Proudly published by the young Henry Purcell in 1683, Purcell’s highly individual, wonderfully inventive Twelve Sonatas of Three Parts combine French elegance, Italian vigour and delicious English melancholy with harmonic daring, extraordinary contrapuntal technique, ravishing dissonances and unique melodic ingenuity.

The King’s Consort have championed the music of Purcell for three decades, creating 25 recordings, including three major recording series, which have won numerous international awards and played a central role in restoring this great composer’s music to prominence. TKC’s performer line-up for this disc includes Italian-Dutch violinist Cecilia Bernardini, Japanese viol player Reiko Ichise, Welsh violinist Huw Daniel, and English organist/harpsichordist Robert King and theorbo player Lynda Sayce, recorded in the well-nigh perfect acoustic of St John’s Church, Loughton. The presentation includes a 44 page booklet with an authoritative liner note by Purcell expert and biographer Robert King, photographs from the sessions and reproductions from the 1683 first edition.