The Choir - Purcell Weekend

As part of BBC Radio 3's Purcell celebrations, Aled Jones is joined on the streets of Westminster by music historian Bruce Wood to recreate a choral 'day in the life' of the composer, with music for voices from the Chapel Royal, Westminster Abbey, the theatre and the ale house. We hear how three modern composers have responded to Purcell's incomplete masterwork Hear My Prayer, now thought to have been intended as a funeral anthem for King Charles II. Playlist Henry Purcell Hear my Prayer O Lord BBC Singers, conducted by Andrew Carwood BBC studio recording Henry Purcell The Lord is my Light Z55 Rogers Covey-Crump (tenor), Charles Daniels (tenor), Michael George (bass), and The King’s Consort conducted by Robert King Hyperion CDA66693, track 1 Henry Purcell Blow up the Trumpet in Sion Choir of King’s College Cambridge, conducted by Sir David Wilcocks TELDEC 3984217682 CD1, track 2 Bob Chilcott My Prayer BBC Singers, conducted by Andrew Carwood BBC studio recording Henry Purcell Soft Notes, and Gently Rais’d members of Red Byrd, with Parley Of Instruments, conducted by Peter Holman HYPERION CDA66750, track 11 Jacques Hétu Hear My Prayer O Lord BBC Singers, conducted by Andrew Carwood BBC studio recording Henry Purcell Songs for Theodosius: Prepare, Prepare Hark! Hark! Behold the heavn’ly choir Judith Nelson (soprano), David Thomas (bass), Martyn Hill (tenor), James Bowman (counter-tenor), with the Academy of Ancient Music, directed by Christopher Hogwood DECCA 4755292 CD4, tracks 14 & 17 Tobin Stokes Hear my Prayer o Lord BBC Singers, conducted by Andrew Carwood BBC studio recording Henry Purcell My Wife has a Tongue Paul Elliott, Alan Byers, Peter Bamber (tenors) DECCA 4755292 CD5, track 14 Henry Purcell Welcome to all the Pleasures Taverner Consort, Choir and Players, conducted by Andrew Parrott Virgin Veritas 7243 5 61582 2 1, track 1-6