ACCLAIMED vocal ensemble The Sixteen brought their annual Choral Pilgrimage tour to Durham Cathedral, presenting a selection of works by the Tudor composers Thomas Tallis, William Byrd and John Sheppard.
In his pre-concert talk, conductor Harry Christophers explained that the aim of the tour, now in its tenth year, is to bring the masterpieces of English choral music back into the buildings for which they were originally written.
The complex, polyphonic pieces chosen for the concert reflected the Latin heritage of the English church, and the Catholic faith, which inspired the building of our great cathedrals. The scene was set by a piece of flawless plainchant, the ancient hymn Veni Creator Spiritus, each voice blending perfectly, all singers working together, as one, with absolute precision.
The core of the programme consisted of two massive and complex polyphonic works on the theme of prayer and repentance. John Sheppard’s work Media vita in more sumus (In the midst of life we are in death) closed the first half, and the evening ended with William Byrd’s extraordinary Infelix Ego (Unhappy I). Both pieces were sung with a restrained emotion that never became excessive.
William Byrd’s joyful setting of Psalm 150 Laudibus in sanctis gave The Sixteen a perfect opportunity to show off their technical skills.
In both the big contemplative works and in the lighter pieces, The Sixteen gave us a perfect lesson in how this type of music should be sung. Their purity of tone and exquisite control delighted the audience.
Jane Shuttleworth
Member of Durham Singers
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