Tenebrae brings you a Century of the Glories of Partsong ranging from exquisite miniatures about the natural world and human experience to complex masterpieces marrying text and song.

Shakespeare, Shelley, Byron, Tennyson and Milton are the inspiration of renowned composers such as Vaughan Williams, Elgar, Holst and others; the programme being crowned with a performance of Parry’s evocative Songs of Farewell. This music is liberated by its lack of instrumental accompaniment, able to rejoice in the polyphonic ideals of a cappella choral writing and the craftsmanship and imagination of its creators. The Partsong, like its older cousin the Madrigal, has often been viewed as the poor relation to the Motet and the Mass and while it might be said that the devil has some of the best tunes, the secular world can at least hold its own in this sublime musical art.

Programme

Holst The Evening-Watch
Parry Songs of Farewell

INTERVAL

Elgar O Wild West Wind, Op.53, No.3
Elgar There is Sweet Music
Murrill Two Shakespeare Songs
Jonathan Harvey Song of June
Vaughan Williams Three Shakespeare Songs
Bob Chilcott Marriage to my Lady Poverty
Stanford The Blue Bird
Bob Chilcott The Modern Man I Sing

Artist(s)

Tenebrae