Blow: An Ode on the Death of Mr Henry Purcell (1/3) - Blaze, Darnell

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• Blow: An Ode on the De...
An Ode on the Death of Mr Henry Purcell
("Mark how the lark and linnet sing"),
for two countertenors, two recorders and basso continuo
Text: John Dryden
Music: John Blow
Published in 1696
Part I
Duet: Mark how the lark and linnet sing
Part II
Solo: So ceas'd the rival crew when Purcell came
Solo: The pow'r of Harmony too well they know
Part III
Duet: The heav'nly choir who heard his notes
In this recording:
Robin Blaze, countertenor
Jason Darnell, tenor
Yorkshire Baroque Soloists,
conducted by Peter Seymour
Leipzig Bach Festival, June 2007
"Once Purcell had completed his studies with Blow, he became his old teacher's colleague as a royal musician, and the two remained firm friends throughout Purcell's spectacular rise to fame (a fact which speaks volumes for Blow's generosity of character). The younger man's untimely death in 1695, at the age of only thirty-six, rocked the English musical establishment to its foundations, but to Blow it came as a double grief - as, no doubt, it did to Dryden, who had worked closely with Purcell in the theatre. In honour of their friend the two men joined forces to create a lasting memorial in poetry and music. Their response was unhurried - the work was not published until some seven months after Purcell's death - but it was clearly heartfelt on both sides. Indeed, Dryden's praises of the dead composer at one point were so fulsome as to be decidedly tactless towards the living: Blow was, of course, one of the 'rival crew' of musicians who, according to the poem, fell silent at the advent of Purcell. He dutifully set those somewhat uncomplimentary words, but the next phrase evidently stuck in his gullet, for he changed Dryden's 'the godlike man' to 'the matchless man'.
Dryden's poem is couched in conventional elegiac terms, its three stanzas comparing Purcell with the nightingale, Orpheus, and the celestial choir itself. In Blow's poised and spacious setting, two passages of muscular counterpoint for two voices and both obbligato instruments frame a central sequence of solos, by turns declamatory and more tuneful. The choice of recorders as accompanying instruments reflects their association with the funeral - a link as powerful, in the seventeenth-century mind, as that with the pastoral, though only the latter remains familiar nowadays. The music is as eloquent as anything in Blow's entire output: Dryden's penultimate line notwithstanding, the gods must surely have been pleased, not alone with Purcell's lays, but with Blow's also."
- Bruce Wood
I.
Mark how the lark and linnet sing;
with rival notes
they strain their warbling throats,
to welcome in the spring.
But in the close of night,
when Philomel begins her heav'nly lay,
they cease their mutual spite,
drink in her music with delight,
and, list'ning and silent, silent and list'ning, list'ning and silent obey.
II.
So ceas'd the rival crew when Purcell came;
they sung no more, or only sung his fame.
Struck dumb, they all admir'd the godlike* man:
the godlike man,
alas! too soon retired,
as he too late began.
We beg not Hell our Orpheus to restore;
had he been there,
their sovereigns' fear
had sent him back before.
The pow'r of harmony too well they know:
he long e'er this had tun'd their jarring sphere,
and left no Hell below.
III.
The heav'nly choir, who heard his notes from high,
let down the scale of music from the sky;
they handed him along,
and all the way he taught, and all the way they sung.
Ye brethren of the lyre and tuneful voice,
lament his lot, but at your own rejoice:
now live secure, and linger out your days;
the gods are pleas'd alone with Purcell's lays,
nor know to mend their choice.
*godlike: John Blow replaced this word in its two occurrences with "matchless"

[@sophielecoeur]

A very beautiful piece sung by two heavenly voices! Thank you for posting this!

[@Ivanbelastegui]

Great harmony of male voices. Very pleasant to listen too, both the voices and the melody. Thanks for posting

[@awyliu]

I went to a concert last evening with Robin Blaze and Iestyn Davies and this was the main piece - wonderful!

[@colinhazell6259]

Beautiful!

[@molealto]

Glad to hear it done with high (falsetto) and low (haute-contre) countertenors, as I'm sure was intended...

[@ivycompton]

I love all the versions of this, including this. But maybe the Jacob/Newman version is my favorite. Thanks for posting!

[@FedericoBonettiAmendola]

Really interesting. Great to listen to. Thanks for posting!

[@hollybrian6308]

that my great uncle Henry Purcell was musicians

[@mradaChris]

This is very nice! chris

[@adamzbyszewski4779]

haven't heard about this ensemble before

[@yclept9]

@sunsdomain it's an audio term, it means with the volume too high for the medium, resulting in distortion in the audio. Deller's voice is particularly susceptible to it, at least on vinyl.

[@yclept9]

Rereleased by Vanguard! "Music of Henry Purcell" volume 2, 6-cd set, on the 6th CD. It also solves the problem that the original LP had a section which overmodulated Deller.

[@yclept9]

There was a beautiful version in the 50s with Alfred Deller, probably Vanguard or one of those Bach Guild LPs. Purcell on the flip side.

[@zigosepalum5641]

C'est terrible mais, malgré les qualités de cette version, celle d'Alfred Deller est absolument indépassable par sa force expressive magistrale.

[@thepinkpantha8620]

please please someone post JB's "Chloe found Amyntas..." !! I can't find it anywhere!! Heeeelp!

[@bdunn2]

Is the Score available online in a PDF format? if not you should post it to IMSLP.

[@user-yw1nj4sv5u]

I prefer the beautiful version of Alfred Deller, with Stour Music Festival Chamber Orchestra, the one by Harmonia Mundi, France.

[@delauge]

is it original score?

[@susanda9469]

I never weary of listening to this exceptionally beautiful memorial to a tragic loss. I first heard the very old Deller/?John Whitworth? recording in the 70s. (I prefer Mr. Deller's ringing clarity to the bland countertenor in this recording. The high tenor here is wonderful though)

[@theoperry6837]

As if you just described Robin Blaze as 'bland'...

[@susanda9469]

Yes. That's my opinion. He's bland here compared to Alfred Deller in the early recording. You read that right.

[@user-yw1nj4sv5u]

The name of the commentator below is Greek, read Constantin Fotiadis

[@delauge]

that´s interesting how they wrote music symbols

[@andreymishyn428]

0:21

[@TheStephen34]

I still prefer the Ode sung by the immortal Alfred Deller and the Deller Consort..

[@Mavritivs_CF]

thanks this is a good interpretation but really I preffer the Dellers interpretation