Music from "The Fairy Queen" (414.01)

Music from "The Fairy Queen" (414.01) (The music for the fairy-Queen was written in 1692 for a masque based on Shakespeare’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’. Although considerable liberties were taken with the original story by Purcell’s unknown collaborator, the basic plot remains and the resulting production must have been highly colourful and entertaining. The performance, at the Theatre royal, cost 33000, a considerable sum at the time, much of this being spent of elaborate stage machinery and costumes. Purcell seemed inspired by the project as the wealth of music for scene changes, dances sequences and vocal choruses and solos, is of the highest quality. Performance notes: The pieces in this set provide the possibility for selecting appropriate numbers for the suite of suitable length as required if the full set is too long. Two suggestions are: Suite {A} 1) [1] Overture: Symphony while the Swans Come Forward -2) [2] rondo - 3) [4a/b] Dance of the Fairies /Jig - 4) [5] Sleep - 5) [6] Dance for the followers of Night - 6) [8] If Love’s a Sweet Passion - 7) Prelude - Suite {B} 1) [1] Overture: Symphony while the Swans Come Forward - 2) [2] rondo - 3) [3a/b] Air/Prelude - 4) [7] Next, Winter Comes Slowly - 5) [8] If Love’s a Sweet Passion - 6) [9] Prelude)