy and free	1:37			$0.49
18	45.Ground and Song of the Chinese Man: Yes, Daphne, in your looks I find	1:53			$0.49
19	46.Monkeys' Dance	1:02			$0.49
20	47.Song: Hark how all things	2:06			$0.99
21	48.Song and Chorus: Hark now the Echoing Air	2:51			$0.99
22	49.Duet and Chorus: Sure the dull God of Marriage	2:06			$0.99
23	50a.Prelude	0:31			$0.49
24	50b.Hymen's Aria: See, see, I obey	1:58			$0.49
25	55.Duet: Turn then thine Eyes	1:25			$0.49
26	56.Hymen's Aria: My Torch, indeed	0:44			$0.49
27	57.Trio: They shall be as happy	1:09			$0.49
28	58.Air	1:29			$0.49
29	59.Chorus: They shall be as happy	1:10			$0.49
30	60.Chaconne: Dance for Chinese Man and Woman	2:33			$0.99