This well-constructed programme gets off to a charming start with Rejoice in the Lord alway, in which Purcell acknowledges his debt to the French style and (in the instrumental introduction) imitates bell-ringing. The vocal soloists sound comfortable and focused here, as in the other sacred pieces. They are naturally more extrovert in the theatrical pieces, though prone as a result to showing rough edges, which a lower pitch-level might have alleviated. The bass, Ben Davies, turns in the most solid and secure performances, including in the Welcome Songs.

Ah, the Welcome Songs … That Purcell managed to conjure up anything worth hearing is remarkable; the only way to do justice to the drivel he was given to set would have been to toss it in the bin. As it is, What shall be done in behalf of the man? is hardly his most inspired work. From those serene and rapturous joys is better, though neither is a match for the finest of the early odes, Fly, bold rebellion (included on a previous volume of this series – 7/18). The Sixteen’s string band is more than twice the size of the one Robert King used in his complete survey for Hyperion 30 years ago. Its sound is not much bigger but less astringent and (to my ear) agile, though some may prefer its statelier outlook. But it’s no disrespect to Harry Christophers’s soloists to say that they’re not in the same league as King’s stellar cast. Christophers’s response to the musical text is also less acute: when the violins summon up the bass soloist with dotted rhythms at ‘Behold the indulgent prince is come’, there is no noticeable quickening of pace to spur them on, as in the earlier set. The continuo group contribute some neat touches, however.