It is a well-known fact that I love a good ground bass, and Purcell’s are among the best.
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It is a well-known fact that I love a good ground bass, and Purcell’s are among the best. Here’s a *really* excellent one: the unprepossessingly-named Curtain Tune from the music for Timon of Athens.
I wish I could convey to you (if you are a person that does not already share my affinity with ground basses) what joy there is in experiencing how the composer solves the problems posed by the constraints they have willingly placed on themself — that there is a phrase that constantly repeats.
Purcell is the greatest. Enjoy.
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It is a well-known fact that I love a good ground bass, and Purcell’s are among the best. Here’s a *really* excellent one: the unprepossessingly-named Curtain Tune from the music for Timon of Athens.
I wish I could convey to you (if you are a person that does not already share my affinity with ground basses) what joy there is in experiencing how the composer solves the problems posed by the constraints they have willingly placed on themself — that there is a phrase that constantly repeats.
Purcell is the greatest. Enjoy.
I’m going to start a thread of Purcell ground basses for your listening pleasure.
Number 2 is Here the deities approve, from his first Cecilia Ode ‘Welcome to all the pleasures’. Here you get a bonus: the song (alto and continuo) complete, followed by a reworking expanded to four parts. Wait for the entrance of the upper strings, a huge delight.
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I’m going to start a thread of Purcell ground basses for your listening pleasure.
Number 2 is Here the deities approve, from his first Cecilia Ode ‘Welcome to all the pleasures’. Here you get a bonus: the song (alto and continuo) complete, followed by a reworking expanded to four parts. Wait for the entrance of the upper strings, a huge delight.
No 3. #PurcellGroundGenius
Now that the sun hath veiled his light
(aka Evening Hymn)
This is a famous one, maybe the second-most famous. I do love it so.
Forensic listeners may spot that Purcell does a bit of moving of the ground (transposing it, and in a pleasingly subtle manner) which gives another dimension to delineate a larger form. The alleluias are particularly fine.
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No 3. #PurcellGroundGenius
Now that the sun hath veiled his light
(aka Evening Hymn)
This is a famous one, maybe the second-most famous. I do love it so.
Forensic listeners may spot that Purcell does a bit of moving of the ground (transposing it, and in a pleasingly subtle manner) which gives another dimension to delineate a larger form. The alleluias are particularly fine.
No 4 #PurcellGroundGenius
Music for a while
This one is wonderfully chromatic and rising, which is unusual (something to do with how dissonance needs preparation and resolution makes it more natural in a falling direction).
I like to imagine (based on zero evidence) that Purcell did it just to see if he could. Or maybe on a bet.
I haven’t found a performance I’m completely happy with the tempo of. All too slow, I think, but perhaps it is I who is wrong.
There are more to come, but that may happen tomorrow.
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No 4 #PurcellGroundGenius
Music for a while
This one is wonderfully chromatic and rising, which is unusual (something to do with how dissonance needs preparation and resolution makes it more natural in a falling direction).
I like to imagine (based on zero evidence) that Purcell did it just to see if he could. Or maybe on a bet.
I haven’t found a performance I’m completely happy with the tempo of. All too slow, I think, but perhaps it is I who is wrong.
There are more to come, but that may happen tomorrow.
@Gaolaitch and here I am with exams to mark, and these to listen to as well!
I am *not* going to do either Purcell or my students any disfavours by trying to listen and mark at the same.
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