Purcell: Come Ye Sons Of Art

Classic collection from the legendary counter tenor .

Alfred Deller and his Consort did much to bring Purcell's vocal music back to the popularity it deserves. The four works on this CD were first issued some fifty years ago on vinyl discs at a time when vibrato was encouraged in singers and instrumentalista alike and long before people like Christopher Hogwood and Trevor Pinnock introduced us to period instruments and lowered pitches. Nevertheless, these old recordings display a freshness and vigour which outweigh any questions of historically-accurate performances. The four items are the ode 'Come, ye Sons of Art', the verse-anthems 'Rejoice in the Lord alway' and 'My Beloved spake' and finally the St Cecelia ode 'Welcome to all the Pleasures'. It is really good to hear these artists of yesteryear- Deller rapidly became a household name, but all the members of his consort were first-rate soloists in their own right. I did, however, detect one possible mis-attribution in the booklet notes: Maurice Bevan's name is included for all four items, but surely that is someone else singing the bass solos in 'Come, ye Sons of Art'? All in all, this is a very enjoyable disc and especially, if like me, you are getting on in years and can remember the years of Deller and his associates.

Older collectors will be grateful to have these Deller Consort recordings restored to circulation again. Younger collectors will hear on this CD some of Purcell's greatest music. The adagio section of the opening symphony to "Come Ye Sons of Art", for example, is as serenely beautiful a musical texture as can be imagined. Alfred Deller's work in re-awakening interest in vocal music from the C16 and C17, especially focusing on the counter tenor component, was well supported by Vanguard Records, who are now reissuing Deller's recordings on CD. The notes with this CD were written by Alfred Deller's son Mark. Mark became a counter tenor, like his father, and the two of them are heard in the well-known duet "Sound the Trumpet" on Track 3 of this CD. Alfred Deller gathered around him some noteworthy singers including April Cantelo, Rober Tear and Gerald English. The latter's most conspicuous contribution, "Beauty Thou Scene of Love" may be heard on Track 25, preceded by a harpsichord interpolation. Four of Purcell's masterpieces, in performances from the late 50s and early 60s, are included on this 67 minute CD.