There are several multi-disc sets featuring Purcell’s complete Ayres for the Theatre, but remarkably few that offer a generous selection on a single disc. Here...

There are several multi-disc sets featuring Purcell’s complete Ayres for the Theatre, but remarkably few that offer a generous selection on a single disc. Here we have extended suites from Dioclesian, King Arthur, The Fairy Queen, and The Indian Queen. These collections of brief dances and interludes, with most individual numbers lasting less than two minutes, are unfailingly fresh and entertaining, and they are played here with exceptional enthusiasm and verve. The suite from The Fairy Queen is particularly extensive and wide-ranging in its musical material. This release seemed to get somewhat lost in the shuffle when originally released on Sony, appearing and dropping out of sight almost quicker than the shortest number included on the disc itself (33 seconds, if you want to be exact). So it’s great to see it salvaged from the musical wreck that is now Sony/BMG, and reissued on the orchestra’s own label. This initiative deserves success, just as this disc deserves a place in your collection.

— David Hurwitz, ClassicsToday.com