Review: The Sixteen
St Thomas's Cathedral, with dappled sunlight illuminating the organ case, made a wonderful setting for this virtuoso display of choral singing by The Sixteen yesterday evening.
This world-class ensemble directed by its assistant conductor, Eamonn Dougan, performed a selection of sacred Tudor music to Latin texts.
All the works feature on one of the most recent CDs produced by The Sixteen and as such they really knew this music. Each half of the concert focused on items by Christopher Tye, his son-in-law Robert White and White's contemporary Robert Parsons.
This music was carefully programmed to offer variety, beginning with a beautiful Ave Maria by Parsons which was followed by Robert White's substantial five-part setting of The Lamentations.
As in the more celebrated version of these words by Tallis, White creates the most wonderful polyphony for his settings of the simple Hebrew letters which label each paragraph of text.
Word painting in Renaissance music is often vivid but invariably relies on changes of tessitura and texture for its effect and as such is more subtle than that of later periods.
Even so, following the words in the detailed programme gave a fascinating insight into the working methods of these great composers.
Cleverly, the final item by Tye was chosen for its impressive closing Amen.
With impeccable tuning, balance and diction, the audience were left in no doubt that they were listening to a group on top form.
Full guide to Portsmouth Festivities 2009
Also see: Portsmouth Festivies Guide
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Weather for Portsmouth
Saturday 11 February 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: -4 C to 4 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
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Cloudy
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