Purcell - O Solitude
Scholl; Accademia Bizantina
Decca 478 2262

Release date January 2011

A teasing opening phrase launches Andreas Scholl into a passionate performance of If music be the food of love, the opening number in this disc of songs and arias by Purcell. Curiously, this is Scholl’s first foray into Purcell’s music in the recording studio. His recital programmes regularly feature favourites such as Music for a while, its long legato lines especially suited to his voice and here underpinned by an accompaniment which mischievously alerts the listener to the snakes about to ‘drop from [Alecto’s] head’. The richness of Accademia Bizantina’s playing is one of the disc’s great pleasures, although in the first half of the disc it almost becomes too much of a good thing. They shine in their own right in two sweeping Chaconys, a Pavan and the incidental music for The Gordian Knot Unty’d, and the recorder playing in Strike the viol (from Come, ye sons of art, away) adds piquancy to the ensemble’s luscious sound. From that same Birthday Ode Scholl treats us to a rousing rendition (with French counter-tenor Christophe Dumaux) of the famous duet Sound the Trumpet – although the addition of the instrumental symphony left this listener panting for the chorus that ought to follow it! The pair also gives a poised performance of O dive custos, Purcell’s beautiful elegy on the death of Queen Mary. Elsewhere Scholl presents a highly theatrical performance of the famous Cold Song from King Arthur, and an exceedingly fine, flowing Here the deities approve from the Ode for St Cecilia’s Day. The disc is not entirely without flaws; Scholl’s pronunciation of English is, as ever, a touch quaint, and Fairest Isle suffers from Scholl’s rather stolid interpretation (not helped by over-exuberant ornamentation from the band). Also, the inclusion of a fairly ordinary performance of Dido’s Lament seems unnecessary, given the wealth of Purcell songs that exists. Those quibbles aside, this is a very enjoyable disc, sure to please Scholl’s legion of fans and many others too.

Reviewed by Anne McAlister