Paul Esswood (born June 6, 1942) is an English countertenor. He is best kno… Read Full Bio ↴Paul Esswood (born June 6, 1942) is an English countertenor. He is best known for his singing in Bach cantatas and the operas of Handel and Monteverdi. Along with his countrymen Alfred Deller and James Bowman, he led the revival of countertenor singing in modern times.
Esswood was born in West Bridgford, England. He studied at the Royal College of Music in London from 1961 to 1964. His professional debut was in a performance of Handel's Messiah for the BBC (1971).
Esswood has participated in over 150 recordings, including the alto parts in many Bach cantatas with the Teldec series by conductors Nikolaus Harnoncourt and Gustav Leonhardt. He has recorded Messiah four times, as well as extended works by Henry Purcell, Claudio Monteverdi, Francesco Cavalli, Marc-Antoine Charpentier and others.
Among the roles in contemporary works written for Esswood are the title role in Philip Glass's Akhnaten and Death in Penderecki's Paradise Lost. He also sang in the première of Schnittke's Second Symphony.
Paul Esswood is the founder of Pro Cantione Antiqua, an all-male a cappella group specializing in early music. He is also establishing a reputation as a conductor of Baroque opera.
Esswood was born in West Bridgford, England. He studied at the Royal College of Music in London from 1961 to 1964. His professional debut was in a performance of Handel's Messiah for the BBC (1971).
Esswood has participated in over 150 recordings, including the alto parts in many Bach cantatas with the Teldec series by conductors Nikolaus Harnoncourt and Gustav Leonhardt. He has recorded Messiah four times, as well as extended works by Henry Purcell, Claudio Monteverdi, Francesco Cavalli, Marc-Antoine Charpentier and others.
Among the roles in contemporary works written for Esswood are the title role in Philip Glass's Akhnaten and Death in Penderecki's Paradise Lost. He also sang in the première of Schnittke's Second Symphony.
Paul Esswood is the founder of Pro Cantione Antiqua, an all-male a cappella group specializing in early music. He is also establishing a reputation as a conductor of Baroque opera.
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Glass: Akhnaten
Paul Esswood Lyrics
No lyrics text found for this track.
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
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Thou dost appear beautiful
On the horizon of heaven
Oh, living Aten
He who was the first to live
When thou hast risen on the Eastern Horizon
Thou art fair, great, dazzling,
High above every land
Thy rays encompass the land
To the very end of all thou hast made
All the beasts are satisfied with their pasture
Trees and plants are verdant
Birds fly from their nests, wings spread
Flocks skip with their feet
All that fly and alight
Live when thou hast arisen
How manifold is that which thou hast made
Thou sole God
There is no other like thee
Thou didst create the earth
According to thy will
Being alone, everything on earth
Which walks and flies on high
Thy rays nourish the fields
When thou dost rise
They live and thrive for thee
Thou makest the seasons to nourish
All thou hast made
The winter to cool
The heat that they may taste thee
There is no other that knows thee
Save thy son, Akhnaten
For thou hast made him skilled
In thy plans and thy might
Thou dost raise him up for thy son
Who comes forth from thyself
Ignacio Cuevas
This is may be my favourite YouTube video, the match between the statues and the music is as unlikely as perfect! đź‘Ś
baroque and beyond
That’s so wonderful!
Romancha Pralapa
One of my favorite parts of this opera.... I like the picture.... It could be Akhnaten himself looking at the sun .... sometimes he is thought of as the first scientific mind .... recognizing the central role of the sun in a biological sense ... a forward leap in imagination ... and this picture could be interpreted as capturing that vague scientific sense of things...
Nuova Luce
Great Paul Esswood's singing! Bravissimo! Great piece of music! Great sculptures! Great video! What else to say?:-) It goes directly to my "favourites" on my channel....
Stephen Kirkby
Thank for replying It is a most beautiful piece 'The Hymn' is from Act 2 Scene 4 and continues for around 14 mins I first saw the opera in 1984 at the Coliseum in London and it remains one of my favourite operas along with 'Satyagraha' I also love the images that you have added
baroque and beyond
I am very humbled by your words, and my contributions to youtube would not have flourished without the feedback and support of wonderful people like you!
Pandora Music
It is magic work! Thank you so much for posting so amazing and great music, dear Daniel.
Jooby Zat
Love it. Thanks for posting!
baroque and beyond
Thank you, I love visiting these statues and seeing their divine consciousness projecting up toward the vast blue sky!
Ignacio Cuevas
@baroque and beyond, thanks!