The two famous St Cecilian Odes reflect a remarkable polarity in the composer's creative priorities: the shorter of the two, Welcome to allthe pleasures, is a supreme amalgamation of Fishburn's words and Purcell's music, bursting with contained subtlety and enchantment. There's also a unique sense of conveying something novel, in this case an inaugural tribute on 22 November 1683, to the patron saint of music, henceforth annually celebrating 'this divine Science'.
Hail, bright Cecilia from 1692 is three times longer and explores all the startling orchestral sounds which changed English music towards something approaching a Handelian palette. It's also truly fin de siècle (some might say Newtonian) in ambition and the imagery is as breathtakingly splendid now as it was when the Victorians first revered it for its boldness and scale. Such qualities clearly animate Herreweghe and he shapes this music with rapture and precision.
The whole is infectiously fresh and never rushed. Herreweghe is sensitive to the nuances which irradiate from Purcell's colouring of words. He largely uses English voices. 'Hark! hark! each tree' boasts the versatile and effortless alto of Robin Blaze who, with the assured Peter Harvey, achieves a delightfully naturalistic lilt. One blip here is the piping soprano in 'Thou tun'st this world' (Susan Hamilton) where the voice seems technically and expressively limited.
But for beauty of sound Herreweghe is your man.