The Sixteen

Heffers Sound in Cambridge

2011-03-26T13:43:00.003Z

Our window-display in Heffers Sound in Cambridge, where we had a party last night before our Cambridge University Press-sponsored Choral Pilgrimage concert in St John's College Chapel. It was great to meet Heffers Sound customers and Sixteen fans and to strengthen our label's partnership with one of the UK's top independent CD retailers. Our new Victoria CD remains in the classical charts at no. 9: if you can't get to Heffers Sound you can order it online from our CORO shop.

Onwards to Cambridge....

2011-03-21T13:55:00.005Z

Following Liverpool and Blackburn last weekend, the Choral Pilgrimage proceeds to Cambridge and St Albans next weekend, with concerts in St John's College Chapel on Friday (sponsored by Cambridge University Press) and St Albans Abbey on Saturday. Some - but not many - tickets still available.
Here is what Fiona Maddocks wrote in the Observer yesterday about the Victoria programme: 'For their Choral Pilgrimage 2011, which began in Oxford and travels to 31 venues until November, the Sixteen have chosen music devoted to the Virgin Mary by the Spanish Renaissance composer Victoria, marking his 400th anniversary. There is also a CD, Hail, Mother of the Redeemer. This virtuoso group can hardly improve on a superb opening performance. Singing at the crossing of Christ Church Cathedral, their interweaving of plainchant and polyphony soared to the holiest heights of this ancient building.'

Onwards to Liverpool

2011-03-15T10:35:00.003Z

Our Choral Pilgrimage got off to a great start in Oxford and Norwich, with excellent reviews in The Times and the Guardian. Onwards now to Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral on Friday: tickets are just £15, available in advance from the Cathedral Gift Shop on 0151 707 3525 or at the door from 6.30pm on the night. And thence to Blackburn on Saturday.

Choral Pilgrimage starts

2011-03-12T10:36:00.003Z

Our 2011 Choral Pilgrimage started in Oxford last night with a packed concert in Christ Church Cathedral; tonight our Tomas Luis de Victoria programme moves on to Norwich Cathedral at 7.30pm. Tickets are available from 01603 218323 and there will be some restricted view seats on sale at the door. An intense, very beautiful programme, with the poignant Litaniae Beatae Mariae to finish the concert as we think about our Japanese friends and the impact of the earthquake and tsunami.

The Victoria Collection

2011-03-08T16:15:00.002Z

2011 marks the 400th anniversary of the death of Tomás Luis de Victoria. This remarkable Spaniard epitomised the emotion and fervour of Renaissance Europe and is considered by many to be the most outstanding composer of his time.

The Sixteen’s new boxed set, The Victoria Collection, contains four of The Sixteen’s celebrated Victoria recordings: The Call of the Beloved, Requiem of 1605, Mystery of the Cross, and Devotion to our Lady.

The Call of the Beloved includes some of the earliest triple-choir music ever to be published and is a reminder of Victoria's joyous and passionate music, complementing his more austere Requiem and music for Holy Week.

The celebrated Requiem of 1605 is Victoria's final composition and a work of beguiling beauty and sumptuous simplicity – a true masterpiece. It can be seen as the summation of both his art and the Spanish Renaissance tradition. The beautiful plainsong on which it is structured can be heard arching through the texture, forming a delicate and sinuous line throughout. Subtly accompanied by a chamber organ and bajón, it is recorded here with the same forces as may well have performed it originally in the Monasterio de las Descalzas Reales. The Requiem is preceded by Marian Antiphons interspersed with three motets setting texts from the Song of Songs

Devotion to our Lady showcases works for eight parts, some of them for two antiphonal choirs discreetly accompanied by organ and bajón, all displaying the magnificent fervent sonorities for which Victoria is renowned.

A beautifully packaged set, which complements perfectly the release of The Sixteen's newest recording by the composer - Hail, Mother of the Redeemer, also features some of the composer's Lamentations for Holy Week. What could make a more appropriate Easter gift?

Order online here.

Israel in Egypt - in Boston

2011-02-19T11:19:00.005Z

A quick plug for Harry Christophers' 'other' choir and orchestra, the Handel and Haydn Society in Boston: he is conducting a performance of Handel's Israel in Egypt tomorrow afternoon (20 February) in Symphony Hall at 3pm. I gather there are a few tickets still available from the online box-office. This is one of Harry's favourite Handel oratorios, not least because of the incredible sequences of virtuosic choruses.
Harry's recording of Israel in Egypt can be ordered here.

