SOMM Recordings

Purcell: The Complete Suites & Other Music for Keyboard

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Details

Composer
Henry Purcell
Artist
Cristian Sandrin
Format
CD
Discs
1
Label
SOMM Recordings
Released
May 16, 2025
Catalog #
SOMMCD 0702
UPC
748871070226

About

SOMM Recordings is pleased to release the first-ever recording on piano of the eight keyboard suites by one of England's greatest creative artists, Henry Purcell (1659 -1695). Making his SOMM debut is the Romanian-British pianist Cristian Sandrin, who is building a career in the UK as a rising young artist following his debut solo recital at Wigmore Hall in 2017. Reviewers have noted "Sandrin's generous sonorities issue forth in marvellous diversity," Fanfare Magazine; and "An immaculately played recital," Music Web International. Henry Purcell was at the height of his powers at the time of the Glorious Revolution of 1688, which saw King William III and his wife Queen Mary II crowned as joint British monarchs. Queen Mary was an avid lover of dance, which led to it being a regular and expected part of Restoration theatrical productions. Purcell's first great operatic work, Dido and Aeneas from the late 1680s, included no less than seventeen original dances. Purcell wrote in every form-ranging from theatre and church to concerts and balls-and his music dominated public demand in almost every genre. His success led to requests for music of all kinds, particularly dance movements, either singly or forming parts of suites for the keyboard. At the time, there was a growing fashion for French keyboard music, and Purcell willingly accepted the structural influences from that school. And yet, his music remained infused with the individual expression of an undoubtedly English composer. Tragically, Purcell died at the peak of his career on 21 November 1695 at his home in London. He is believed to have been 35 or 36 years old at the time. A year after his death, Purcell's widow, Frances, posthumously published A Choice Collection of Lessons for the Harpsichord or Spinet. These eight suites, long overshadowed by his more celebrated theatre works, are the core of Purcell's keyboard output, shifting from major to minor keys, from humour to seriousness, to create a uniquely expressive musical world. The suites incorporate French dance forms like the Almand, Corante, and Minuet, and the Spanish Saraband, which Purcell imbued with a quintessentially British idiom. This finds particular expression in movements like a Corante that deftly incorporates tunes from Ireland and Scotland; a brilliant Jigg that seems to catch the listener unawares; and a burly Hornpipe that draws on earlier incidental music. Cristian Sandrin intersperses Purcell's posthumously published eight keyboard suites with occasional additions from other works, and his recital concludes with the beautiful Sefauchi's Farewell. Purcell was deeply impressed on hearing one of the greatest of all castrati, the Italian 'Sefauchi' (Giovanni Francesco Grossi), in London. This keyboard work is a tribute from one noble musician to another.

