Monthly Archives: November 2012

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Monday Music: My Beloved Spake (Henry Purcell)

It’s highly likely that Mondays are going to be church music days around here, quite simply because I spend most of my Sundays singing in church choirs, so that’s the sort of music that is in my head.  And of course, every day is Purcell day… and really, why wouldn’t it be?  He is a beautiful composer.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwLZFEKWJto&w=560&h=315] Continue reading →

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Friday Fun: Full Fathom Five (Adès)

This is not the kind of music I normally find appealing, being atonal and deeply, deeply strange.  It’s from Thomas Adès’s recent opera of Shakespeare’s play The Tempest.  This aria belongs to Ariel, an airy spirit, and is sung here  by Audrey Luna. It’s positively (and appropriately) unearthly.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPkEj3B9KKI&w=560&h=315] Continue reading →