Today's CD Review on BBC Radio 3

2011-02-12T11:12:00.003Z

Too soon to put up an iPlayer link as the programme is still going on, but there was a great sequence of Spanish and Mexican choral music at the start of today's CD Review, including our own new recording of Victoria.

PHILIPPE ROGIER: Missa Domine Dominus Noster; Missa Domine in Virtute Tue etc.
Magnificat / His Majestys Sagbutts and Cornetts / Philip Cave (director)
Linn CKD 348 (Hybrid SACD)

“Hail, Mother of the Redeemer”
VICTORIA: Salve Regina; Missa Alma Redemptoris Mater etc.
The Sixteen / Harry Christophers (conductor)
Coro COR16088 (CD)

“O Virgo Benedicta”: Music of Marian Devotion
The Marian Consort / Rory McCleery (conductor)
DCD34086 (CD)

“Hanacpachap”: Latin American music at the time of the Conquistadores
Ensemble Elyma / Gabriel Garrido (conductor)
Pan Classics PC 10230 (CD)

The Choir on BBC Radio 3

2011-02-06T17:03:00.003Z

When a list of the world's greatest choirs appeared in Gramophone magazine there was no shortage of controversy about who did, and did not, make the cut. On The Choir on BBC Radio 3 tonight at 6.45pm (and then available on iPlayer) Aled Jones picks his way through recordings by the top ten ensembles, and also takes a look at a rival list of no fewer than 1000 choirs. Plus, listeners share their own suggestions of groups who perhaps missed out. Hear a William Byrd track from CORO 16077 by The Sixteen, (and some other choirs...........!).

New release: Victoria

2011-02-05T09:28:00.004Z

Our new CD of works by Victoria is now on sale via our shop. It is released to complement this year's Choral Pilgrimage tour which begins in Oxford on 11 March. The long-established tradition of devotion to the Virgin Mary resulted in some superb settings from Spanish composers. Tomás Luis de Victoria was, quite possibly, the most outstanding composer of the Renaissance and this recording features a tantalizing selection of the sumptuous music he wrote in honour of the Virgin Mary, including some of his exquisite Marian motets and the glorious Missa Alma Redemptoris Mater.

CORO at Midem

2011-01-28T10:47:00.006Z

Just back from Midem in Cannes, the recording business' annual gathering. It's a chance to meet most of our international distributors face-to-face and to brief them on CORO's release plans for 2011. We were delighted that Harry Christophers was able to join us for a drinks reception to mark CORO's 10th birthday and to launch our new recording of music by Victoria which is released at the start of February.

The BPI Classical and Jazz stand is a friendly collection of rival labels! As you can see from the photo, CORO was in distinguished company.

Here's a list of our most popular releases from our new website shop.

The year ahead in pictures

2011-01-18T10:49:00.000Z

.......courtesy of Gramophone.

A hit from 1568.....

2011-01-17T13:33:00.004Z

A good piece by Ivan Hewett in the Telegraph on Spem in Alium: 'Take a look at Classic FM’s Hall of Fame, and there among the poll of listeners’ favourite classical pieces you’ll find a surprise. Coming in at number 89, just ahead of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker and only just behind Albinoni’s Adagio, is Thomas Tallis’s sacred vocal work Spem in Alium Nunquam Habui – “I have no other hope (than God)”.Why should an immensely complex piece in a dead language have struck such a chord? Part of the reason is the current vogue for spiritual music, which has sent CDs of chants by Spanish monks and The Priests soaring up the album charts. But there is something extraordinary about this particular piece. It’s like an ocean of sound, where individual voices are glimpsed for a few seconds before they vanish back into the mass.' Read the full article here.

Our version is available on CORO - checkout our new online shop here.

Genesis Sixteen

2011-01-13T13:05:00.003Z

Do you have a passion for choral singing? Are you aged 18 to 23? Would you like to make a career in ensemble singing?The Sixteen is seeking between 22 and 26 young singers aged from 18 to 23 to take part in an exciting new project called Genesis Sixteen.

Genesis Sixteen is The Sixteen’s new training programme which aims to nurture the next generation of talented young voices and specifically to bridge the gap from student to professional practitioner.

