Search - Henry Purcell, Pelham Humfrey, Daniel Purcell :: Counter-Tenor Duets and Song by Purcell and his contemporaries

A voice teacher and early music fan

George Peabody | Planet Earth | 09/21/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"ANGEL AND CHAMBERS: LET'S HEAR MORE FROM YOU!



This is really an interesting group of songs; most by Henry Purcell, but one by Pelham Humfrey, three by John Blow and one by David Purcell.



The Continuo Song-scored for one or more solo voices with theorbo or harpsichord accompaniment- was perhaps the most universal musical genre in late 17th century England. The roots of the genre lay in the early 17th century lute song,from which it gradually developed during the 1630's.



The modern term "counter-tenor" denotes an adult male singing in the falsetto voice. Ryland Angel and Mark Chambers are very well matched for these duets. Their tone quality is similar but not so much so that you cannot discern their individual voices. Their sound is well suited to the song material, some of which are also sung as solos. The duets are:'Sound the trumpet'( a great favorite of countertenors)-'In vain the am'rous flute'-'No resistance is but vain'- 'o Dive custos'- all by Purcell. 'Ah Heaven what is't I hear?'-'Quam diligo legen tuam'-'Paratum cor meum' all by John Blow. Each singer sings 4 solos all very attractive and well done!!!!"

A voice teacher and early music fan

George Peabody | Carlisle,Pa. | 09/11/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is really an interesting group of songs most by Henry Purcell, but one by Pelham Humfrey, three by John Blow and one by Daniel Purcell. The Continuo Song-scored for one or more solo voices with theorbo or harpsichord accompaniment-was perhaps the most universal musical genre in late seventeenth- century England. The roots of the genre lay in the early seventeenth-century lute song, from which it gradually developed during the 1630's. The modern term 'counter-tenor' denotes an adult male singing falsetto. Ryland Angel and Mark Chambers are very well matched for their duets. Their tone quality is similar but not so much that you can't define their individual voices. Their sound is very well suited to the song material, some of which are also solos. The duets are as follows:"Sound the Trumpet"( a favorite among most counter-tenors)-"In vain the am'rous flute"-"O Dive custos"-"No resistance is but vain" all of which are by Purcell-"Ah heaven!What is't I hear?"-"Quam diligo legem tuam"-"Paratum cor meum" all of which are by John Blow. Each singer does four solos all very attractive and extremely well done. This is one of my favorite often played albums. It's so pleasant to listen to and skillfully sung."