Eccles: The Judgment of Paris/ Three Mad Songs Early Music Opera Chaconne

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JOHN ECCLES

(c. 1668-1735)

first complete recording

The Judgment of Paris

49:37

or the Prize Music

A Masque

First performed at Dorset Gardens on 21 March 1701

Published by John Walsh and John Hare (1702)

Symphony for Mercury

[ ] -

1:21

[ ] -

2:17

Slow -

1:46

Brisk

0:56

Mercury: 'From high Olympus, and the Realms above'

3:26

Paris: 'O Ravishing Delight!'

2:37

Mercury: 'Fear not, Mortal: none shall harm thee'

1:28

Mercury: 'Happy thou of Human Race'

1:51

Symphony for Juno -

3:45

Juno: 'Saturnia, Wife of Thundring Jove, am I'

10.

Symphony for Pallas -

2:27

Pallas: 'This way, Mortal, bend thy Eyes'

11.

Symphony for Venus -

4:07

Venus: 'Hither turn thee, gentle Swain'

12.

Venus, Pallas, Juno: 'Hither turn thee, gentle Swain'

1:52

13.

Paris: 'Distracted I turn, but I cannot decide'

2:28

14.

Symphony -

3:31

Juno: 'Let Ambition fite thy Mind': 3:31

15.

Pallas: 'Awake, awake, they Spirits raise'

1:13

16.

Pallas: 'Hark, hark! the glorious Voice of War…'

1:16

17.

Pallas: 'Oh what Joys does Conquest yield!'

1:05

18.

Chorus: 'O how glorius 'tis to see…'

1:10

19.

Symphony

1:17

20.

Venus: 'Stay, lovely Youth, delay thy Choice'

2:59

21.

Venus: 'Nature fram'd thee sure for Loving'

3:48

22.

Paris: 'I yield, I yield, O take the Prize'

1:10

23.

Grand Chorus: 'Hither all ye Graces, all ye Loves'

1:43

Solo: Roderick Williams baritone - Mercury

Solo: Benjamin Hulett tenor - Paris

Solo: Claire Booth soprano - Pallas

Choral: Chorus of Early Opera Company

Three Mad Songs

12:23

from A Collection of Songs published by John Walsh and John Hare (1704)

24.

'Restless in Tought disturb'd in Mind'

4:12

25.

'Love's but the frailty of the Mind'

4:34

Solo: Claire Booth soprano

26.

'I Burn, I burn, my Brain consumes to Ashes'

3:26

62:14

Orchestra: Early Opera Company

Conductor: Christian Curnyn

22 and 23 July 2008

This new release from Curnyn is the first complete recording of Eccles opera and has been cast with fine soloists. The first of these is Roderick Williams(Mercury) who, after the stylishly played symphony, opens with his commanding baritone and explains the task that is to be set before Paris. Benjamin Hulett (Paris) is delightful as the young naive shepherd His light tone is backed up with a wonderful presence that really draws the listener in. Susab Bickley is arrestingly brilliant in the role (Juno) and her aria’let Ambition fire thy mind’ is one of the most exciting due to a combination of her singing and the tight orchestral playing. Claire Booth’s ’Hark hark’ aria with four trumpets all sounding together for the first time is dazzling and vital. Lucy Crowe, accompanied by her soft flute, is feminine and beguiling - no wonder she wins the Golden Apple. Particular mention should be made of the quality of the recording itself. Curnyn’s orchestra is sprightly and all of their meticulous detail is captured without any suspicion of over-mixing or excessive editing. The result is a very stylish performance that deserves wide recognition. - Ed Breen

MusicalCriticism.com

The Early Opera Company turns in polished, vibrant performances. Good notes, full texts excellent sound.

American Record Guide September/October 2009

In this first recording of The Judgement of Paris, The Early Opera Company triumphantly reclaim Eccle’s rightful place as one of England’s finest theatrical composers. Although Eccles was clearly indebted to Purcell, his dramatic flair was unrivalled. The suppleness of his melodies, vitality of his rhythms, and imaginativeness of his scoring possess an immediate appeal. Christian Curnyn elegantly captures the unique charms of Eccle’s music.

BBC Music Magazine

Susan Bickley’s rich and well-modulated mezzo brings us a Juno who’s a goddess of marriage you’d think twice about crossing…as Venus Lucy Crowe finds the right note of subtle seductiveness to suit Eccle’s sophisticated vocal writing.. .Benjamin Hulett, whose pure, focussed high tenor is like liquid honey – sweet and legato – and duly ecstatic in Paris’s opening arioso… What an appetite whetter this recording is – ‘O ravishing delight ‘ indeed.

International Record Review

Christian Curnyn offer unaffected, faithful reading of the printed score. If anything, it is understated, the instrumental forces reduced (the premiere employed 85 musicians in addition to the ‘verse singers’) and the recording acoustic intimate. Lucy Crowe’s Venus may win the prize, but all of the soloists contribute beautifully judged portrayals.

Gramophone

The performances from the Early Opera Company are excellent

Classic FM Magazine

The darker Three Mad Songs, meanwhile, come from a 1704 anthology of Eccles’s theatre music; they are hauntingly done, one each by Crowe, Booth and Bickley.

The Guardian

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