This is the UK’s first fully-funded choral programme for young singers and the idea is to identify and nurture students with exceptional musical ability and the potential to become professional ensemble singers, an area in which The Sixteen is internationally renowned. Routes into the world of professional choral singing are reducing in the UK, not least because Oxford and Cambridge choral scholarships are only available to those who obtain the very highest examination grades, and music conservatoires still tend to tailor their training towards solo careers.

During the course of a year, a series of intensive weekend and week-long courses for singers will be led by key artists from The Sixteen, including founder and conductor Harry Christophers. A unique partnership between The Sixteen and the Genesis Foundation means that the participants will receive a bursary for UK travel, accommodation and board costs while participating on the scheme’s four courses, around the UK.

"our priority is to identify the next generation of ensemble choral singers and to give them the opportunity to train at the highest level. We are delighted that the generosity of the Genesis Foundation has made this possible."

Harry Christophers

See full details on the Genesis Sixteen pages on our website.

Catherine of Aragon

2010-12-23T17:08:00.002Z

Peterborough Cathedral, 29 January 2011, 7.30pm

An a capella programme of music by Cornysh, Taverner, Sheppard, Morales and Victoria. This event is in association with the Catherine of Aragon weekend celebrations; the 16th-century repertoire is focused around composers writing at the time of Catherine of Aragon in England and Spain.

Tickets: 01733 452 336

A Christmas break in Versailles

2010-12-07T10:00:00.007Z

It's good to get some coverage in the non-music sections of the press - the Telegraph has recommended our Versailles performance of Messiah on 22 December in their travel pages. If you can't be in Paris then our Messiah CD-set is available directly from our website, along with many other possible stocking fillers!>

Allegri on BBC4 tonight

2010-10-29T10:40:00.005+01:00

Our Sacred Music programme on Allegri's Miserere is being shown again on BBC 4 tonight at 8.30pm. Presented by Simon Russell Beale, it features a complete performance of the work. Harry Christophers conducts and Andy Robbins directs.

BBC Radio 3's Early Music Show

2010-10-21T14:06:00.004+01:00

Listen to BBC Radio 3's Early Music Show on Saturday at 13.00, when Lucie Skeaping visits the Sallis Benney Theatre at Brighton University, as part of this year's Brighton Early Music Festival. She's joined by Eamonn Dougan and Sally Dunkley to talk about our Choral Pilgrimage. There will be live music from three young ensembles: The Artisans, I Flautisti and Ensemble Amaranthos.

Pilgrimage reaches Brighton

2010-10-18T10:30:00.005+01:00

A great review from Friday's concert in Durham. There areonly two more opportunities to hear the 2010 Choral Pilgrimage programme, the next being on Friday in Brighton in the splendid St Batholomew's Church.

Durham Cathedral

2010-10-12T09:44:00.004+01:00

Next stop on the Choral Pilgrimage is Durham Cathedral on Friday 15th at 7.30pm. It is renowned as a masterpiece of Romanesque architecture. It was begun in 1093 and largely completed within 40 years. It is the only cathedral in England to retain almost all of its Norman craftsmanship, and one of few to preserve the unity and integrity of its original design. And it has a fabulous acoustic and is one of the favourite places on our UK tour. Music by Sheppard, Byrd and Tallis, with a few tickets still available from 01904 651485.

Discovering Music

2010-09-27T12:21:00.004+01:00

BBC Radio 3 features The Sixteen in the current Discovering Music programme, unravelling some of the works in our Choral Pilgrimage programme. Catherine Bott explores some of the joys of English polyphony with Harry Christophers, Sally Dunkley and The Sixteen in an exploration of music by Byrd, Tallis and Sheppard. The programme was recorded at the National Centre for Early Music in York as part of the 2010 York Early Music Festival and unpicks some of the working and ideas behind three contrasting masterpieces from 16th century English chuch music. William Byrd's "Infelix Ego" is a meditation on Psalm 50 written by the Italian friar Girolamo Savonarola shortly before his execution for heresy.

Thomas Tallis's short but intensely expressive "Miserere Nostri" is an intricate web of musical games and devices around the words "have mercy on us lord, have mercy on us".

Finally John Sheppard's "Media Vita" is a setting of plainsong and text based around the Nunc Dimittis, the traditional song for evening prayer, composed by Sheppard on an uniquely grand scale.

Harry Christophers, the director of The Sixteen, and Sally Dunkley who sings with the group and prepares many of The Sixteen's editions, discuss and illustrate with Catherine Bott some of musical thinking behind these pieces.

