Rise & inspire Nov 21, 2008
He died in August 1958, and his ashes are interred in Westminster Abbey, near the body of his greatest predecessor, Henry Purcell. Vaughan Williams work included nine symphonies, five operas, film music, ballet and stage music, several song cycles, church music and works for chorus and orchestra. (Westerly Sun, RI)
Early music gets rocking reception Oct 28, 2008
Works by three British composers - Orlando Gibbons, Henry Purcell, and John Dowland - all had a gently melancholy cast, suggesting perhaps that if the British weren't much for dancing, they were unmatched at lamenting. They were superbly played. (Boston Globe)
Sharp contrasts stir Baroque Institute's 'Passions' Jul 29, 2008
Paul Leenhouts and Jon Daniels manned limpid, lucid recorders in a Pavan by Henry Purcell, variable breath pressure producing some fine warbling ornamentation. And oboist Gonzalo Ruiz teased out a flexible legato line in the slow movements of Handel's Concerto in G minor, while deftly tripping through the fast movements (though Blumenstock's fiery downbeat to the final Allegro seemed to startle even Ruiz). (Boston Globe)
An extraordinary poet examines ordinary subjects Jun 2, 2008
From her first book, "Henry Purcell in Japan," the spirit of place has been strongly evident, whether it's Japan or Iceland or Rome or Paris or Cambridge, Mass. ("Inside the Midget" is a lovely tribute to a once-popular, now-vanished Cambridge eatery. (Boston Globe)
The day of judgment, part two May 31, 2008
And how could one be more serious than the writer of this prayer for the interment of the dead, from the Book of Common Prayer, an incantation of bleak, existential beauty, even more so in its beautiful setting by Henry Purcell: "Man that is born of a woman hath but a short time to live, and is full of misery. He cometh up, and is cut down, like a flower; he fleeth as it were a shadow, and never continueth in one stay.". Ultimately, apocalyptic belief is a function of faith - that luminous inner... (Guardian Unlimited -- Books)
English Opera Beginnings May 26, 2008
Traces early English opera, with significant roles played by Henry Purcell and George Frideric Handel and their contributions ... It was from this tradition that the first English opera, Henry Purcell's Dido and Aeneas, was born, followed by the migration of the German Baroque composer George F. Handel, with his oratorio masterpiece, Messiah ... Henry Purcell, born in Westminster in 1659, was a chorister in the Chapel Royal until his voice broke in 1673. (Suite101.com)
Student-written operas play at Union Station May 2, 2008
The student-written works were "Tonatzin," "The Calling," "The Three Bears" and "The Emperor's Madness." The students also performed the more-than-300-year-old opera "Dido and Aeneas" by Henry Purcell. Not only were the operas written by students, they were also directed, produced and performed by them as well. (University News, MO)
Choral concert to kick off week of musical events at Northwestern Apr 21, 2008
Works will include Nachtens by Johannes Brahms, O frondens virga by the medieval abbess and mystic Hildegard von Bingen; the Scene of the Drunken Poet from Henry Purcell s opera The Fairie Queen, Sing Me the Universal and Dominic Has a Doll by Vincent Persichetti. Also included will be Purcell s In These Delightful, Pleasant Groves, Come, Close the Curtains of Your Eyes by Margrethe Hokanson, In Remembrance from Eleanor Daley s. (Alva Review Courier, OK)
Savage critics stifle opera, says ENO chief Apr 16, 2008
from The Independent & The Independent on Sunday. By Ciar Byrne, Arts and Media Correspondent Wednesday, 16 April 2008. (Independent)
VARIETY: Entertainment Briefs Apr 8, 2008
Orness, a mezzo-soprano, has chosen selections from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Henry Purcell. Izen, a pianist, will perform selections from Franz Schubert and Joseph Haydn. (Mason City Globe-Gazette, IO)
Narration makes for majestic 'King Arthur' Mar 3, 2008
Martin Pearlman conducted the score by Henry Purcell ... John Dryden wrote his play "King Arthur" in 1684, but it wasn't until seven years later that Henry Purcell added a series of musical numbers to the drama. (Boston Globe)
Peter Grimes Mar 3, 2008
Peter Pears, Britten's companion, sang Grimes; company director Joan Cross sang Ellen Orford, Reginald Goodall conducted and it was fantastic - the first presentable English opera since Henry Purcell. Some people believe it's Britten's masterpiece. (New York Post -- Entertainment)
More of this story Jan 11, 2008
The Mark Morris Dance Group returns to the Cutler Majestic Theatre, May 28-June 1, with Henry Purcell s Dido and Aeneas. Morris, who premiered his perceptive take on the work in Belgium when he created the cross-dressing role of Dido, takes the baton to conduct the orchestra and singers of Emmanuel Music, probably his first appearance as a conductor. (Patriot Ledger, MA)
Top of the boffs Jan 5, 2008
Autopsy: "I was dropping my daughter off at nursery this morning and I was listening to this. What's interesting is it starts with the chorus ("Rinse me out, use me up, cast me down, fuck me up") and that there's this rolling bass line that underlines all the verses. That makes me think of Henry Purcell, one of our greatest composers from the 17th century who was part of a time when an awful lot of music was written over the top of what was called a ground bass. The idea was that one wrote music... (Guardian Unlimited)
College forming new choral groups Dec 29, 2007
In fall 2008, the choir will present a production of Henry Purcell s English opera Dido and Aeneas. We are excited to explore some new and traditional areas of the choral repertoire and look forward to collaborations with other local choirs and instrumental ensembles, said Bellassai and Keyne. (Douglas Daily Dispatch, AZ)
