Perfectly poised for all the Royal sentiments in the air for the forthcoming Royal Wedding, 'Music All Powerful - Music to entertain Queen Victoria' provides a delightful flashback of the British Royal Family and is the first release on CD of a delightful Argo LP. It offers solo songs, unaccompanied and accompanied choral songs and a handful of instrumental numbers such as would have been performed for and during Queen Victoria’s reign.

The Purcell Consort of Voices under Grayston Burgess are joined by a group of instrumental soloists, including the superb violinist Iona Brown, with pianist Jennifer Partridge both accompanying and playing a Mendelssohn Song without Words and a Chaminade piece.

For bringing back songs from obscurity alone this is a worthy CD. But it also recalls obscure composers like Pinsuti, Klosé, Beale, Galkin, Walmisley and Callcott and an obscure instrument  - the ophicleide (the instrument Mendelssohn wanted for Bottom’s braying in the Midsummer Night’s Dream overture). The performances are idiomatic and charming, the programming a joy. Geoffrey Coleby provides the amusing notes: ‘…when they could burst the shackles of their dreadful academic training, the Victorians could show a touching great-heartedness which is their most endearing feature’.

All song texts are included.

‘irresistably charming … And there is plenty of variety … Sweet and low [is] most beautifully sung  … A particularly charming item is the duet by Alice M. Smith … Alan Lumsden (a trombonist by profession) is splendid in the variations by Klosé for ophicleide and piano. I had not previously heard a solo on this instrument, and it is a memorable experience’ - Gramophone

Track Listing:
BERTHOLD TOURS
1. The Stars beyond the Cloud

CIRO PINSUTI
2. Good night, Beloved

SIR ARTHUR SULLIVAN
3. I would I were a King

PRINCE ALBERT
4. Melody for the Violin

FELIX MENDELSSOHN
5. The Passage Bird's Farewell (Abschied der Zugvogel), Op.63 No.2
6. Song without words, Op.38 No.2 'Lost Happiness'

SIR JOSEPH BARNBY
7. Sweet and low

HYACINTH ELEANORE KLOSE
8. Air Varie for ophicleide

WILLIAM BEALE
9. Come let us join the Roundelay

FELIX MENDELSSOHN
10. Autumn Song (Herbstlied), Op.63 No.4

NIKOLAI VLADIMIROVICH GALKIN
11. Mazurka

THOMAS FORBES WALMISLEY
12. Music, all powerful

ALICE MARY SMITH
13. O that we two were maying

JOHN GEORGE CALLCOTT
14. The Lark now leaves his Watery Nest

CECILE CHAMINADE
15. Arlequin

ARTHUR CHRISTOPHER BENSON
16. A Loyal Ode

SIR ARTHUR SULLIVAN
17. The Long Day Closes