Listen here (until 3 October).

Wells Cathedral

2010-09-18T13:01:00.004+01:00

There are worse ways to spend a Saturday morning than gazing for a couple of hours at the West Front of Wells Cathedral (alternating with staring at the laptop screen). Our Choral Pilgrimage hotel here is The Swan, which has a spectacular view from its lounge. The present cathedral was begun around 1180, on a new site to the north of the old. Started nearly 10 years before Lincoln and more than 40 years before Salisbury, Wells was the first English cathedral to be built throughout with the pointed arch, shafted column and ribbed vault of the Gothic style. A great setting for last night's packed concert. Off to Tewkesbury now.

Stained glass windows in Swansea

2010-09-13T10:54:00.008+01:00

Four Choral Pilgrimage concerts coming up this week, in Swansea, Wells, Tewkesbury and St Asaph. The Collegiate and Parish Church of St Mary in Swansea has a fine collection of stained glass windows, including the Millenium Window by Martin Donlin.
My other favourites are John Edwards' Baptistry Window:And finally, John Piper's Creation window:

Tickets for Swansea (16th), Wells (17th) and Tewkesbury (18th) are available from the National Centre for Early Music on 01904 651485 and for St Asaph (19th) from the North Wales International Music Festival box-office on 01745 584508.
Limited availability for all four concerts.

Marketing classical music

2010-09-09T15:15:00.005+01:00

How can the classical music industry reach new audiences? Jon Jacob speaks to marketeers from three London orchestras and writer and broadcaster Tom Service to find out, in an interesting discussion from the BBC Proms background series on YouTube.

Recent TV coverage in France

2010-09-06T14:30:00.004+01:00

France 3 video news item about our recent concert in St Paulien during the Chaise-Dieu festival; the chap from the Mairie made a brilliant speech at the post-concert reception which for a long while seemed to be about the opening of a new swimming-pool - had he got the wrong speech out of his pocket, we wondered? But no, with the panache of a French philosopher, he was making the point that both physical and mental culture were crucial in these straightened times and that the French must continue to invest in culture - I can't say I've heard many local politicians in the UK say the same.

Returns only at Southwell Minster tonight

2010-09-03T10:07:00.005+01:00

The Choral Pilgrimage moves on tonight to Southwell Minster. The concert is sold out, although there might be a few returns at the door. There are still tickets available for tomorrow night's performance in another magnificent building, Peterborough Cathedral. Tickets available from 01733 452336.

We have a big party of Art Fund members coming tonight, and we are delighted that our partnership is working fruitfully.

We are recently back from the festival in La Chaise-Dieu, where we gave the French premiere of James MacMillan's Miserere in the beautiful Saint Georges de Saint Paulien near Le Puy. Great response from the audience and a splendid post-concert champagne reception at the Mairie. Brought back down to earth the following morning by a 3-hour delay on our BA flight back from Lyon..............

Arthur's Seat (before Purcell)

2010-08-23T09:52:00.004+01:00

So, our Victoria and Padilla concert went down well in Edinburgh last Friday evening. Can't remember when I last heard Victoria whooped - at least this bodes well for our all-Victoria programme on next year's Choral Pilgrimage, when we mark the 400th anniversary of his death.

A larger group go up to Edinburgh this evening for Purcell's Indian Queen tomorrow at the Usher Hall, with a great team of soloists: Gillian Keith, Katherine Manley, Robin Blaze, John Mark Ainsley, Allan Clayton and Roderick Williams.

Not sure what it is about The Sixteen and walking, but, having only recently completed the Choral Pilgrimage, several of the choir plan to tackle Arthur's Seat in the monring.

Puebla meets Edinburgh

2010-08-20T16:46:00.002+01:00

Not blogged from the BlackBerry before, so I hope this works. Just an hour until our first concert at this year's Edinburgh International Festival. Padilla and Victoria. Long sold out, but there are still a few seats left for our Purcell Indian Queen here next Tuesday. We have a 5-strong continuo section today with two theorbos, harp, dulcian and organ. So, a spectacular hour coming up in, as it were, Puebla Cathedral!

A final word..........

2010-08-05T10:03:00.002+01:00

A final word from the Wife of Bath (himself) on the BBC Music Magazine's blog.

