Barokksolistene - The Playhouse (CD)

Since the release of the chart topping Alehouse Sessions in 2017, and a world wide tour, Bjarte and the boys and girls have been busy on this new album which moves the alehouse project on from dour Puritanism of Cromwell's Commonwealth, to the hedonistic Restoration of Charles II, and the Glorious Revolution that saw William III and Mary II replace the unpopular James II. The alehouse musical culture developed into playhouses, and music halls, selling tickets and subscriptions. Operas, masques, dance, jesting (the first stand-up comedians maybe?), all this prepared the way for the first public concert hall to be established. Nights in these places though would still be bawdy - stage fights, cross dressing, elements of pantomime, songs sung to popular tunes of the day, satire - always a good draw, and a good number of rustic clowns, bawdy wenches and fools thrown in for good measure! Think of these back rooms as a very English mix of Shakespeare, commedia dell arte, juggling with music by Purcell, folk tunes, and sea shanties. After the misery of the Commonwealth and Cromwell's dictatorship, the public were in the mood to party! Playhouse is your invitation to the party - enjoy!

Track List:

Disc: 1

1. Jenny Loves, and she confessed too: I often for My Jenny Strove / 'She Loves and She Confesses Too'
2. Washer Woman Set: 'Twas but a furlong of Edinburgh Town / Miss Admiral Gordon's Strathspey / The East Neuk of Fife / James Moray / The Irish Washerwoman
3. Oft she visits this lone mountain (from "Dido and Aeneas")
4. Over Hill, Over Dale (from Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, Act II, Scene 2)
5. Work(s)Adagio and Glittering Queen: Adagio / So When the Glitt'ring Queen of Night
6. Three Ravens
7. Fairy Shuffle: Prelude to Act V of The Fairy-Queen Z. 629 / Rull
8. You Spotted Snakes; Hush No More: You Spotted Snakes / Hush, No More
9. Music for a While (from the incidental music to Oedipus)
10. English Dancing MasterBeggar Boy / Scots Rant / Scotch Cap / All in a Garden Green / Newcastle
11. Jolly Pilgrim: Hey Jolly Broom Man / Blarney Pilgrim
12. Work(s)Niel Gow's Lament for The Red, Red Rose: Niel Gow's Lament for the Death of his Second Wife / A Red, Red Rose
13. Willow Song (Desdemona's Song) (from William Shakespeare's Othello, Act IV, Scene 3)
14. Now the Night Is Chased Away (from The Fairy-Queen Act IV)
15. Can She Excuse My Wrongs (with spoken word epilogue "If We Shadows Have Offended")