Bird’s Prelude (H. Purcell) and Sweet Bird (G. F. Handel)

Henry Purcell (1659–1695) “A Bird’s Prelude” Semi-opera “The Fairy Queen”, Z. 629, Act II; 1692 Soprano recorder, violin (originally for two violins), basso continuo In this piece, we also incorporate bird trills taken from compositions by G. F. Handel and G. P. Telemann, together with those from The Bird Fancyer’s Delight (London, c. 1715), a collection of melodies published by John Walsh to teach birds of different species to sing through the use of the flageolet or recorder. George Frideric Handel (1685–1759) Aria “Sweet Bird”, excerpt Oratorio “L’Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato”, HWV 55, 1740 Contralto, soprano recorder (originally for soprano and transverse flute), strings, basso continuo The birds: Yaroslava Maltseva — recorders Eleonora Zamboni, Giulia Nardo Di Maio — violins Nikolay Gladskikh — countertenor Oleg Chukhlieb — theorbo Dimitri Betti — harpsichord ___________ Professor: Martino Noferi