Description
Following the ‘Glorious Revolution’ of 1689 the new monarchs, William & Mary, were more concerned with combating rebellion and foreign policy than with culture. With musical opportunities at court in short supply Purcell looked elsewhere for work, and, during what were to be the last five years of his life, Purcell was commissioned to write music for ten plays.
Abdelazer, (The Moor’s Revenge) is a 1676 adaptation of the c. 1600 tragedy Lust’s Dominion by the ground-breaking female playwright, Aphra Behn. Purcell wrote incidental music for the play’s revival in the summer of 1695. There were ten movements – all written for strings, of which the Rondeau is the second.
Whilst Behn’s play is no longer performed, Purcell’s music remains enduringly popular – especially the Rondeau, no doubt because of Benjamin Britten’s use of its theme in The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra (1946).
It has subsequently enjoyed a number of film and TV outings including in the 2005 film of Pride and Prejudice starring Keira Knightley in which it is played in a dancing scene at a Netherfield ball.
Ideally Bridal entrance music for wind trio (flute or oboe, clarinet in Bb and bassoon).
