The Renaissance Choir presents ‘English Renaissance Masters’, featuring choral treasures from the time of the Tudors, including Tallis, Byrd, Taverner, Dowland and others.

Read our preview notes and a review.

This programme is the fourth in our acclaimed ‘Renaissance Masters’ series. To date, we’ve sung gorgeous music from Holland, Spain and Italy and now bring the sensuous strains of Byrd, Tallis, and other Tudor composers to Petersfield.

The Renaissance period was a melting pot in England, with the Church of Rome and the Church of England in a battle for dominance as different monarchs showed their preference. It wasn’t an easy time to be a Roman Catholic – your head could easily part company with your body if you worshipped incorrectly – so some composers (such as William Byrd) used subtle ways to express their faith.

It was also the time of the madrigal in England, and we will sing some of the most popular songs of the time.

Joining us will be fabulous local guitarist, Zoe Barnett, who will be playing a number of works for lute, including pieces by Thomas Campion.

Buy tickets online. £13 for adults, £2 for under 25s.
Tickets are also available from One Tree Books and will be available on the door.

Programme

Sacred music:
William Byrd
– Mass for Three Voices – Kyrie
– Mass for Five Voices – Gloria, Sanctus & Benedictus
– Mass for Four Voices – Agnus Dei
– Ne Irascaris Domine
– Solve Jubente Deo
Thomas Tallis – Lamentations 1
Felice Anerio – Stabat Mater (12-part)
Peter Philips – Salve Regina
Richard Dering – Factum est silentium
John Taverner – Kyrie Le Roi
Orlando Gibbons – This is the record of John

Music for solo guitar to include music for lute (John Dowland – Praeludium; Fantasia no 7).

Secular music:
Choir and guitar/lute: Secular songs by John Dowland, Thomas Ravenscroft, Henry VIII, Anon, Thomas Campion.

We will be complying with the Government Covid-19 guidance in force at the time. We may be taking measures to reduce the risk of Covid infection at this concert by providing good ventilation and requiring the audience to wear masks. The singers may be wearing masks when they are not singing.