Purcell: “Sweeter than roses” (Alfred Deller, countertenor; Emma Kirkby, soprano)

Thanks to the essenciademusica YouTube channel we can listen to Alfred Deller (1912 – 1979), a pioneer in the revival of countertenor technique.

Henry Purcell (1659 – 1695) wrote the song “Sweeter than roses” for the incidental music in the tragedy Pausanius, the Betrayer of his Country (Z 585, I wonder if Pausanius is correct or it should be Pausanias).

I found the song score with a figured bass realization by Sarge Gerbode, and this is the text:

Sweeter than roses, or cool evening breeze
on a warm flowery shore,
was the dear kiss, first trembling made me freeze,
then shot like fire all o’er.
What magic has victorious love!
For all I touch or see
since that dear kiss, I hourly prove,
all is love to me.

P.S. (2 – II – 2008). Thanks to the OedipusColoneus YouTube channel we can listen to Emma Kirkby (soprano) and Anthony Rooley (lute) performing the same song: