'The waiting is long...': The Sixteen provide welcome Music for Reflection in difficult times

The Sixteen

Harry Christophers (conductor)

Antonia Christophers (narrator)

Live from London, VOCES8

7pm, Saturday 19 September 2020

(reviewed from online stream)

Kings Place, London

★★★★

Felice Anerio (c.1560-1614): Litaniae Beatissimae Virginis Mariae

Argo Pärt (b.1935): The Deer’s Cry

T S Eliot (1888-1965): Here let us stand, from Murder in the Cathedral

Josquin des Prez (c.1450/1455-152): O Virgo prudentissima

Arvo Pärt (b.1935): Da pacem Domine

T S Eliot (1888-1965): Does the bird sing in the south?, from Murder in the Cathedral

John Sheppard (c.1515-1558): Libera nos I

Josquin des Prez (c.1450/1455-1521): Pater noster, Ave Maria

Argo Pärt (b.1935): Morning Star

T S Eliot (1888-1965): We praise thee, O God, from Murder in the Cathedral

Tomás Luis de Victoria (c.1548-1611): Litaniae Beatae Mariae

Encore: 

William Byrd (1543-1623): Mass for Four Voices, Agnus Dei 

Pärt:

'Christophers judged the pace of Pärt’s pieces well ... and the rich lower voices provided firm grounding throughout'.

Shepard:

'The emotional highpoint, with its low bass cantus firmus underpinning the glorious soaring and falling sopranos'.

Byrd:

'Beautifully performed here by a solo quartet, this was a perfect, intimate and reflective conclusion'.

Read my full review on Bachtrack here.

Brighton Early Music Festival 2014, 24 October to 9 November

This years’s Brighton Early Music Festival has the theme of ‘Cities – Musical centres and the journeys between them’, and we are promised a great line-up again of top world-class musicians, up-and-coming young professionals and the best of local amateur performers too. 

The Sixteen (Credit: MolinaVisuals)

Highlights include the return of The Sixteen, focussing on Warsaw, and the music of Italian maestri at the 17^th century Polish court (Friday 31 October).  On this occasion they are conducted by Assistant Director, Eamonn Dougan, who has directed The Sixteen in two highly-acclaimed recordings of Polish repertoire. 

La Serenissima (Credit: Benjamin Harte)

Venice is the destination for La Serenissima with music by Vivaldi, Albinoni & Caldara (Friday 24 October), and they are followed the same night by a performance from Early Music Live! artists, the Fieri Consort. 

Celestial Sirens

Other destinations include London (BREMF Players and Singers, music by Purcell and Handel, Sunday 9 November), Paris (Musica Secreta, the CelestialSirens and Brighton Festival YouthChoir, with music by Charpentier, Lully & Couperin, Sunday 2 November) and Monserrat (The Telling, Spanish medieval songs and dances, Saturday 25 October). 

BREMF Consort of Voices

Popes, Patronage and Power is the focus for a visit to Rome on Saturday 25 October.  The BREMF Consort of Voices, with narrator Nigel Pittman perform music composed for the Vatican, including music by Palestrina, Josquin, and Allegri’s famous Miserere, with director Deborah Roberts singing the soprano solo.

The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment are in town with The Night Shift, taking music to intimate pub settings, and this year they will by at The Marlborough Theatre (Friday 17 October).

The Borromini Quartet

And in a joint venture with Strings Attached, the Borromini Quartet return to Brighton to take us on a journey from Vienna to Madrid, with music by Haydn, Boccherini and the so called ‘Spanish Mozart’, Arriaga (Sunday 26 October).

For venues, times and tickets, click here, or go to Brighton Dome Ticket Office 01273 709709.