Purcell_the_tempest_z_631_curtain_tune May 2026

Despite the controversy, the work remains a staple of the Baroque repertoire and is frequently performed by early music ensembles like the Aradia Ensemble . Henry Purcell or John Weldon – The Tempest

The string writing closely resembles that of , differing from Purcell’s established style. purcell_the_tempest_z_631_curtain_tune

It is part of a "semi-opera," a Restoration-era English theatrical form that combined spoken dialogue with elaborate musical and dance interludes. Despite the controversy, the work remains a staple

The "Curtain Tune" served as incidental music designed to transition the audience from the spoken drama to the musical "masques" within the play. The "Curtain Tune" served as incidental music designed

: A famous bass da capo aria that uses upward leaps (word-painting) to mimic rising winds.

While the Curtain Tune sets the stage, the full work is celebrated for several other notable movements often found in recordings such as the one by John Eliot Gardiner :

: One of the few songs in the collection that scholars universally agree was composed by Henry Purcell.