Description:

William Croft died while attempting a cure at Bath, in 1727: he was only 49. Handel had only recently settled in England, and had Croft lived longer, their relationship would have been most interesting. We can see influences of Croft’s music in that of Handel, whereas his earlier music looks back to Henry Purcell. Both styles are to be heard in this selection, which was the first recording which I made specifically for my own label, Soundboard.

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Croft is chiefly remembered for his church music, but the quality of his keyboard music is consistently good, with a defined personal style which is unusually tuneful, direct and attractive. He had the unusual ability of conveying a variety of contrasting moods within the confines of a harpsichord suite.

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Track list:

1. Suite in G major: Ground; Minuett

2. Suite in C minor: Prelude; Allemande; Courante; Sarabanda; Ground; Aire; Hornpipe; Minuet

3. Suite in F: Scotch Tune; Air; Jigg

4. Suite in A: Ground; Minuett

5. Suite in D minor: Slow Almand; Corant; Slow Saraband

6. Trumpet Overture: Entry; Allegro; Adagio; Allegro

7. Suite in E minor: Almand; Corant; Saraband; Rondo; Gavotte

8. Suite in G minor: Prelude; Aire; Minuett

9. Suite in A major: Almand; Corant; Saraband

10. Scotch Tune (“The Lovesick Jockey”)