The Gabrieli's chief on the sublime King Arthur, the edgy string harmonies, even the smutty glees.

Blowing the dust off the duet is a delight from start to finish.

Truly accomplished playing and a satisfying program make this a fitting start to the year.

A promising start to a new series exploring Purcell's creative ingenuity.

Ahead of Sydney Chamber Choir’s Dido & Aeneas, the conductor delves into the music of Purcell, Monteverdi and Gesualdo. Continue reading Get unlimited digital access from $4 per month Subscribe Already a subscriber? Log in

Benjamin Britten’s interest in the music of his great Baroque predecessor Henry Purcell extended far beyond basing his Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra on the Rondeau from Purcell’s Abdelazer suite. Purcell’s songs were championed in Britten’s own idiosyncratic arrangements for piano and voice.Purcell’s music for string consort also exerted a fascination for Britten whose String Quartet No 2 contains a Chacony: a direct homage to Purcell’s  ‘chaconne’ for four-part string ensemble. Britten made a performing edition of Purcell’s Chacony in the late 1950s (revised in 1963), and this is the version used by the Emerson String Quartet – here celebrating their 40th anniversary with the first release on Decca’s new Decca Gold label – in a fascinating programme which also includes a selection of Purcell’s Fantazias for viol consort along with Britten’s Second and Third String Quartets. Despite some three centuries and enormous stylistic differences separating the two composers, their music complements each other’s rather well – which is unsurprising, given Britten’s updating of archaic forms and Purcell’s love of dissonance and complexity.Unsurprising too, in this instance, given the Emersons’ insightful and highly expressive readings, which find the modern in Purcell and the ancient in Britten while maintaining a…

★★★★½ Renaissance masters make sublime and welcome return to Oz. Continue reading Get unlimited digital access from $4 per month Subscribe Already a subscriber? Log in

The socially savvy mezzo supports many causes, but after the Paris attacks she’s decided to go on the record.

★★★☆☆ Glittering Con students put the magic into Purcell’s semi-opera.

Music has always been great propaganda, but over the centuries Britain’s royalty have turned it into an art form. Continue reading Get unlimited digital access from $4 per month Subscribe Already a subscriber? Log in

★★★★☆ Baroque trio and friends take us where court meets pub. Continue reading Get unlimited digital access from $4 per month Subscribe Already a subscriber? Log in

★★★★☆ Miriam Margolyes rules the waves as Brisbane defrosts Purcell’s genius.