Rejoice in the Lord Alway (The Bell Anthem) - Henry Purcell

Filmed live from the London International Festival of Early Music 2021. Ensemble Pro Victoria soloists Elisabeth Paul, Oscar Golden-Lee and Humphrey Thompson feature in Purcell's famous 'Bell Anthem', accompanied by Richard Gowers (chamber organ) and Rachel Kay (cello).
Known as 'The Bell Anthem' for its downward, repetitive pealing bass-line, this live performance particularly benefits from the virtuosic playing of Richard Gowers in the absence of upper strings. Composed in the early 1680s, Rejoice in the Lord shows the spirit and character of the "bright and airy prince", King Charles II, he served. Charles II tired of the "grave and solemn ways" of Byrd and Tallis; the result being the joyous music of Purcell.
The text is from the 1549 Book of the Common Prayer.
Ensemble Pro Victoria
Toby Ward
www.ensembleprovictoria.com

[@faithajayi5770]

Woke up to singing this song last Sunday of month in June, 30th, 2024. And I had to look for the piece, that's how I got here, beautiful rendition 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

[@EnsembleProVictoria]

😍 We hope it goes really well! Happy Peter and Paul Sunday!

[@faithajayi5770]

@@EnsembleProVictoria Oh I sure did, and subscribed to your channel. I can't miss, I will listen to other pieces and seat on everyone of them, I'm glad I found Yu guys, all the way from Nigeria actually

[@user-yh7jg3ri7j]

Philippians 4:4 - 7 4. Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. 5. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. 6. Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

[@tonyashbridge2910]

One of the very greatest of all church anthems. A real energised live performance with young technically superb singers. A joy to listen to.

[@GilbertMartinezHarpsichord]

WOW stumbled on this totally by accident. That kid makes the Klop sound WAY better than it deserves! (I own one and it's been played by virtually everybody). I'll look for more from you folks.

[@EnsembleProVictoria]

Thank you, Gilbert! That’s the amazing Richard Gowers at work and play simultaneously!

[@gugjekthedog6102]

Thank You brother

[@thomashutton1963]

Wonderful, joyous music performed superbly. Toby's commentary is very insightful and adds much to the performance.

[@ibrahimyohanna5491]

This is something else. Nice work. Instrumentation shows great professionality

[@benjaminolufemi9211]

Awesome performance ❤❤❤❤

[@francisotia4370]

Lovely ❤

[@missasinenomine]

"The text is from the 1549 Book of the Common Prayer." Phil 4/4-7. "Charles II tired of the "grave and solemn ways" of Byrd and Tallis; the result being the joyous music of Purcell." Depends: Laudibus in Sanctis is not so grave & solemn. Whereas Man that is born of woman, Remember not Lord our offences, could well be.

[@EnsembleProVictoria]

It's a good point to raise! So wrote Thomas Tudway, (Chapel Royal, organist of King's, Cambridge and professor of music at the University of Cambridge at the time of Charles II), presumably in reference to the changing styles from Renaissance to Baroque: The King "was soon tired with the grave and solemn ways" of the music inherited from Tallis and Byrd. His Majesty, a "bright and airy prince", "ordered the composers of his chapel to add symphonies, etc. with instruments to their Anthems."

[@salliesdad]

Nicely done. Is there contemporary evidence of the performance of Purcell's anthems with this sort of smaller ensemble?

[@EnsembleProVictoria]

We’ll have to do some research and get back to you! We certainly know the answer for a portion of our Tudor repertoire and our 2024 recording - Henry VIII on Tour. His riding chapel was made of four boys and six men. A crack team!

[@davidwright8665]

😊

[@benjaminniemczyk]

This is a wonderful performance. The slowing and speeding of the tempo is a little jarring, but I realize that is a matter of personal taste. Regardless, this is a beautiful, contemplative and spirited presentation.

[@peterbrand7131]

Nice. Sad there was no dancing in the Sinfonias. Missed opportunity for authentic performance practice…but the Gower’s Gliss made up for it.

[@EnsembleProVictoria]

Shucks. Next time - perhaps in Nov 22 fest we could include PB interpretive dance?! We'll bring the pointy shoes/hats etc.

[@towmlvb3423]

That's a mighty unusual harpsichord. Sustained notes, no frame for the strings??? But the music is beyond sublime. I'm an atheist, but I do not deny my mixed Jewish/Christian background culture, and I do not allow my rejection of belief in myths to cloud my appreciation of any art. Purcell stands alone in his own style of composition, leaving us some of the most enchanting and refreshing sounds that could ever enter our ears. After many years of other composers I am now collecting CDs of Purcell, and a great adventure that is indeed. Not just beautiful, but still fresh and original so many years since Purcell composed it. Thank you for uploading. I previously collected works by Salieri, who was/is even more under-estimated than Purcell.

[@julianmunby3535]

You'll get over the myths (just as we do with Orfeo); but just think, the sublime Purcell died at 36 - so just what would he have gone on to do?

[@mavisemberson8737]

Why do atheists feel compelled to tell us what they believe? :-) Odd, when you think of it!

[@albertsiltal2600]

😊 It is a "portative" a little pipe organ.

[@albertsiltal2600]

❤ Ei! We are One 😇 /_with/

[@michaelmaddox8801]

Lyric video should be done with BIG words so we can sing along!

[@geonmzahsan6640]

Vocal powerful, accompaniment recording needs improving