Homage to queen mary

- Henry Purcell was court composer to Charles II and his successor James II, and to William Ill and Queen Mary Stuart. One of his duties as such was the setting of complimentary odes for state occcasions and royal birthdays. His relationship to the music loving Queen Mary transcended mere musical sycophancy as is born out in the compositions inspired by her untimely death in 1695, the year of Purcell's own death.

- The program on this unique CD not only praises Queen Mary but also mourns her parting with a complete performance of the intense and striking lament in three parts The Queen's Epicidium, which Purcell wrote in collaboration with his teacher and colleague John Blow.

- Stylish performances and an interesting concept which will certainly attract the vast crowd of baroque music lovers.

Members of one of the most renowned baroque ensembles in the whole of Europe performing a program on CD that they have brought with great acclaim in several concert performances. Conductor and harpsichord player Roderick Shaw studied music at Cambridge University where he was organist of Jesus College and conductor of the University Orchestra. He founded the Academy of the Begynhof, Amsterdam, when he was holding the position of oganist at the English Church in Amsterdam (1981-1986).