GALLIARD: Pan And Syrinx - PURCELL: The Masque of Cupid and Bacchus [CD de audio] Musica and Rhenum, Galliard, Purcell and Jed W

A new opera: new to the CD catalog and, without a doubt, a real discovery. A welcome trouvaille for any lover of the rich musical world of the 18th century. London, the capital of what is often mocked as a country without music, was then the creative crucible. London was the travel destination and later home of many foreign celebrities, such as Handel, JC Bach and later Haydn. John Galliard's Pan and Syrinx gained a good reputation as a work there and made the composer as well-known in those years as Handel was in the early years of the 18th century with masterpieces such as Rinaldo and Acis & Galatea. Galliard's themes were then highly sought after in classical circles: nymphs and shepherds, characterized with confidence in the vocal lines and a modern look and a good ear for harmonies. The play is here combined (as was common at the time) with a wonderful set of masks from Purcell's music for Shakespeare's Timon of Athens. Extensive research was done to achieve as authentic a recording as possible through the historic Music Ad Rhenum ensemble (even attention was paid to the correct English pronunciation of the time). More information First recording Introduction text by director Jed Wetzel (in English) Inc showing libretto