Byrd song
Garth Wilshere24/02/2010 9:52:00 a.m.
The Tudor Consort, Sacred Heart Cathedral, reviewed by Garth Wilshere
IN this first concert of the choral year, The Tudor Concert made glorious sound from just 10 voices. The clarity of vocal line was impressive as they sang a selection of motets from 16th century composer William Byrd’s Gradualia.
An instrumental work by Byrd added variety. It was arranged as a Fantasia in C for Chamber Organ, and an early Fantasia in A for organ played by Douglas Mews interspersed with the motets.
The vocal makeup of the consort – three sopranos, one alto, one countertenor, two tenors and three basses – allowed for the appropriate combinations throughout the selections from the Gradualia.
Under Music Director Michael Stewart the performances were excellent. Only in the final large-scale motet did I feel that the suggested “very dark sound” in the motet from the three bass parts, was not quite achieved. They don’t have the weight of the higher registers, but it was a great concert.
IN this first concert of the choral year, The Tudor Concert made glorious sound from just 10 voices. The clarity of vocal line was impressive as they sang a selection of motets from 16th century composer William Byrd’s Gradualia.
An instrumental work by Byrd added variety. It was arranged as a Fantasia in C for Chamber Organ, and an early Fantasia in A for organ played by Douglas Mews interspersed with the motets.
The vocal makeup of the consort – three sopranos, one alto, one countertenor, two tenors and three basses – allowed for the appropriate combinations throughout the selections from the Gradualia.
Under Music Director Michael Stewart the performances were excellent. Only in the final large-scale motet did I feel that the suggested “very dark sound” in the motet from the three bass parts, was not quite achieved. They don’t have the weight of the higher registers, but it was a great concert.
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