DESCRIPTION:
Henry PURCELL (1659-1695)
Blessed is he that considereth the poor, Z 7
Verse anthem for alto, tenor, bass and basso continuo
Text: Psalms XLI, 1-3, and Minor Doxology, in 'The Book of Common Prayer' (1662)
Composed circa 1688
Published in the first book of 'Harmonia Sacra', second edition (London: Henry Playford and John Sprint, 1703)

Jeffrey Thompson, tenor
Marc Mauillon, baritone
Geoffroy Buffière, bass
La Rêveuse,
conducted by Florence Bolton and Benjamin Perrot
Musicians:
Pierre Gallon, organ
Florence Bolton, bass viol
Benjamin Perrot, theorbo
Concert: 30 August 2015 in Utrecht (Geertekerk)

The score featured in this video is from 'Harmonia Sacra or Select Anthems In Score' (London: John Walsh, circa 1730), with some editing.

Some manuscripts contain a spurious 6th movement, a full SATB chorus ('Alleluia', Z 7/6). In his catalogue of Purcell's works, Franklin Zimmerman says: 'As the Purcell Society editor has suggested, the final chorus to this anthem, the style of which is not characteristic of Purcell, may have been added in the eighteenth century.'

Marc D.