Alfred Deller tirelessly promoted his core repertoire of Elizabethan lute songs and Purcell throughout his career. This recital anthology was recorded at Provence only three months before Deller’s death at Bologna on 16 July 1979.

Some of the most familiar songs here, such as ‘Fairest Isle’, were originally conceived as operatic music for soprano voice but one cannot imagine that Purcell would have minded Deller taking the music out of context, adapting if desirable and making it his own.

Available on vinyl remastered from the original tapes.

Works Purcell: An Evening Hymn 'Now that the sun hath veiled his light', Z193 Purcell: Fairest Isle (from King Arthur) Purcell: From Rosy Bow'rs (from Don Quixote) Purcell: I attempt from love's sickness to fly in vain (from The Indian Queen) Purcell: If music be the food of love, Z379 Purcell: Music for a while, Z583 Purcell: Not all my torments can your pity move, Z400 Purcell: O lead me to some peaceful gloom (from Bonduca or The British Heroine, Z574) Purcell: Plainte - O, Let Me Weep (from The Fairy Queen, Z629) Purcell: Since from my dear Astrea's sight (from Prophetess or The History of Dioclesian, Z627) Purcell: Sweeter than Roses (from Pausanius, the Betrayer of his Country, Z585) Purcell: The History of King Richard the Second or The Sicilian Usurper: Retir'd from any mortal's sight, Z581 Purcell: Thrice happy lovers (An Epithalamium) Groups & Artists Deller, Alfred Kuijken, Wieland