The so-called Gresham autograph, a manuscript of Henry Purcell's music in his own handwriting named after the college in whose Library it came to rest over 100 years ago. The manuscript itself is relatively easy to date: at the beginning are songs from the spectacular 'dramatick opera' The Fairy Queen (1692), it together with music from other plays which also date from that year. There are excerpts from the St. Cecilia's Day Ode for 1692, as well as the Queen Mary Birthday Odes from 1693 and 1694.  Towards the end are two pieces by Daniel Purcell (c.1663-1717), Henry's younger brother, who was a chorister in the Chapel Royal choir, Organist at Magdalen College, Oxford, and who moved to London shortly before Henry's death to take over most of his composing work at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane.  These pieces both date from 1696, and are in the composer's own hand. This disc contains twenty-four pieces from the beginning of the manuscript, all dating from 1692 to 1693, the main chronological period which it encompasses.  

© Mark Humphreys

 Libby Crabtree,  soprano  *  Rachel Elliott,  soprano

 Gary Cooper,  director           

Purcell: The Gresham Autograph          

 ASV CD GAU 194