Reviewed by John Irvine

Don't be put off by the title: it certainly beats "The Best Of Purcell" or "Henry Purcell's Greatest Hits", although in truth all three titles would be an apt description of the contents of this generously filled (80 minutes) yet cheap (mid-price) disc. 20 jewels of composition, 20 gems of performance culled from a series of 25 CDs covering the complete Odes and Welcome songs, the complete Anthems and Services and the complete Secular solo songs, and featuring the finest British musicians and singers, it would be a crime to suggest anything other than 10 out of 10 for this release. This disc stands as a monument both to Purcell's remarkable compositional genius and to the King's Consort's equally remarkable and consistent high standards of musicianship. In their hands, Purcell receives the honour due to a composer of his stature. As a disc representative of the 25 discs issued so far, it was inevitable that some great pieces had to be passed over in favour of others; but as a disc which is an introduction to Britain's greatest composer and one of the finest musical minds of his age, the disc is insurpassable. Take this opportunity to get to know the work of both Purcell and the King's Consort better.