England’s Helicon

ENGLAND’S HELICON made their debut at St Margaret’s Lothbury in the City of London, in a recital for the Academy of St Cecilia. Since then they have travelled all over the British Isles. The name is taken from a 17th century collection of poetry  whose subtitle is appropriately “The Muses Harmony”. Between them Gerald & Dorothy draw on a wide range of musical & literary experience and remarkable degree of versatility to present fascinating programmes of words and music. In these recitals, as well as the spoken voice and song, you will hear lute, theorbo, viols, recorders and other renaissance wind instruments. They have collaborated with several distinguished actors including Clive Francis and Richard Briers They will be making CD of the Shakespeare repertory this summer for Naxos. 

Gerald Place  read English at Trinity College Cambridge, where he made a special study of the music & literature of the seventeenth century. He was also a member of the choir of King’s College. His first freelance engagements were with the Praetorius Consort with whom he both sang and played. His subsequent career has taken him in many other directions, including several years with the BBC Singers; opera for ENO & the Opera National de Lyon, and early music for groups like the Sixteen and the English Concert. For many years he has directed his own ensemble, the Gesualdo Consort with whom he has made several CDs and appeared in a film about Gesualdo for Werner Herzog, “Death for Five Voices”, which won the Italia Prize. This is now available on DVD from Naxos.   Dorothy Linell gave her debut recital at the Purcell Room as winner of a national young artists competition. Since then she has played instruments ranging from baroque guitar to banjo in venues from Memphis to Moscow, from castles to sewers. She works with many distinguished singers including the counter-tenors James Bowman & Stephen Rickards with whom she has made two CD’s of lute songs for Naxos. She is also a busy continuo player both in the concert hall and opera house. On Channel 4 she has recently been heard playing Andy Price’s incidental music for David Starkey’s series on Henry VIII & Elizabeth I.   THE FOOD OF LOVE The original music from Shakespeare’s plays, both songs dances and incidental music, combined with readings about music from both the plays and the sonnets. From Shakespeare’s own time Morley, Johnson & Wilson are represented and the programme also includes music from revivals by Purcell and Humphrey. The programme also includes newly devised matchings of Shakespeare’s lyrics with existing ballad tunes.

THE ENGLISHMAN ABROAD A grand tour of Europe in words & music. Featuring music by several English composers who lived and worked abroad, notably John Dowland & Peter Philips, and songs & instrumental pieces by Monteverdi & Rosenmuller, French Airs de Cour, and songs of war and exploration. Readings from Hakluyt, Coryat, Raleigh & Nashe prove that xenophobia is nothing new.   THERE IS NO ROSE A celebration of Christmas in words &  music,. exploring the wealth of  English poetry and song from the early middle ages to the 17th century and traditional carols from the length & breadth of the kingdom.   SEMPER DOLENS Songs and lute solos by John Dowland, the greatest of the lutenist song-writers, together with music and comments by his contemporaries and readings by Shakespeare & Spenser   “An hour of enchantment” Newbury Weekly  News   “Each section was immaculately planned and ran almost seamlessly as a cameo of readings, songs and instrumental solos and duets. The performers’ manner of presenting the programme was so easy-going that you felt you were in the company of friends at an informal gathering”   Frome Festival   “I look forward to more from these excellent performers”                      Elizabethan Review (USA)