Saved events

An English Garden

Les Arts Florissants/Le Jardin des Voix

,Barbican Hall
A headshot of Paul Agnew

“The garden of the voice”: a garland of 18th–century English song, devised and performed by Le Jardin des Voix and the orchestra of Les Arts Florissants.

Capability Brown took the beauties of the English countryside and transfigured them into a new kind of art. In this delightfully theatrical concert, Paul Agnew, Les Jardin des Voix and the orchestra of Les Arts Florissants do the same for the music of the English baroque.

The singers are new and emerging stars, and the programme has been devised by Agnew and William Christie to paint the whole landscape of English song, from the Tudor court to the Georgian era. Music by Dowland, Gibbons, Purcell, Handel and Boyce is presented in a fresh way, by one of the world’s liveliest and most accomplished period ensembles.

Tagged with: Classical music Barbican Presents 2017–18

Programme

  • Locke   Curtain tune from The Tempest
  • Gibbons   The Cryes of London (Part 1)
  • Handel   ‘O the pleasure of the plains’ from Acis and Galatea
  • Purcell   If music be the food of Love
  • Tomkins   Music divine
  • Arne   The Singing Club
  • Purcell   ‘Strike the viol, touch the lute’ from Come ye sons of Art
  • Purcell   Of all the instruments that are
  • Purcell   ‘Wondrous Machine’ from Ode for St Cecilia’s Day
  • Handel   ‘The soft complaining Flute’ from Ode for St Cecilia’s Day
  • Arne   ‘Now all the air shall ring’ from The Fairy Prince
  • Handel   ‘Oh let the merry bells ring round’ from L’Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato
  • Purcell   ‘See, even Night herself is here’ from The Fairy Queen
  • Ward   Come sable night
  • Purcell   ‘One charming night’ from The Fairy Queen
  • Purcell   ‘In these delightful pleasant groves’ from The Libertine, or the Libertine destroyed
  • Dowland   ‘Welcome, blacke night’ from A Pilgrimes Solace
  • Purcell   ‘Hence with your trifling deity’ and ‘But over us no griefs prevail’ from Timon of Athens, the Man-Hater
  • Purcell   ‘Make room for the great god’, ‘I’m here with my jolly crew’ and ‘Danse of Bacchanals’ from The Prophetess, or The History of Dioclesian
  • Purcell   Bacchus is a pow’r divine
  • Purcell   Tis women makes us love
  • Purcell   ‘Fairest Isle’ from King Arthur, or The British Worthy
  • Purcell (arr.) William Hayes   Fairest Isle
  • Dowland   ‘Cease these false sports’ from A Pilgrimes Solace
  • Handel   ‘As with rosy steps the morn’ from Theodora
  • Handel   ‘As steals the morn upon the night’ from L’Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato
  • Purcell   ‘Now the night is chas’d away’ from The Fairy Queen
  • Gibbons   The Cryes of London (Part 2)

Performers

  • Orchestra of Les Arts Florissants  
  • Paul Agnew   director
  • Sophie Daneman   stage direction
  • Natalie Pérez   soprano
  • Natasha Schnur   soprano
  • Eva Zaïcik   mezzo-soprano
  • James Way   tenor
  • Josep-Ramon Olivé   baritone
  • Padraic Rowan   bass-baritone

Download the programme

Click here to download a free copy of the programme.

With thanks

EU co-funded logo

Barbican Hall

Location
The Barbican Hall is located within the main Barbican building. Head to Level G and follow the signs to find your seating level. 

Address
Barbican Centre
Silk Street, London
EC2Y 8DS

Public transport
​​​​​​​The Barbican is widely accessible by bus, tube, train and by foot or bicycle. Plan your journey and find more route information in ‘Your Visit’ or book your car parking space in advance.