As well as being a successful church and court composer, Purcell wrote extensively for the stage, composing several operas, semi-operas and masques. Now Gwilym Beechey has made seven of these fantastic works accessible to the instrumental player, carefully choosing and arranging a selection of these pieces for descant recorder and keyboard. Included in this edition are dances, airs and jigs from Purcell’s popular opera King Arthur (1691), and semi-operas The Fairy Queen (1692) and The Indian Que...

• King Authur: Air in D Minor
• King Authur: How blest are shepherds
• King Authur: Hornpipe in G minor
• The Fairy Queen: Jig in G minor
• The Fairy Queen: Prelude/Minuet in C major
• The Indian Queen: Dance in C major
• Abdelazer: Rondeau in D minor