Artist: The Academy of Ancient Music, Christopher Hogwood
Title: Purcell: Theatre Music
Year Of Release: 1990 (2004)
Label: Decca
Genre: Classical
Quality: FLAC (tracks) + Scans
Total Time: 06:46:12
Total Size: 2.1 Gb

Tracklist:

CD 1
Abdelazer Or The Moor's Revenge Z570 (1695)
1.1 Overture 3:22
1.2 Rondeau - Air - Air - Minuet 5:14
1.3 Air - Jig - Hornpipe - Air 4:06
1.4 Song: Lucinda Is Bewitching Fair 3:26
Distressed Innocence Or The Princess Of Persia Z577 (1690)
1.5 Overture 1:38
1.6 Air - Slow Air - Air - Hornpipe Or Jig 4:35
1.7 Rondeau - Air - Minuet 3:00
The Married Beau Or The Curious Impenitent Z603 (1694)
1.8 Overture 2:21
1.9 Slow Air - Hornpipe 1:46
1.10 Air - Hornpipe - Jig 3:32
1.11 Trumpet Air - March - Hornpipe On A Ground 4:43
1.12 Song: See! Where Repenting Celia Lyes 2:15
The Gordian Knot Unty'd Z597 (1691)
1.13 Overture 2:31
1.14 Air - Rondeau Minuet - Air - Jig 4:11
1.15 Chaconne - Air - Minuet 3:46
Sir Anthony Love Or The Rambling Lady Z588 (1690)
1.16 Overture 2:15
1.17 Pursuing Beauty 4:08
1.18 No More, Sir, No More 2:23
1.19 In Vain Clemene 3:12
1.20 Ground 3:48

CD 2
Bonduca Or The British Heroine Z574 (1695)
2.1 Overture 2:35
2.2 Air - Hornpipe - Air 3:29
2.3 Hornpipe - Air - Minuet 2:56
2.4 Jack, Thou'rt A Roper 1:53
2.5 Hear Us Great Rugwith 2:57
2.6 Hear, Ye Gods Of Britain 1:17
2.7 Sing, Sing, Ye Druids! 2:46
2.8 Divine Andate, President Of War 0:52
2.9 To Arms 2:10
2.10 Britons Strike Home! 2:46
2.11 O Lead Me To Some Peaceful Gloom 2:42
Circe Z575 (?1690)
2.12 We Must Assemble A Sacrifice 2:36
2.13 Their Necessary Aid You Use 3:17
2.14 Come Every Demon 3:26
2.15 Lovers, Who To Their First Embraces Go 3:17
2.16 Magicians' Dance ... Pluto, Arise! 2:39
The Virtuous Wife Or Good Luck At Last Z611 (?1694)
2.17 Overture 2:13
2.18 Song Tune - Slow Air - Air 4:48
2:19 Preludio - Hornpipe - Minuet - MInuet (1st Act Tune) 6:11
The Old Bachelor Z607 (1691)
2.20 Overture 2:24
2.21 Hornpipe 1:03
2.22 Thus To A Ripe, Consenting Maid 2:24
2.23 Slow Air - Hornpipe 1:59
2.24 As Amoret And Thyrsis Lay 2:26
2.25 Rondeau - Minuet - Boree - March - Jig 4:13

CD 3
3.1 Overture In G Minor Z770 1:56
Don Quixote Z578 (1694-95)
3.2 Sing All Ye Muses 3:46
3.3 When The World First Knew Creation 2:19
3.4 Let The Dreadful Engines Of Eternal Will 6:34
3.5 With This Sacred Charming Wand 9:09
3.6 Since Times Are So Bad 5:20
3.7 Genius Of England 4:30
3.8 Lads And Lasses, Blithe And Gay 1:45
3.9 From Rosie Bow'rs 6:01
Amphitryon Or The Two Sosias Z572 (1690)
3.10 Overture 2:39
3.11 Saraband 1:12
3.12 Celia, That I Once Was Blest 2:38
3.13 Hornpipe - Scotch Tune 2:16
3.14 For Iris I Sigh 2:41
3.15 Air - Minuet - Hornpipe 2:36
3.16 Fair Iris And Her Swain 4:38
3.17 Bourrée 0:49

CD 4
The Double Dealer Z592 (1693)
4.1 Overture 2:48
4.2 Hornpipe - Minuet - Air - Hornpipe 4:15
4.3 Cynthia Frowns 2:28
4.4 Minuet - Minuet - Air - Air 4:35
The Richmond Heiress Or A Woman Once In The Right Z608 (1693)
4.5 Behold The Man 8:32
The Rival Sisters Or The Violence Of Love Z609 (1695)
4.6 Overture 3:31
4.7 Celia Has A Thousand Charms 2:19
4.8 Take Not A Woman's Anger Ill 1:20
4.9 How Happy, How Happy Is She 1:33
Henry The Second, King Of England Z580 (1692)
4.10 In Vain, 'Gainst Love, In Vain I Strove 1:53
Tyrannic Love Or The Royar Martyr Z613 (1694)
4.11 Hark! My Damilcar! 4:18
4.12 Ah! How Sweet It Is To Love 4:23
4.13 Overture In G Minor Z772 3:13
Theodosius Or The Force Of Love Z606 (1680)
4.14 Prepare, Prepare, The Rites Begin 1:43
4.15 Can'st Thou, Marina 2:51
4.16 The Gate To Bliss 2:55
4:17 Hark! Hark! Behold The Heav'nly Choir 2:45
4.18 Now The Fight's Done 2:19
4.19 Sad As Death At Dead Of Night 2:20
4.20 Dream No More Of Pleasures Past 1:44
4.21 Hail To The Myrtle Shade 2:35
4.22 Ah Cruel, Bloody Fate 2:15

