Regicide, civil war, political upheaval… and yet the arts flourished as never before in 17th century England! Composers such as Henry Purcell, John Blow Pelham Humpfrey, Matthew Locke and the Lawes brothers concocted sublime scores amidst chaos and turbulence. The countertenor Alex Potter, harpsichordist Patrick Ayrton and viol player Salomé Gasselin show how this tumultuous period nevertheless became a golden age of English music. The soundtrack covers the full 100 years and the entire emotional bandwidth, from the contemplative beauty of An Evening Hymn to the cutting irony of Sabine has a Thousand Charms. The title piece – Tomkins’ A Sad Paven for These Distracted Tymes – dates from the English Civil War: the poignant echo of a country in distress.
Program
H. Purcell: We Sing to Him | If Music Be the Food of Love | What Hope for Us Remains | Here the Deities Approve | An Evening Hymn | H. Lawes: Love’s Fruition | M. Locke: Bone Jesu, Verbum Patris | T. Tomkins: A Sad Paven for These Distracted Tymes | J. Blow: Tell Me No More and other works
Performers
Alex Potter, countertenor | Patrick Ayrton, harpsichord | Salomé Gasselin, viola da gamba