Eccles - The Judgment of Paris & Three Mad Songs - CD

Description

One of the earliest all-sung English operas, this one-act opera by John Eccles was composed in 1700 for a competition advertised in the London Gazette, the purpose of which was an ambitious & worthy one, namely the development of all-sung opera in English.

The text came from William Congreve, widely accepted as one of England's leading playwrights. Four composers took up the challenge but, to the surprise of many, Eccles who was reckoned the pre-competition favourite did not win, being beaten by John Weldon. However, of all the settings, Eccles' best captures the atmosphere of the London stage of the time and as a composer has since come to be recognised as one of Purcell's most gifted London contemporaries.

Eccles - The Judgment of Paris - Roderick Williams (baritone), Benjamin Hulett (tenor), Susan Bickley (mezzo-soprano), Claire Booth (soprano) & Lucy Crowe (soprano) with The Early Opera Company, directed by Christian Curnyn.

3 Mad Songs:

Restless in Thought disturb'd in Mind [She Ventures, and He Wins] - Lucy Crowe

Love's but the frailty of the Mind [The Way of the World] - Claire Booth

I Burn, I burn, my Brain consumes to Ashes [The Comical History of Don Quixote] - Susan Bickley

Chandos, 2009.