CD 5
The Libertine Or The Libertine Destroyed Z600 (?1692)
5.1 Nymphs And Shepherds 1:52
5.2 We Come 1:39
5.3 Prelude 1:27
5.4 Prepare, Prepare, New Guests Draw Near 4:38
5.5 To Arms, Heroic Prince 3:17
The Massacre Of Paris Z604 (1690)
5.6 Thy Genius, Lo (2 Settings)
Oedipus Z583 (?1692)
5.7 Hear, Ye Sullen Powers Below 3:03
5.8 Music For A While 3:42
5.9 Come Away, Do Not Stay ... Laius! Hear, Hear 2:22
5.10 Overture In D Minor Z771 2:48
The History Of King Richard The Second (The Sicilian Usurper) Z581 (1681)
5.11 Retir'd From Any Mortal's Sight 2:58
Sir Barnaby Whigg Or No Wit Like A Woman's Z589 (1681)
5.12 Blow, Blow, Boreas, Blow 3:42
Sophonisba Or Hannibal's Overthrow Z590 (?1685)
5.13 Beneath The Poplar's Shadow 1:48
The English Lawyer Z594 (1685)
5.14 My Wife Has A Tongue 1:25
A Fool's Preferment Or The Three Dukes Of Dunstable Z571 (1688)
5.15 I Sigh'd, And I Pin'd ... There's Nothing So Fatal As Woman 1:49
5.16 Fled Is My Love ... 'Tis Death Alone ... I'll Mount To Yon Blue Coelum 2:43
5.17 I'll Sail Upon The Dog-Star 1:24
5.18 Jenny, 'Gin You Can Love 2:12
5.19 If Thou Wilt Give Me Back My Love 0:41
The Indian Emperor Or The Conquest Of Mexico Z598 (1691)
5.20 I Look'd And Saw Within 2:04
The Knight Of Malta Z599 (1691)
5.21 At The Close Of The Ev'ning 1:29
A Dialogue Between Thirsis And Daphne Z525 (1691)
5.22 Why, My Daphne, Why Complaining 3:37
The Wives' Excuse Or Cuckolds Make Themselves Z612 (1691)
5.23 Ingrateful Love! 2:28
5.24 Hang This Whining Way Of Wooing 1:26
5.25 Say, Cruel Amoret ... Corinna, I Excuse Thy Face 2:31
Cleomenes, The Spartan Hero Z576 (1692)
5.26 No, No, Poor Suff'ring Heart 2:59
Regulus Or The Faction Of Carthage Z586 (1692)
5.27 Ah Me! To Many Deaths 3:14
The Marriage-Hater Match'd Z602 (1692)
5.28 As Soon As The Chaos ... How Vile Are The Sordid Intregues 4:02

CD 6
Love Triumphant Or Nature Will Prevail Z582 (1693)
6.1 How Happy's The Husband 1:43
Rule A Wife And Have A Wife Z587 (1693)
6.2 There's Not A Swain
The Female Virtuosos Z596
6.3 Love, Thou Art Best 1:57
Epsom Wells Z579 (1693)
6.4 Leave These Useless Arts 2:12
The Maid's Last Prayer Or Any Rather Than Fail Z601 (1693)
6.5 Though You Make No Return 2:08
6.6 No, Resistance Is But Vain 4:13
6.7 Tell Me No More 1:57
Aureng-Zebe Or The Great Mogul Z573 (?1692)
6.8 I See, She Flies Me 2:34
The Canterbury Guests Or A Bargain Broken Z591 (1694)
6.9 Good Neighbour Why? 3:19
The Fatal Marriage Or The Innocent Adultery Z595 (1694)
6.10 The Danger Is Over 2:16
6.11 I Sigh'd And Owned My Love 2:49
The Spanish Fair Or The Double Discovery Z610 (1694-95)
6.12 Whilst I Get Grief 2:43
Pausianias, The Betrayer Of His Country Z585 (1695)
6.13 Sweeter Than Roses 3:01
6.14 My Dearest, My Fairest 2:36
The Mock Marriage Z605 (1695)
6.15 Oh! How You Protest ... 'Twas Within A Furlong ... Man Is For The Woman Made 4:44
Oroonoko Z584 (1695)
6.16 Celemene, Pray Tell Me 3:09
6.17 Pavan No. 1 In A Major Z748 3:31
6.18 Pavan No. 2 In A Minor Z749 2:54
6.19 Pavan No. 3 In B Flat Major Z750 3:03

Performers:
Emma Kirkby, Judith Nelson, Elizabeth Lane, Joy Roberts, Prudence Lloyd (sopranos), James Bowman (countertenor), Martyn Hill, Rogers Covey-Crump, Paul Elliott, Alan Byers, Peter Bamber, Julian Pike (tenors), David Thomas, Christopher Keyte, Geoffrey Shaw, Michael George (basses)

Academy of Ancient Music
The Taverner Choir
Christopher Hogwood

Henry Purcell ranks with Handel, Elgar, and Britten among Britain’s greatest composers. He composed one full opera (Dido and Aeneas) and five semi-operas, or masques (The Fairy Queen, The Indian Queen, King Arthur, The Tempest, and Dioclesian). In addition, he composed a substantial body of incidental music for other plays of Britain’s Restoration era.
This six-disc set provides a nearly complete collection of Purcell’s theater music. The performances were recorded between 1976 and 1985 by Christopher Hogwood, the Academy of Ancient Music, and some of the finest early-music singers of the period, including Emma Kirkby, Judith Nelson, James Bowman, Martyn Hill, David Thomas, and Michael George.
The performances are excellent, the sound is great, and the price is right. Recommended without reservation to all lovers of Purcell.