Vocal recital promises pleasure Nov 10, 2007
In the same year, he was also the chorus master in the opera Dido and Aeneas by the great English composer Henry Purcell, which was produced by the Jakarta Conservatory of Music. Ivan became interested in singing when he heard for the first time the Parahyangan Catholic University choir in concert. (Jakarta Post, Indonesia -- Features)
* Puppetry sans strings Nov 2, 2007
Taipei Times - archives. Enter your search terms. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World)
Classical music as an exhibition Oct 20, 2007
The ensemble will combine famous works penned by such composers as Henry Purcell and George Frideric Handel. The concerts, which continue through the remainder of the school year, will involve UI student musicians as well. (Daily Iowan, IA)
What's On: Night & Day Weekend Sep 15, 2007
I Furiosi Baroque Ensemble is joined by organist Stephanie Martin for a "Crazy" concert of music by Henry Purcell and John Blow plus variations on "les folies'espagne." Sat. 8 p.m. ($10-$20). (Toronto Star)
Elgar Variations: Summerscape focuses on the virtuosity of Edward Elgar Aug 11, 2007
Always in frail health, Elgar developed cancer and died in 1934 (as did two other pro-minent English composers, Frederick Delius and Gustav Holst), but by 1899 he was the first English composer since Henry Purcell to have secured for himself wide international recognition. This was mainly because of the Enigma Variations, his first major compositional success. (Hillsdale Independent, NY)
Long ago and far away for young and old alike Jun 18, 2007
The concert, like the era, was framed by the genius of Henry Purcell: it opened with "Welcome to all the pleasures," an ode to St. Cecilia, patron of music, and closed with a selection of numbers from his opera "The Fairy Queen," in which Night, Sleep, Secrecy, and the Mystery of love were all anthropomorphically represented. The musicians (most of whom had dashed to Jordan Hall from the stage and pit of Lully's "Psych ," this year's Festival opera) had an easy rapport; the proceedings felt like... (Boston Globe)
English Composer Sir Edward Elgar Jun 2, 2007
Elgar was the greatest English-born composer since Henry Purcell, two centuries earlier. The English musical scene was dominated by non-English born composers of German origins - , Mendelssohn, and Wagner. (Suite101.com)
Buxton Festival 2007 Programme Apr 8, 2007
Among the opera performances are Donizetti s Roberto Devereux, Offenbach s Blubeard, Mozart s Marriage of Figaro, Henry Purcell s King Arthur and Georg Benda s Romeo and Juliet. There are plenty of other events going on too, to make sure that visitors to the Buxton Festival don t spend all their time sitting in theatres and in the magnificent Buxton Opera House as splendid as it is. (Suite101.com)
Dance: Dido and Aeneas, Sadler's Wells, London Mar 19, 2007
To what extent would Henry Purcell - once he'd got over the culture shock - have endorsed this spectacular, hardware-heavy treatment of an item he penned for an English girls' school in 1689. With its swimming pool and bungee ropes and naked bodies rolling about, would he even have recognised the story. (Independent)
Lemony twist Mar 3, 2007
As serious as its title, this commission for an instructional film starts with a Baroque theme by Henry Purcell. Each variation introduces a different section of the orchestra. (Toronto Star)
Marsalis quartet breathes virtuosity Feb 14, 2007
The ensemble then flowered into "The Plaint" followed by "O Solitude," inspired by baroque composer Henry Purcell, from the quartet's latest CD offering, "Braggtown." Utilizing a tenor sax played in the high register instead of a soprano sax, Marsalis created a unique texture with a deep blues aura. The band then abandoned the melody of Clifford Brown's "Sweet Georgia Brown" to solo freely over its chord progression. (Anchorage Daily News)
He's still reeling yearsafter beloved wife left Feb 11, 2007
"Henry Purcell is a well-known composer few people have ever heard of.". "Most authorities agree that music of antiquity was written long ago.". (The Standard-Times, MA)
Come on, feel the noise Jan 28, 2007
Handel s richly orchestrated scores are like dazzling jewels in the context of music probably used at the coronation by his Tudor and Stuart predecessors, Thomas Tallis, John Farmer, Orlando Gibbons and Henry Purcell, and they shone out brilliantly here. Not quite the Abbey and Robert instead of George but a rousing occasion nonetheless. (The Sunday Times)
Partners in song come to Medford Jan 26, 2007
The program will feature selections from a variety of composers including, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Henry Purcell, George Frederick Handel, Richard Strauss, Johannes Brahms, Gaetano Donizetti, Leonard Bernstein, Benjamin Britten, John Ireland, Virgil Thomson, Cole Porter, Vincent Youmans, Maurice Besly, Michael William Balfe and Ned Rorem. The Frohnmeyers will sing three duets and a number of solos. (Mail Tribune, OR)
A Boston connection with style Jan 23, 2007
For this amiable work, the composer drew inspiration from sources as diverse as Henry Purcell and Glassian minimalism and used it to fashion four distinctive movements, orchestrated with vivid imagination. The relationship between ensemble and soloist (in this case, the eloquent Kenneth Radnofsky) is an ever-shifting dance that finds its most alluring expression in the quicksilver second movement, titled "Bolero, Scissors and Paste.". (Boston Globe -- Living)
