Byrd / Hunt - Musick to Heare [CD]

Musick to Heare is soprano Olivia Hunt's debut solo recording, and showcases a wide range of sacred and secular song throughout the ages. John Hosking accompanies on three rather striking instruments: an Italian replica harpsichord built by Goble, the Hill, Norman & Beard organ designed by George Guest and William Mathias at Bangor University, and a Steinway Model D concert grand. Olivia's naturally pure yet colourful tone shines throughout this recording, bringing a new lease of life to the later repertoire. Her effortless upper range and rich lower range make this essential listening. Olivia Hunt and John Hosking have worked together in various guises since 2013. They cofounded early music group Ensemble 1677 in 2016 with the objective of bringing early music to a wider audience. Since then they have performed numerous early music concerts as a duo or with the Ensemble, staged Purcell's opera Dido and Aeneas with professional soloists and a community chorus and undertook a successful tour of the South West of England.