Purcell: Hail! bright Cecilia | B´Rock Orchestra & Vox Luminis

A hymn of praise to music itself: Henry Purcell’s “Hail! bright Cecilia” is a ceremonial ode to the patron saint of sacred music: Saint Cecilia. This exuberant vocal piece does indeed shines brightly in this interpretation by the Belgian “Vox Luminis” ensemble. The B’Rock Orchestra, also from Belgium, accompanies this musical celebration on historical instruments. Artistic director is the French conductor and bass Lionel Meunier. The concert took place in the year 2019 at the Concertgebouw Brugge.

(00:00) I. Symphony (overture)
(09:54) II. Recitative (bass) and chorus: Hail! bright Cecilia
(14:04) III. Duet (treble and bass): Hark! hark! each tree
(18:13) IV. Air (countertenor): Tis nature's voice
(22:52) V. Chorus: Soul of the world
(25:02) VI. Air (soprano) and chorus: Thou tun'st this world
(29:24) VII. Trio (alto, tenor and bass): With that sublime celestial lay
(32:39) VIII. Air (bass): Wondrous machine!
(34:57) IX. Air (countertenor): The airy violin
(36:33) X. Duet (countertenor and tenor): In vain the am'rous flute
(43:43) XI. Air (countertenor): The fife and all the harmony of war
(46:52) XII. Duet (two basses): Let these among themselves contest
(49:37) XIII. Chorus: Hail! bright Cecilia, hail to thee

Henry Purcell (1659-1695) is viewed as the most important English composer of the Baroque period and enjoyed great fame and fortune during his lifetime. He was engaged as the organist at the Chapel Royal and Westminster Abbey. In the early years of his career, Purcell mainly composed sacred music and odes for royal ceremonial occasions. Many of his later works were inspired by the plays of William Shakespeare. One of the most famous of these is his opera “Dido and Aeneas“. Henry Purcell died in his mid-30s at the zenith of his creative life.

The ode “Hail! bright Cecilia” (Z.328) was written to mark the memorial day of Saint Cecilia, initially celebrated in France and then in England from the late 17th century. For more than 30 years, the Musical Society of London commissioned a different composer every year to write a new ode to Cecilia. The piece would then be played on 22 November after a major celebratory mass. Henry Purcell was the first to fulfil the commission with the “Laudate Ceciliam“ in the year 1683. But his ode “Hail! bright Cecilia“ from the 1692 was a much bigger success. The libretto to the piece is the work of the Irish poet Nicholas Brady.

Purcell’s ode to Cecilia is interpreted by the Belgian Vox Luminis ensemble, which specializes in English, Spanish and German music for voice, primarily from the Baroque era. The ensemble was founded in the year 2004 by the French musician Lionel Meunier, who sings bass in the ensemble himself. The choir appears in varying constellations according to repertoire and has won many prestigious accolades.

The instrumental parts are played by the Belgian B´Rock Orchestra, which also specializes in Baroque music and plays on historical instruments from the era, including timpani, lute and cembalo.

© 2019 IDÉALE AUDIENCE & MUSEEC / MEDICI.TV

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