French ensemble Le Poème Harmonique, led by conductor Vincent Dumestre, has delivered a lavish and celebratory rendition of Henry Purcell's masterpiece "Hail! Bright Cecilia". The album, which features a spirited text replete with allusions to musical instruments, showcases the composer's fertile imagination through its dazzling array of illustrative arias, duets, and choruses.
Recorded in French, the ensemble brings to life the opulent soundscapes that Purcell so skillfully crafted. From sprightly violins to cooing flutes, martial kettledrums, and richly characterful woodwind, Dumestre's nuanced leadership is accompanied by felicitous detail and theatrical flair. British tenor Hugo Hymas shines in particular, his light-as-a-feather tone complemented by imaginative word-painting that perfectly captures the essence of Purcell's text.
The soloists are rounded out by suitably impressive performances from Paul-Antoine Bénos-Djian and Vlad Crosman, with Crosman's awestruck rendition of Wondrous Machine! showcasing his impressive technical chops. A welcome bonus is John Blow's tuneful Welcome, Every Guest, recorded complete for the first time.
Overall, this album is a testament to Le Poème Harmonique's commitment to bringing classical music to life in all its glory. With Dumestre at the helm, they have crafted an account that is both luxuriant and deeply engaging, with every note and phrase given its due weight and attention.
Recorded in French, the ensemble brings to life the opulent soundscapes that Purcell so skillfully crafted. From sprightly violins to cooing flutes, martial kettledrums, and richly characterful woodwind, Dumestre's nuanced leadership is accompanied by felicitous detail and theatrical flair. British tenor Hugo Hymas shines in particular, his light-as-a-feather tone complemented by imaginative word-painting that perfectly captures the essence of Purcell's text.
The soloists are rounded out by suitably impressive performances from Paul-Antoine Bénos-Djian and Vlad Crosman, with Crosman's awestruck rendition of Wondrous Machine! showcasing his impressive technical chops. A welcome bonus is John Blow's tuneful Welcome, Every Guest, recorded complete for the first time.
Overall, this album is a testament to Le Poème Harmonique's commitment to bringing classical music to life in all its glory. With Dumestre at the helm, they have crafted an account that is both luxuriant and deeply engaging, with every note and phrase given its due weight and attention.
The way Vincent Dumestre's led the ensemble in bringing Purcell's masterpiece to life is just magical 
. I mean, the attention to detail on each instrument is insane - it's like you can almost hear the kettledrums pounding away in your living room 
. And Hugo Hymas' performance as British tenor is seriously impressive... that guy's got pipes for days! 
But what really gets me is how they've managed to record John Blow's Welcome, Every Guest complete for the first time - talk about a bonus track! 
! The way Vincent Dumestre leads his ensemble is just masterful, bringing out the most gorgeous textures and timbres from the instruments. And that British tenor Hugo Hymas, wow - he's got this ethereal quality to his singing that just draws you in... it's like Purcell's text has come alive! 
But what really gets me is how they've captured the essence of Purcell's imagination - it's like you can almost hear him humming around the room, coming up with these fantastical ideas for musical instruments and characterful voices. And I'm so excited to see John Blow's Welcome, Every Guest being recorded complete for the first time... that's just a lovely bonus! 
. I get that the ensemble is trying to bring it to life with all these fancy instrumental arrangements and whatnot, but sometimes less is more, you know? It's like they're trying too hard to impress us with their virtuosity 
.
. And what's up with not including more of Purcell's other works? I mean, a bonus track like John Blow's "Welcome, Every Guest" is nice, but shouldn't that be a full album or something? 
The way Le Poème Harmonique brings out the opulence of Purcell's music is like, whoa! Vincent Dumestre must be a genius conductor or something, 'cause the French ensemble just nails it! 
I love how they've got all these different instruments shining through, from the sprightly violins to those cooing flutes... and Hugo Hymas' voice? Ah-mazing! 
And don't even get me started on the French language - that's some pretty convenient "othering" going on there. What if they're trying to distract us from the real issues while they subtly shape our cultural identity? 
. Vincent Dumestre's leadership really shines through - he's got a great ear for detail and knows exactly how to bring out the best in each instrument 
. The soloists are all top-notch, especially Hugo Hymas - his voice is so smooth and rich 
! And I'm obsessed with the way they've interpreted John Blow's "Welcome, Every Guest" - it's like you can feel the joy and celebration radiating from every note 
. This album is a must-listen for any classical music fan, trust me! #ClassicalMusicLover #LePoemeHarmonique #HailBrightCecilia
. I also love how they included John Blow's "Welcome, Every Guest" - it's such a fun tune! This album is truly a celebration of classical music and I'm so grateful we have ensembles like Le Poème Harmonique who are keeping the tradition alive 
. The way he captures the essence of those words... just magical. And I love how they recorded John Blow's Welcome Every Guest for the first time! 
? I mean, how do we ensure that arts programs like this are adequately supported so future generations can enjoy these masterpieces? It's like they say: a nation's culture is its greatest asset, just like a well-tuned orchestra 
. But what about the economic impact on local communities when these kinds of performances come to town? Do they boost tourism or create jobs in the music industry? We need more debate around the role of government support for arts initiatives, don't you think? 
Can't get enough of that fancy-schmancy French soundscapes and British tenor goodness!