Tracklist 38 tracks

  1. 1 I. Prelude 00:31
    Track
    1
    Title
    I. Prelude
    Duration
    00:31
    Composer
    Henry Purcell
    Performer
    Cristian Sandrin
  2. 2 II. Almand 01:01
    Track
    2
    Title
    II. Almand
    Duration
    01:01
    Composer
    Henry Purcell
    Performer
    Cristian Sandrin
  3. 3 III. Corant 00:58
    Track
    3
    Title
    III. Corant
    Duration
    00:58
    Composer
    Henry Purcell
    Performer
    Cristian Sandrin
  4. 4 IV. Minuet 00:54
    Track
    4
    Title
    IV. Minuet
    Duration
    00:54
    Composer
    Henry Purcell
    Performer
    Cristian Sandrin
  5. 5 I. Prelude 01:18
    Track
    5
    Title
    I. Prelude
    Duration
    01:18
    Composer
    Henry Purcell
    Performer
    Cristian Sandrin
  6. 6 II. Almand 04:29
    Track
    6
    Title
    II. Almand
    Duration
    04:29
    Composer
    Henry Purcell
    Performer
    Cristian Sandrin
  7. 7 III. Corant 01:41
    Track
    7
    Title
    III. Corant
    Duration
    01:41
    Composer
    Henry Purcell
    Performer
    Cristian Sandrin
  8. 8 IV. Saraband 02:16
    Track
    8
    Title
    IV. Saraband
    Duration
    02:16
    Composer
    Henry Purcell
    Performer
    Cristian Sandrin
  9. 9 I. Prelude 01:10
    Track
    9
    Title
    I. Prelude
    Duration
    01:10
    Composer
    Henry Purcell
    Performer
    Cristian Sandrin
  10. 10 II. Almand 03:18
    Track
    10
    Title
    II. Almand
    Duration
    03:18
    Composer
    Henry Purcell
    Performer
    Cristian Sandrin
  11. 11 A New Irish Tune in G Major, Z. 646 00:49
    Track
    11
    Title
    A New Irish Tune in G Major, Z. 646
    Duration
    00:49
    Composer
    Henry Purcell
    Performer
    Cristian Sandrin
  12. 12 A Choice Collection of Lessons: Suite No. 3 in G Major, Z. 662: III. Courante 01:31
    Track
    12
    Title
    A Choice Collection of Lessons: Suite No. 3 in G Major, Z. 662: III. Courante
    Duration
    01:31
    Composer
    Henry Purcell
    Performer
    Cristian Sandrin
  13. 13 The Second Part of Musick's Hand-maid: A New Scotch Tune in C Major, Z. 655 01:00
    Track
    13
    Title
    The Second Part of Musick's Hand-maid: A New Scotch Tune in C Major, Z. 655
    Duration
    01:00
    Composer
    Henry Purcell
    Performer
    Cristian Sandrin
  14. 14 I. Prelude 01:29
    Track
    14
    Title
    I. Prelude
    Duration
    01:29
    Composer
    Henry Purcell
    Performer
    Cristian Sandrin
  15. 15 II. Almand 03:16
    Track
    15
    Title
    II. Almand
    Duration
    03:16
    Composer
    Henry Purcell
    Performer
    Cristian Sandrin
  16. 16 III. Corant 01:14
    Track
    16
    Title
    III. Corant
    Duration
    01:14
    Composer
    Henry Purcell
    Performer
    Cristian Sandrin
  17. 17 Minuet in A Minor, Z. 649 00:47
    Track
    17
    Title
    Minuet in A Minor, Z. 649
    Duration
    00:47
    Composer
    Henry Purcell
    Performer
    Cristian Sandrin
  18. 18 A Choice Collection of Lessons: Suite No. 4 in A Minor, Z. 663: IV. Saraband 02:12
    Track
    18
    Title
    A Choice Collection of Lessons: Suite No. 4 in A Minor, Z. 663: IV. Saraband
    Duration
    02:12
    Composer
    Henry Purcell
    Performer
    Cristian Sandrin
  19. 19 Minuet in A Minor, Z. 650 01:00
    Track
    19
    Title
    Minuet in A Minor, Z. 650
    Duration
    01:00
    Composer
    Henry Purcell
    Performer
    Cristian Sandrin
  20. 20 I. Prelude 01:13
    Track
    20
    Title
    I. Prelude
    Duration
    01:13
    Composer
    Henry Purcell
    Performer
    Cristian Sandrin
  21. 21 II. Almand 02:53
    Track
    21
    Title
    II. Almand
    Duration
    02:53
    Composer
    Henry Purcell
    Performer
    Cristian Sandrin
  22. 22 III. Corant 01:04
    Track
    22
    Title
    III. Corant
    Duration
    01:04
    Composer
    Henry Purcell
    Performer
    Cristian Sandrin
  23. 23 Rigadoon in C Major, Z. 653 00:46
    Track
    23
    Title
    Rigadoon in C Major, Z. 653
    Duration
    00:46
    Composer
    Henry Purcell
    Performer
    Cristian Sandrin
  24. 24 A Choice Collection of Lessons: Suite No. 5 in C Major, Z. 666: IV. Saraband 01:15
    Track
    24
    Title
    A Choice Collection of Lessons: Suite No. 5 in C Major, Z. 666: IV. Saraband
    Duration
    01:15
    Composer
    Henry Purcell
    Performer
    Cristian Sandrin
  25. 25 Suite in C Major, Z. 665: V. Jigg 01:20
    Track
    25
    Title
    Suite in C Major, Z. 665: V. Jigg
    Duration
    01:20
    Composer
    Henry Purcell
    Performer
    Cristian Sandrin
  26. 26 I. Prelude 00:44
    Track
    26
    Title
    I. Prelude
    Duration
    00:44
    Composer
    Henry Purcell
    Performer
    Cristian Sandrin
  27. 27 II. Almand 03:00
    Track
    27
    Title
    II. Almand
    Duration
    03:00
    Composer
    Henry Purcell
    Performer
    Cristian Sandrin
  28. 28 III. Hornpipe 01:16
    Track
    28
    Title
    III. Hornpipe
    Duration
    01:16
    Composer
    Henry Purcell
    Performer
    Cristian Sandrin
  29. 29 I. Almand Bell-barr 04:01
    Track
    29
    Title
    I. Almand Bell-barr
    Duration
    04:01
    Composer
    Henry Purcell
    Performer
    Cristian Sandrin
  30. 30 II. Corant 01:24
    Track
    30
    Title
    II. Corant
    Duration
    01:24
    Composer
    Henry Purcell
    Performer
    Cristian Sandrin
  31. 31 Minuet in D Minor, Z. T688 00:56
    Track
    31
    Title
    Minuet in D Minor, Z. T688
    Duration
    00:56
    Composer
    Henry Purcell
    Performer
    Cristian Sandrin
  32. 32 A Choice Collection of Lessons: Suite No. 7 in D Minor, Z. 668: III. Hornpipe 00:50
    Track
    32
    Title
    A Choice Collection of Lessons: Suite No. 7 in D Minor, Z. 668: III. Hornpipe
    Duration
    00:50
    Composer
    Henry Purcell
    Performer
    Cristian Sandrin
  33. 33 Air in D Minor, ZT 675 01:22
    Track
    33
    Title
    Air in D Minor, ZT 675
    Duration
    01:22
    Composer
    Henry Purcell
    Performer
    Cristian Sandrin
  34. 34 I. Prelude 00:49
    Track
    34
    Title
    I. Prelude
    Duration
    00:49
    Composer
    Henry Purcell
    Performer
    Cristian Sandrin
  35. 35 II. Almand 02:25
    Track
    35
    Title
    II. Almand
    Duration
    02:25
    Composer
    Henry Purcell
    Performer
    Cristian Sandrin
  36. 36 III. Courante 01:52
    Track
    36
    Title
    III. Courante
    Duration
    01:52
    Composer
    Henry Purcell
    Performer
    Cristian Sandrin
  37. 37 IV. Minuet 00:52
    Track
    37
    Title
    IV. Minuet
    Duration
    00:52
    Composer
    Henry Purcell
    Performer
    Cristian Sandrin
  38. 38 Sefauchi's Farewell in D Minor, Z. 656 01:52
    Track
    38
    Title
    Sefauchi's Farewell in D Minor, Z. 656
    Duration
    01:52
    Composer
    Henry Purcell
    Performer
    Cristian Sandrin