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Concluding his survey of the music of Purcell's day, Donald Macleod looks at the composers who contributed to London's theatre scene in what was a short career for English opera in the second half of the 17th century.

Purcell: Fairest Isle (King Arthur)
The Parley of Instruments Baroque Orchestra
Roy Goodman (director)
HYPERION CDA67001 CD1 Tr 13

Daniel Purcell: O ravishing delight (The Judgement of Paris)
Ryland Angel (countertenor)
Laurence Cummings (harpsichord)
DEUX-ELLES DXL 911 Tr 11

John Eccles: Can life be a blessing? (Troilus and Cressida)
Catherine Bott (soprano)
The Parley of Instruments
Peter Holman (conductor)
HYPERION CDA67450 Tr 4

John Blow: Lovely Selina, innocent and free (The Princess of Cleve)
John Mark Ainsley (tenor)
Timothy Roberts (spinet)
Paula Chateauneuf (baroque guitar)
HYPERION CDA66646 Tr 4

John Weldon: Dry those eyes which are o'erflowing (The Tempest)
Catherine Bott (soprano)
The Parley of Instruments
Peter Holman (conductor)
HYPERION CDA67450 Tr 4

Matthew Locke: Psyche (Act 3)
Vulcan and Mars ...... Paul Agnew (tenor)
Pyracmon, first cyclops ...... Christopher Robson (countertenor)
Brontes, second cyclops ...... Michael George (bass)
Steropes, third cyclops ...... Simon Grant (bass)
Harpes, fourth cyclops ...... Julian Podger (tenor)
Praesul ...... Andrew King (tenor)
Venus ...... Catherine Bott (soprano)
New London Consort
Philip Pickett (conductor)
L'OISEAU-LYRE 444 336-2 Trs 13-20

William Croft: Ayres in the Comedy of Courtship A La Mode
The Parley of Instruments
MERIDIAN CDE 84234 Tr 7.