News and reviews
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“This is a lovely collection in every way. The singing is beautiful, the program is very wisely chosen, and the recording is spacious without being muddy… I found this performance [of When David Heard] much more impactful than an earlier recording … partly because the actual recorded sound has more presence here … and partly because the Purcell Singers inflect the text with far greater specificity.”
— Henry Fogel, Fanfare Magazine (reviewing the CD, When David Heard)
What people say about our recordings
“The Purcell Singers are an exemplary group, perfectly balanced, warmly focussed and totally committed to this deliciously attractive music [Georg Schumann].”
— Gramophone
“Unbridled energy and tastefully passionate interpretations.”
— classicstoday.com
“Mark Ford gets superb results from his Purcell Singers.”
— International Record Review
“The performances are uniformly excellent … a musical triumph.”
— American Choral Review
“The young Purcell Singers …. perform with excellent discipline and well blended ensemble under the guiding spirit of conductor Mark Ford.”
— BBC Music Magazine
“The 44-strong choir produced a coherent and well-balanced sound… Mark Ford’s commendably restrained conducting let the music unfold as it wanted to, without forcing it in any particular direction. The soloists were outstanding.”
— Andrew Benson-Wilson, Early Music Review
What people say about our live performances
“What a glorious, splendiferous, uplifting and soul enriching way to end the lunchtime concert season at the Festival. The Purcell Singers threw out the most wonderful choral sound which was full without being cloying; clear without piercing and melodic without being dull.
“If I had absolute power I would insist that everyone in Brighton should listen to the Purcell group sing Byrd’s Sing Joyfully every morning. The level of therapy needed in Brighton & Hove would drastically decrease.
“There was not a single cough or sneeze throughout their performance – just total immersion in the enjoyment. A wonderful 5-star experience.”
— Arthur Oppenheimer, BBC South West
“Beautiful poised singing in what is clearly a repertoire in which they are more than comfortable. Mark Ford moulded the performance with style and elegance..”
— Bob Porter, Brandenburg Choral Festival
“In the cool beauty of St Batholomew’s The Purcell Singers performed a series of stunningly beautiful works that had the packed church rapt.
“Allegri’s Miserere seldom fails to win over an audience and the Tallis 40-part motet is breathtaking in its complexity and its simplicity. But the highlights for me were Gorecki’s Totus Tuus with its spectacular opening ‘Maria’ and Arvo Pärt’s Magnificat. Hearing such works in a space like St Bart’s qualifies why these composers are getting such popular acclaim.
“The Purcell singers were a hair’s breadth from faultless in their performance, filling the room with sound when singing both sotto voce and in full voice. A rich evening of glorious music.”
— Andrew Kay, Latest 7