Page 311 - FINAL_The Sixteen Coverage Book 40th Anniversary Year

17 October 2019

Thursday, 17 October 2019
Royal Welcome Songs for King Charles II, volume II
Labels: cd review

Henry Purcell Royal Welcome Songs for King Charles II, volume II; The Sixteen, Harry Christophers; CORO
Reviewed by Robert Hugill on 2 October 2019 Star rating: 4.0 (★★★★)
A further exploration of Purcell's Odes and Welcome Songs alongside his other music

This is another in Harry Christophers and The Sixteen's valuable series on Coro placing Henry Purcell's
Odes and Welcome Songs in the context of his other music. Having already issued discs of Royal Welcome
Songs for King James II and Royal Welcome Songs for King Charles II, this disc is a further selection from
the time of King Charles II. On this disc we have the Ode to St Cecilia, Welcome to All the Pleasures (from
1683) and the Welcome Song, From Hardy Climes and Dangerous Toils of War (from 1683), along with the
anthems Hear my prayer O Lord, Lord how long wilt thou be angry and In thee O Lord do I put my trust, the
songs O Solitude and From silent shades, the devotional song Plung'd inthe confines of despair, the Pavan of
Four Parts in G minor and a catch, performed by a vocal ensemble of eight, with all singers mixing solo
lines with ensemble singing, and an instrumental ensemble of 12 strings, theorbo, harp and
organ/harpsichord.

Whilst King Charles II projected a confident, not to say swaggering image, the reality of his regime
with its secret subsidies from King Louis XIV was less edifying. But during his lifetime these details
were known to few and what Henry Purcell's music projects is the official image of the somewhat
cultured and pleasure-loving court. Charles' tastes were formed by his period in exile, the experience
of his cousin Louis XIV's court. But, restored to the throne in England, money was far tighter than at
the French court, and Charles notoriously always preferred music that he could beat time to!

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