In these worrying times it’s quite a challenge to write a blog and make it all breezy and positive. I’d love to tell everyone that we have a full schedule of concerts up our sleeve, but of course that isn’t the case – for reasons of which everyone is well aware. However, we did manage… continued

Well, it seems rather odd to be writing a blog that relays nothing about recent exploits with Tenebrae. No concerts, no music. Thank heavens we live in a time where technology can at least help a bit with that. Like all other choirs we are ‘grounded’ for the foreseeable future and, unlike many other sectors… continued

Call me basic, but a stand-out track for me is Golovanov’s Oche Nash setting from the Russian Treasures disc. So much of that disc way back in 2014 introduced me to new material – including a few of Golovanov’s – and with it an expanded palette of choral music as a genre, which I think… continued

My chosen Tenebrae track is the motet Versa est in Luctum by Alonso Lobo. The text is pretty miserable so we won’t dwell on that for now, but this choice is more for what the piece represents in the context of my relationship with Tenebrae. We open our ‘Spanish Glories’ concert programme with it and… continued

It’s hard to pick a favourite but Nikolay Golovanov’s Our Father from the Russian Treasures is a true gem for me. The Russian Treasures programme was the first concert I sang with Tenebrae and it was an exciting journey discovering lots of music I’d never heard before. It’s intense and beautiful and reaches an amazing… continued

This week I bid farewell to Tenebrae for the foreseeable future as I’m off into the strange new world of furlough. My Tenebrae track for the playlist is the final movement of Joby Talbot’s Path of Miracles: ‘Santiago’. It’s my all-time favourite piece performed by Tenebrae and seeing it live really brings it to life… continued

Almost 7 weeks in, plenty of us are struggling with lock-down life. Soprano Ellie has been isolating with her toddler, and has shared her top tips for surviving quarantine – although we have to disagree with her about the Easter eggs! Wake up at a sensible time. Make a list every day of the things… continued

My favourite Tenebrae track is Arnold Schoenberg’s Friede auf Erden from the Symphonic Psalms and Prayers disc. It’s one of the first pieces I sang with the group and I can remember registering in the first rehearsal a sense of wondrous fear I had never experienced before. I tap into this emotion every time I… continued

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… continued

My choice is Geistliches Lied by Johannes Brahms from the Brahms and Bruckner disc. It speaks for itself. My only advice is to turn up the volume for the Amen. It was an honour to be a member of that bass section. Everything else on the disc is great too. I’ve been watching the HBO… continued

I’m going with the Gretchaninov Now the Powers of Heaven – first track of Russian Treasures CD.  The Russian Treasures album launch at St James’ Spanish Place was my first Tenebrae gig back in early 2015, and it still sends shivers down my spine from the very first chord.  I think it’s a track that… continued

We have been amazed by the kind messages of thanks from our listeners, concert-goers, fans and supporters all over the world in the past few weeks. It’s clear many of you are already looking forward to experiencing a Tenebrae concert soon. We’re adapting and changing to new challenges at the moment, while preparing to share… continued