English Royal Funeral Music
£14.49
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Label: Ricercar
Cat No: RIC332
Format: CD
Number of Discs: 1
Release Date: 22nd April 2013
Contents
Works
I am the resurrection and the lifeI heard a voice from heaven
I know that my Redeemer liveth
In the midst of life
Man that is born of a woman
We brought nothing into this world
The Queen's Farewell
Hear my prayer, O Lord, Z15
In the midst of life, Z17a
Man that is born of a woman, Z27
Music for the Funeral of Queen Mary, Z860
Remember not, O Lord, our offences, Z50
Thou knowest, Lord, Z58b
Thou knowest, Lord, Z58c
A sad Pavan for these distracted times
I am the resurrection and the life
I heard a voice from heaven
I know that my Redeemer liveth
We brought nothing into this world
Death hath deprived me
Artists
Vox LuminisConductor
Lionel MeunierWorks
I am the resurrection and the lifeI heard a voice from heaven
I know that my Redeemer liveth
In the midst of life
Man that is born of a woman
We brought nothing into this world
The Queen's Farewell
Hear my prayer, O Lord, Z15
In the midst of life, Z17a
Man that is born of a woman, Z27
Music for the Funeral of Queen Mary, Z860
Remember not, O Lord, our offences, Z50
Thou knowest, Lord, Z58b
Thou knowest, Lord, Z58c
A sad Pavan for these distracted times
I am the resurrection and the life
I heard a voice from heaven
I know that my Redeemer liveth
We brought nothing into this world
Death hath deprived me
Artists
Vox LuminisConductor
Lionel MeunierAbout
We know now that Purcell’s three Funeral Sentences were not written for the funeral of Queen Mary in 1695. Following the tradition of the English court, it was pieces by Thomas Morley, originally written for the funeral of Elizabeth I, that were sung there. Purcell’s only contribution to the ceremony was the composition of two pieces for slide trumpets (March and Canzona), and the anthem in the archaic style Thou knowest, Lord. During the funeral procession to Westminster Abbey, a band of oboes played two marches written by John Paisible and Thomas Tollet.
This recording assembles the music composed for the funeral of Queen Mary and that used at the funeral of Elizabeth I in 1603. The programme is completed by Purcell’s sublime a cappella anthems and a moving anthem by Weelkes on the death of Thomas Morley.
Sound/Video
Paused
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1Purcell - Hear My Prayer
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2Paisible - The Queen's Farewell
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3Purcell - The Queen's Funeral March
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4Morley - I am the Resurrection and the Life
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5Morley - Man that is born of a Woman
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6Purcell - Canzona
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7Morley - I Heard a Voice from Heaven
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8Weelkes - Death Hath Deprived Me
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9Tomkins - A Sad Pavan for these Distracted Times
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10Tomkins - I am the Resurrection and the Life
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11Purcell - O dive custos
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12Purcell - Man that born of a Woman
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13Purcell - Remember Not, Lord, Our Offences
Europadisc Review
In the Anglican funeral rite, a set (or 'dirge anthem') of three sentences was performed in procession on entrance to the church, another set of three at the grave, then a final sentence (I heard a voice from heaven) after earth had been cast on the body. It used to be thought that the funeral sentences composed for Queen Mary's funeral were those by Henry Purcell, but we now know that all but one of them (the third sentence of the second dirge anthem, Thou knowest, Lord) were actually performed in the much earlier settings by Thomas Morley, also used for Elizabeth I's funeral in 1603.
The funeral procession began with two pieces for oboe ensemble (bande de hautbois) entitled The Queen's Farewell, by James Paisible and Thomas Tollett; here they are each preceded by the muffled drums associated with funeral rites. Then comes Purcell's Funeral March for flatt (slide) trumpets and muffled drums. The poised restraint of Morley's sentences is beautifully complemented by the fuller scoring and heightened intensity of Purcell's Thou knowest, Lord, and his following Canzona for flatt trumpets.
Fortunately, there is also room for Purcell's own familiar funeral sentences, as well as the four more darkly-hued burial sentences by Thomas Tomkins, possibly intended as a commemoration of the executed monarch Charles I. Purcell's famous setting of Hear my prayer, Remember not, Lord, and his exquisite soprano duet O dive custos are also included, along with Thomas Weelkes' moving elegy for Morley (Death hath deprived me) and Tomkins' Sad Pavan for these distracted Times, the last performed on the virginals with great style by Guy Penson.
What is so striking from the outset of this disc is the distinctly French flavour brought to this music by Vox Luminis, a welcome reminder that English court music after the Restoration was strongly influenced by the court of Versailles. Over and above the beautifully blended singing, the clear diction, the sensitive phrasing and carefully deployed dynamics, it is the unexpected tonal richness that sheds new light on this music, illuminating its every harmonic and melodic turn. In particular, the 'open' quality of the vowel sounds in the performances makes its mark indelibly here. The brilliantly accomplished instrumental contributions from Les Trompettes des Plaisirs and the oboes of Lingua Franca further enhance this distinctive flavour. In O dive custos, sopranos Zsuzi Tóth and Sara Jäggi are as meltingly beautiful as one could ever wish.
As with their Schütz disc, this outstanding new recording from Vox Luminis (made in the église Saint-Jean Baptiste, Beaufays) is sure to win new audiences for such extraordinary music, and to further enrich the experience of those already familiar with it. No praise could be higher.
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