We asked our singers to share their favourite Tenebrae recording and one other tune that’s helping them to survive the lock-down. Have a listen to the Spotify playlist, and see the previous blog posts here.
Tom Lilburn – Countertenor
Two tracks I’ve always loved from Tenebrae are the Shakespeare Songs by Herbert Murrill (Music of the Spheres). I’m from a church music background and always knew Murrill as the composer of Murrill in E, so I was blown away by the harmonies in Come Away Death. O Mistress Mine is also very pretty, and it always brings a smile to my face to see these songs down on a programme.
A song I’ve listened to a lot recently has been The Living Daylights by A-ha. It’s been a great song to run to, and I discovered it as my brother and I have watched a lot of James Bond. It’s probably the most musical Bond film – Kara Milovy is an elite cellist and at one point she and James ride down a snowy hill on her cello case whilst he holds up the Stradivarius to shield them from machine-gun fire. Perhaps a metaphor for a Tenebrae rehearsal.*
Below is a picture of my brother and I enjoying this slight release of lock-down to play some golf. I’d like it noted that I won the match, and actually made one birdie. But I did also misjudge a practice swing on the 7th and accidentally connect with the ball, sending it flying sideways into trees. So all in all it was a mixed bag.
* Tom has assured us that this is hyperbole!
Listen to our full lock-down playlist on Spotify here.