Orpheus Britannicus | Medium Voice & Piano

6 Songs
Figured basses realised by Benjamin Britten, vocal parts editied by Peter Pears

In­stru­men­ta­tion: medium voice and piano
Lan­guage: English

Binding: Saddle stitching
Publisher: Boosey & Hawkes, London
Page number: 32

Information från utgivaren för: Orpheus Britannicus | Medium Voice & Piano

Editors’ annotations:
”This edition is not the work of musicologists and therefore the solution of problems such as ornamentation has not been attempted. Most singers today are either unwilling or unable to perform the ”Graces” – which Purcell may have expected, and we have therefore only printed the notes which Purcell himself printed. Those singers who wish to ”grace” the songs will do so at their own pleasure.
It is clear that the figured basses in Purcell’s day were realised in a manner personal to the player. In this edition the basses have also, inevitably, been realised in a personal way. But it has been the constant endeavour of the arranger to apply to these realisations something of that mixture of clarity, brilliance, tenderness and strangeness which shines out in all Purcell’s music.”

Peter Pears
Benjamin Britten

Innehåll

Mad Bess
If Music be the Food of Love (1st version)
There’s not a Swain of the Plain
Not all my torments – Man is for the Woman made
Sweeter than Roses