We are delighted to introduce Tenebrae Unlocked, a new series of short concerts filmed in October in the church of St Augustine’s Kilburn – sometimes referred to as the ‘Cathedral of North London’. After a very difficult year, it was an immense joy to be able to spend three days working with our wonderful singers and a world-class production team on this stunning series of films.
The programmes we have chosen reflect much of the music that Tenebrae has performed and recorded over the last 20 years, and include one or two works which deserve to be far better-known than they are. We hope you will enjoy these sequences, performed just as we would hope to sing them in concert. Tenebrae would like to thank each and every person who donated through our crowdfunding campaign, as well as those who offer ongoing support. This simply would not have been possible without you!

Our programme begins with Tallis’ well-known motet If ye love me, with the promised ‘comforter’ echoed in Lassus’ Musica Dei donum optimi – speaking of music affording solace to all. Byrd’s famous, two-part motet Ne irascaris Domine continues the sense of ebb and flow, and Tomás Luis de Victoria’s settings of the Responsories for Holy Saturday parallels its call of ‘Ecce, respice’. Usually the hymn-like prequel to Victoria’s Requiem, Taedet anima mea takes on a new role here, closing our programme with a sense of reflection and solidarity.

The free Tenebrae Unlocked programme is available here

Tickets will be available through our online shop from 7pmGMT on 20th November. Each ticket allows unlimited access to stream this film for 30 days through your account, and supports Tenebrae as we face ongoing performance cancellations, and a significant loss of income as a result of the pandemic.

Programme

Thomas Tallis (1505 – 1585) – If ye love me
Orlando di Lassus (c.1530 – 1594) – Musica Dei donum optimi
William Byrd (c.1530 – 1594) – Ne irasacaris Domine
Tomás Luis de Victoria (c.1530 – 1594) – O vos omnes from Responsories for Holy Saturday
Victoria – Taedet anima mea from Requiem Mass, 1605

Artist(s)

Nigel Short, Tenebrae