Ex. 3-1: Let us dance, let us sing

From the Masque in Act 5 of Purcell's semi-opera The Prophetess, or The History of Dioclesian (Z.627), with a libretto by Thomas Betterton. First performed in May 1690 at the Dorset Garden Theatre in London. Purcell was so proud of the music that he published the full score at his own expense in 1691.

The text is a carpe diem song (a song about enjoying life before it passes): dance, sing, and celebrate love while life is still in its spring, for time will take these pleasures away. The score marks it as a soprano air, but it is sung today by various voice types.

Track 4 from the album Purcell: Chamber and Vocal Music by Päivi Järviö, Eero Palviainen, Lauri Pulakka, and Annamari Polho (1999)
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