Restoration Duets, Vol. 1 - Vocal Duet

For high voice, bass voice, and keyboard or BC (realized basso continuo included)

This volume brings together six duets by the leading composers of vocal music in Restoration England. In it will be found some of the main preoccupations of Restoration art: the dramatic and contemplative sides of religion (5 and 6); love anticipated (3), requited (2) or rejected (4); and alochol (1). The duets are scored for high voice, bass and basso continuo, a disposition far more common in England at that time than the duet for equal voices. The upper voice is usually inteded for soprano--the polarity of the parts being typically Baroque--but tenors should not hesitate to sing most of these pieces; only in actual amorous dialogues was the sex of the singers (usually) considered important.