Henry Purcell

3 Consorts

This 12-minute work for chamber orchestra sees Benjamin pay tribute to the mesmerizing intersection of line and harmony in the music of Henry Purcell. Originally conceived for viol consort, these transcriptions reflect Benjamin’s longstanding fascination with this repertoire – he first transcribed the middle movement, Fantazia 7, for chamber ensemble in 1995 – as well as magnifying its polyphonic intricacies. The opening In Nomine 1 has a deliberately archaic tone, with its underpinning cantus firmus given to hocketing brass; a transcription of Fantazia on One Note emphasizes the enchanting variety of moods conjured in music built around a static and persistent middle C. Its central movement is hushed and magical – a pair of muted horns wreathed in a halo of strings.  It was premiered by the Mahler Chamber Orchestra at the BBC Proms in 2021 by the composer; its other exponents have included Kent Nagano and Daniel Harding.