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Alpha

Solitude

$20.99

Details

Composer
Various
Artist
Reginald Mobley, Brandon Acker, Douglas Balliett
Format
CD
Label
Alpha
Released
Nov 14, 2025
Catalog #
ALPHA1161
UPC
3701624511619

About

After a first album (Because, Alpha 936) devoted to Afro-American spirituals that won several awards (Opus Klassik, Edison Klassiek, GRAMMY® Award nomination), the American countertenor Reginald Mobley devotes this new recording to English repertoire with a simple combination of primarily voice, lute, and viola da gamba. Solitude opens with Henry Purcell's moving 'Tis Nature's Voice and other famous Purcell melodies, sails through John Dowland's deeply melancholy waves, and also reveals the declamatory charm of the 17th-century English composers who surrounded Samuel Pepys. We then travel to America, where contemporary composers Jonathan Woody and Douglas Balliett explore "the indomitable resilience contained in the tale of a runaway slave" as told by the brilliant African-American haiku poet Crystal Simone Smith. With Brandon Acker on lute, theorbo and baroque guitar and Douglas Balliett on viola da gamba and double bass, Reggie completes this intimate journey with songs arranged in the 19th century by the black American guitarist, composer and abolitionist Justin Holland.

Tracklist 20 tracks

  1. 1 Hail, bright Cecilia, Z. 328: Tis Nature's voice 03:53
    Track
    1
    Title
    Hail, bright Cecilia, Z. 328: Tis Nature's voice
    Duration
    03:53
    Composer
    Henry Purcell
    Performer
    Reginald L. Mobley, Brandon Acker, Douglas Balliett
  2. 2 Oedipus, King of Thebes, Z. 583: Music for a while 03:37
    Track
    2
    Title
    Oedipus, King of Thebes, Z. 583: Music for a while
    Duration
    03:37
    Composer
    Henry Purcell
    Performer
    Reginald L. Mobley, Brandon Acker, Douglas Balliett
  3. 3 Varii scherzi di sonate: Chiacona 03:48
    Track
    3
    Title
    Varii scherzi di sonate: Chiacona
    Duration
    03:48
    Composer
    Francesco Corbetta
    Performer
    Brandon Acker, Douglas Balliett
  4. 4 O solitude, my sweetest choice, Z. 406 05:16
    Track
    4
    Title
    O solitude, my sweetest choice, Z. 406
    Duration
    05:16
    Composer
    Henry Purcell
    Performer
    Reginald L. Mobley, Brandon Acker, Douglas Balliett
  5. 5 David 03:36
    Track
    5
    Title
    David
    Duration
    03:36
    Composer
    Pietro Reggio
    Performer
    Reginald L. Mobley, Brandon Acker, Douglas Balliett
  6. 6 Go, Perjured Man 02:12
    Track
    6
    Title
    Go, Perjured Man
    Duration
    02:12
    Composer
    John Blow
    Performer
    Reginald L. Mobley, Brandon Acker, Douglas Balliett
  7. 7 Beauty retire 01:41
    Track
    7
    Title
    Beauty retire
    Duration
    01:41
    Composer
    Samuel Pepys, Cesare Morelli
    Performer
    Reginald L. Mobley, Brandon Acker
  8. 8 Phoebus, God Beloved by Men 02:34
    Track
    8
    Title
    Phoebus, God Beloved by Men
    Duration
    02:34
    Composer
    Samuel Pepys, Cesare Morelli
    Performer
    Reginald L. Mobley, Brandon Acker, Douglas Balliett
  9. 9 The Mad Lover Suite: Aire V: Ground 03:32
    Track
    9
    Title
    The Mad Lover Suite: Aire V: Ground
    Duration
    03:32
    Composer
    John Eccles
    Performer
    Brandon Acker, Douglas Balliett
  10. 10 Book of Songs, Book 2: Flow my tears 04:05
    Track
    10
    Title
    Book of Songs, Book 2: Flow my tears
    Duration
    04:05
    Composer
    John Dowland
    Performer
    Reginald L. Mobley, Brandon Acker
  11. 11 Book of Songs, Book 2: Sorrow, stay, lend true repentant tears 03:13
    Track
    11
    Title
    Book of Songs, Book 2: Sorrow, stay, lend true repentant tears
    Duration
    03:13
    Composer
    John Dowland
    Performer
    Reginald L. Mobley, Brandon Acker
  12. 12 Fortune my foe, P. 62 02:23
    Track
    12
    Title
    Fortune my foe, P. 62
    Duration
    02:23
    Composer
    John Dowland
    Performer
    Brandon Acker
  13. 13 Book of Songs, Book 3: Time stands still 04:04
    Track
    13
    Title
    Book of Songs, Book 3: Time stands still
    Duration
    04:04
    Composer
    John Dowland
    Performer
    Reginald L. Mobley, Brandon Acker, Douglas Balliett
  14. 14 Sam 02:54
    Track
    14
    Title
    Sam
    Duration
    02:54
    Composer
    Douglas Balliett
    Performer
    Reginald L. Mobley, Brandon Acker
  15. 15 Ely of July 02:19
    Track
    15
    Title
    Ely of July
    Duration
    02:19
    Composer
    Douglas Balliett
    Performer
    Reginald L. Mobley, Brandon Acker, Douglas Balliett
  16. 16 Ain't You My Child 04:28
    Track
    16
    Title
    Ain't You My Child
    Duration
    04:28
    Composer
    Jonathan Woody
    Performer
    Reginald L. Mobley, Brandon Acker, Douglas Balliett
  17. 17 Barcarolle 03:17
    Track
    17
    Title
    Barcarolle
    Duration
    03:17
    Composer
    William Foden
    Performer
    Brandon Acker
  18. 18 Dream Faces (arr. J. Holland) 05:00
    Track
    18
    Title
    Dream Faces (arr. J. Holland)
    Duration
    05:00
    Composer
    William Marshall Hutchison
    Performer
    Reginald L. Mobley, Brandon Acker
  19. 19 Juanita (arr. J. Holland) 03:53
    Track
    19
    Title
    Juanita (arr. J. Holland)
    Duration
    03:53
    Composer
    Caroline Norton
    Performer
    Reginald L. Mobley, Brandon Acker, Douglas Balliett
  20. 20 The Ship That Never Fortuned (arr. J. Holland) 05:25
    Track
    20
    Title
    The Ship That Never Fortuned (arr. J. Holland)
    Duration
    05:25
    Composer
    Henry Clay Work
    Performer
    Reginald L. Mobley, Brandon Acker, Douglas Balliett