Purcell Consort of Voices - Music All Powerful - Music to Entertain Queen Victoria

'Music All Powerful: Music To Entertain Queen Victoria' is the first release on CD of a delightful LP originally issued on Argo. It offers solo songs, unaccompanied and accompanied choral songs and a handful of instrumental numbers such as would have been performed for and during Queen Victoria’s reign.
The Purcell Consort of Voices under Grayston Burgess are joined by a group of instrumental soloists, including the superb violinist Iona Brown.
For bringing back songs from obscurity alone, this is a worthy CD but it also recalls obscure composers like Pinsuti, Klosé, Beale, Galkin, Walmisley and Callcott and an obscure instrument - the ophicleide (the instrument Mendelssohn wanted for Bottom’s braying in the Midsummer Night’s Dream Overture).
The performances are idiomatic and charming, the programming a joy. Geoffrey Coleby provides the amusing notes: '…when they could burst the shackles of their dreadful academic training, the Victorians could show a touching great-heartedness which is their most endearing feature'. All song texts are included.