Playlist (The Fairy Queen): www.youtube.com The Fairy Queen, Z 629 Dramatic opera in five acts Text: Anonymous, after William Shakespeare's 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' (c.1595) Music: Henry Purcell (1659-1695) First performance: 2 May 1692, in London (Queen's Theatre, Dorset Garden) ___ 17a. Prelude for 2 treble violins, tenor violin and basso continuo Published in 'A Collection of Airs' (London: Frances Purcell, 1697) 17b. If love's a sweet passion for soprano and basso continuo Published in 'Some Select Songs as they are Sung in The Fairy Queen' (London: Henry Purcell, 1692) 17c. I press her hand gently for chorus (SATB), 2 treble violins, tenor violin and basso continuo ___ Helen Parker, soprano The Scholars Baroque Ensemble (Artistic coordinator: David van Asch) Recorded in November 1992 Pitch: A = 415 Hz ___ I have reconstructed the score of the prelude from the separate parts ('Violino Primo', 'Violino Secundo', 'Tennor' and 'Bassus') published in 'A Collection of Airs'. The bars have been aligned by adding sections of empty staff. The way the notes have been aligned is a compromise between the modern way (values) and the contemporary way (balance). The score of the song is from 'Some Select Songs'. The score of the chorus section is from 'The Works of Henry Purcell' (Purcell Society Edition), volume 12 (London: Novello, 1903), with some editing by myself. Marc D.
Henry Purcell
The Fairy Queen
Helen Parker
Scholars Baroque Ensemble
