A Far Cry - H. Purcell: Suite from “The Old Bachelor“, Z. 607

As the lovely Kathryn Bacasmot writes: “Henry Purcell (1658/9-1695) had enjoyed musical employment by the royal household until he fell victim to the 17th century funding cut back of the Royal Musik under the rule of newbies to the throne, William and Mary. Sound like a familiar story ( or -- 300 years)? It was as a result of this set back that he sought to augment his finances by going to work full time for the theater (previously, he had worked part time for the institution). Rewinding a bit, it has been noted Purcell gained fame as England’s greatest composer of operas by penning only a single “true opera,“ Dido and Aeneas (others were categorized as “semi-operas“). But taking into account his singular talent for setting the English language to music, and the insistence from his contemporaries that opera only sounded appropriate when sung in Italian, he deserves the mantel. Fitting, then, that the composer with the ability to set to music the language of the pe