With one singer to a part and very sparing use of continuo, this 2006 Virgin recording of Divine Hymns by
Henry Purcell,
William Croft,
John Blow, and
Pelham Humfrey is both lively and severe. Performed by
Les Arts Florissants under the direction of
William Christie, the works here express a huge emotional range, and the singers -- tenor
Paul Agnew and soprano
Claire Debono, especially -- are outstanding.
Agnew's "Lord, what is man" and
Debono's "Tell me, some pitying angel" are particular highlights. Led from either the harpsichord or the organ by
Christie and augmented by
Elizabeth Kenny on the theorbo and
Anne-Marie Lasla on viola da gamba, these performances should appeal to fans of the English Baroque. The sound, recorded in Paris' Eglise Evangélique Allemande, is clear and warm.