Hide player

Hyperion Records

Click cover art to view larger version
Track(s) taken from CDA66720
Ah! cruel nymph! was probably copied into the Gresham Manuscript around May 1693. It was also later printed in the second edition of Orpheus Britannicus. A mini-cantata, it shows Purcell’s development of the Italian style, fusing arioso and recitative. The opening explores a running bass line, which is only finally established after an extravagantly florid roulade for the singer on ‘delight’. Despite this peacock-like display, the lover’s ‘nymph’ still refuses his entreaties to cease reproaching him for a previous flirtation with Sylvia. In a more serious section of recitative the singer complains that Sylvia sustained for too long ‘Her conquest when her love was feign’d’. In a dancing triple time the poet realizes that this new lady, ‘charming, airy, humorous and gay’, has finally enabled him to see true love.

from notes by Robert King © 2003

Recording details: March 1994
Orford Church, Suffolk, United Kingdom
Produced by Ben Turner
Engineered by Philip Hobbs
Release date: May 1994
Total duration: 2 minutes 35 seconds

Ah! cruel nymph!, Z352
composer
mid-1693
author of text
Other recordings available for download
Paul Esswood (countertenor), Johann Sonnleitner (harpsichord), Charles Medlam (viola da gamba)

Other albums featuring this work
Cover of 'Purcell: Music for a while' (CDA66070)
Cover of 'Purcell: The complete secular solo songs' (CDS44161/3)
Show: MP3 FLAC ALAC
   English   Français   Deutsch
over £20 for 10% discount on whole order
over £40 for 15% discount on whole order
over £59 for 25% discount on whole order
over £200 for 35% discount on whole order
(P&P free on almost all orders.)
Your basket:
There are no items in your basket.
Use the Buy buttons across the site.

The following discounts will be applied for CD purchases:
ms'); ' %>