Search - Purcell, Tavener Consort, Parrott :: Hail Bright Cecilia

A landmark recording never to have been bettered

scott | Calgary, Canada | 01/08/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Of all of Purcell's odes, this is by far the grandest, and I think most people would agree, the best one musically. All of the odes have at least one movement that really catches my ear (yes, I have them all), but this one in particular is stuffed with great music. I can hardly name favorites without including everything - it's really that good.



This performance is similarily laudable. I have the King and McCreesh versions too, and as good as they are, Parrott comes out on top. (the Herreweghe has been highly praised, but I have yet to hear it) He uses a large number of soloists - 12 in all, and all of them are excellent. It would be invidious to single any one out, but Rogers Covey-Crump delivers the best "Tis nature's voice" I can imagine, and Neil Jenkins tackles "The fife..." with such ease it seems easy. In particular, the high C sounds like it is in full chest voice, but almost effortlessly. I marvel at it everytime I hear it. I could go on as effusively about each movement, so suffice it to say that I urge you to aquire this recording without hesitation.



NB. this particular disc is long deleted, but is available on a Virgin x2 reissue that includes "Welcome to all the pleasures" and "Come ye sons of art" with the Funeral Music for Queen Mary which are of extremely high quality too. (Cat# 7243 5 61582 2 1)"