‘King Arthur’ (1691), like Purcell’s other great scores for the stage, belongs to a highly unusual genre: it is neither a play nor an opera but a hybrid of the two known as ‘semi-opera’. Alfred Deller’s legendary 1978 recording is one of the benchmark interpretations which introduced music lovers to Purcell’s masterpiece.

Disc 1
1. Ouvertre – Air – Ouvertre (Henry Purcell) – Various Performers
2. Woden First to Thee – Brave Souls – I Call Ye All (Henry Purcell) – Various Performers
3. Come If You Dare (Henry Purcell) – Various Performers
4. Hither This Way Bend – Let Not a Moon-born Elf – Hither This Way – Come Follow Me (Henry Purcell) – Various Performers
5. How Blest Are Shepherds – Shepherd, Leave Decoying – Hornpipe (Henry Purcell) – Various Performers
6. What Ho (Henry Purcell) – Various Performers
7. What Power Are Thou – Thou Doting Fool Forbear – See, See (Henry Purcell) – Various Performers
Disc 2
1. Tis I, That Have Warm’d Ye – Sound a Parley – Air (Henry Purcell) – Various Performers
2. Two Daughters (Henry Purcell) – Various Performers
3. How Happy the Lover – Melodie (Henry Purcell) – Various Performers
4. Trompetenmelodie – Ye Blust’ring Brethren (Henry Purcell) – Various Performers
5. Sinfonia – Round Thy Coasts – For Folded Flocks (Henry Purcell) – Various Performers
6. Your Hay (Henry Purcell) – Various Performers
7. Fairest Isle (Henry Purcell) – Various Performers
8. You Say – This Not My Passion – But One Soft Moment (Henry Purcell) – Various Performers
9. Trompetenmelodie – St. George (Henry Purcell) – Various Performers
10. Chaconne (Henry Purcell) – Various Performers