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Tallis Scholars - Beverley Minster

From Beverley Minster, Adam Tomlinson presents a programme of English and French sacred vocal music performed by the Tallis Scholars as part of the 2017 Beverley Festival.

Adam Tomlinson presents a programme of English and French sacred vocal music, given by the Tallis Scholars and director Peter Phillips in the Gothic splendour of Beverley Minster as part of this year's Beverley Festival.

Polyphonic innovator Nicolas Gombert was arguably the musical link between Josquin and Palestrina; his 12-part antiphon Regina Coeli rejoices in the "Queen of Heaven". Josquin's own offerings here include a work very close to his heart, the "Pater Noster". In it, sublime intimations of the knowledge that all of us will end up as dust; in his will Josquin asked for it to be performed posthumously before his house during all general church processions. There's also English music from the Eton Choirbook by John Browne - his 6-part "O regina mundi clara". And to bookend the concert, William Byrd's early work "Laetentur coeli", and a favourite motet with singers of all stripes, "Vigilate", with its cock-crowing and breathtaking imitation.

The programme is inspired by the music represented within this year's Beverley Festival Exhibition: a large-scale immersive exhibition, featuring a visually and aurally striking installation that focuses on one of the most extraordinary pan-European music collections in history. "Through the Looking Glass" features the installation "Speculum Musurgica" by Flemish visual and music artist Rudi Knoops. The heptagonal media installation consists of large-scale ingenious mirror structures and sound projections that invite visitors to take a physical walk through the rich polyphonic texture of the music of Petrus Alamire, delving into his double life as a spy and music scribe through cracking secret codes and other activities. Alamire published many of Josquin's masses - the "Missa Malheur me bat" being one of the most famous. Based on a chanson, possibly by Ockeghem, it is for four voices until the final movement, when it blossoms into six. Its complex canons continued to be talked about by theorists for over a hundred years, and are models of the art.

Byrd: Laetentur coeli
Josquin: Missa Malheur me bat

8.20pm
INTERVAL

8.40pm
Gombert: Regina coeli
Josquin: Pater noster
Browne: O regina mundi clara
Byrd: Plorans plorabit
Byrd: Vigilate

The Tallis Scholars
Peter Phillips (director).

2 hours, 30 minutes

Clip

Music Played

  • Part 1

    • William Byrd

      Laetentur Coeli

      Choir: Tallis Scholars. Conductor: Peter Phillips.
    • Josquin des Prez

      Missa Malheur Me Bat

      Choir: Tallis Scholars. Conductor: Peter Phillips.
  • Interval

    • Sir George Dyson

      Fantasia And Ground Bass For Organ

      Performer: Colin Wright.
      • PRIORY : PRCD 810.
      • PRIORY.
      • 15.
    • William Byrd

      Fantasia No. 2

      Ensemble: Rose Consort of Viols.
      • NAXOS : 8.550604.
      • NAXOS.
      • 6.
  • Part 2

    • Nicolas Gombert

      Regina Coeli

      Choir: Tallis Scholars. Conductor: Peter Phillips.
    • Josquin des Prez

      Pater Noster

      Choir: Tallis Scholars. Conductor: Peter Phillips.
    • John Browne

      O Regina Mundi Clara

      Choir: Tallis Scholars. Conductor: Peter Phillips.
    • William Byrd

      Plorans Ploravit

      Choir: Tallis Scholars. Conductor: Peter Phillips.
    • William Byrd

      Vigilate

      Choir: Tallis Scholars. Conductor: Peter Phillips.
  • Post-concert

    • Ann Millikan

      Preston Toccata

      Performer: Michael Harris.
      • The Rieger Organ of St. Giles Cathedral, Edinburgh (91热爆 Recording).
    • William Kinloch

      Kinloch his pasmessour

      Performer: John Kitchen.
      • Kinloche His Fantassie.
      • Gaudeamus.
      • 8.
    • William Kinloch

      Gaillart (to the Quadran Pavan)

      Performer: John Kitchen.
      • Kinloche His Fantassie.
      • Gaudeamus.
      • 3.
    • Johann Sebastian Bach

      Komm Heiliger Geist Herre Gott BWV 651

      Performer: Michael Harris.
      • The Rieger Organ of St. Giles Cathedral, Edinburgh (91热爆 Recording).

Broadcast

  • Wed 31 May 2017 19:30