Wife of Bath completes Walk

2010-08-03T10:28:00.005+01:00

And so, The Sixteen's Choral Pilgrimage Charity Walk comes to an end. Welcomed by the Dean of Canterbury and with a short ceremony at Thomas à Becket's memorial, followed by a splendid lunch, the core team of walkers were joined yesterday by some 12 other supporters of The Sixteen. Countertenor Ian Aitkenhead had canvassed opinion on which of the Chaucer's pilgrims he should dress up as for the final leg, and, perhaps not surprisingly, the Wife of Bath won the vote.

Yuo can still donate to the two charities The Sixteen has been supporting: World Vision and the Save Canterbury Cathedral appeal. If you would like to sponsor the walk go to our special Just Giving pages: World Vision and Canterbury Cathedral.

Tribute to Alfred Deller

2010-08-02T10:31:00.006+01:00

The Choral Pilgrimage Charity Walk paused at All Saints' Church in Boughton Aluph yesterday, where the walkers were greeted by Mark Deller, son of the great countertenor Alfred Deller, who is buried in the churchyard. Three of The Sixteen's regular countertenors were there (Christopher Royall, Ian Aitkenhead and David Clegg) and, for them in particular, there was a poignant moment when the assembled company sang Purcell's Thou Knowest Lord around Deller's grave. The Walk reaches its destination at Canterbury Cathedral early this afternoon: we in the office will be heading off soon to greet them.

Bearsted to Lenham (to Edinburgh)

2010-07-31T09:47:00.006+01:00

Not sure what the weather is like in Kent today, but I suspect the Choral Pilgrimage Charity Walk is having a damp morning as it wends from Bearsted to Lenham. Donations to the two charitie we are supporting continue to come in: World Vision and the Save Canterbury Cathedral appeal. If you would like to sponsor the walk go to our special Just Giving pages: World Vision and Canterbury Cathedral.
I thought the sunny, Latin American picture the Edinburgh International Festival is using to market our concerts there towards the end of next month might brighten the walkers' morning. We have concerts on the 20th (sold out) and 24th August. Tickets are still available for Purcell's Indian Queen.

Weight of Victoria

2010-07-29T09:58:00.006+01:00

Countertenor Christopher Royall leads the Chroal Pilgrimage Charity Walk, as it wends its way towards Canterbury. Big day today: 20 miles from Otford to Rochester. The Sixteen is raising money for two charities (not itself!): World Vision and the Save Canterbury Cathedral appeal. If you would like to sponsor the walk go to our special Just Giving pages: World Vision and Canterbury Cathedral. Lots more photos here.

Things concert audiences don't really think about: no. 1. How do we get the music for our concerts to the right place at the right time? I was thinking about the logistics as I dragged 30kg of Victoria from Cambridge to Fleet Street this morning. Our library is now huge and constantly expanding; not yet of British Library or UL size, but still requiring a catalogue and a system. We never let music go in the hold on flights on the way to concerts or during tours (you can perform without the right dress, but not without music) so the singers take care of their own sets, but it all has to be collected in the end and brought home for sorting, repairing and re-shelving. Some more thoughts on this from our Librarian in a few weeks................

Walk passes Chevening

2010-07-28T17:01:00.002+01:00

The walkers have just passed the village of Chevening: you can see the church amongst the trees, and just pick out Chevening House which is the traditional grace-and-favour residence of the Foreign Secretary. This, however, being a Coalition, it's now a house-share - William Hague and the Deputy Prime Minister..... Onwards.

New Mozart Mass in C recording on CORO

2010-07-28T10:57:00.004+01:00

Whilst the Choral Pilgrimage Charity Walk continues apace (12.5 miles today, from Oxted to Otford) we are pleased to announce a new strand of recordings on our label CORO: Harry's first recording with his 'other' group, the Handel and Haydn Society in Boston. Classic FM has written about this new venture.

Choral Pilgrimage Charity Walk - Day Two

2010-07-26T11:17:00.006+01:00

The Sixteen's Choral Pilgrimage Charity Walk enters its second day today. Harry and the other walkers left Box Hill this morning, heading along the North Downs Way towards Mertsham. They started from Guildford Cathedral yesterday and will reach Canterbury Cathedral in a week's time. The Sixteen is raising money for two charities (not itself!): World Vision and the Save Canterbury Cathedral appeal. If you would like to sponsor the walk go to our special Just Giving pages: World Vision and Canterbury Cathedral.

The Arts should give up whingeing and start singing for its supper

2010-07-20T13:32:00.003+01:00

Interesting (provocative?) article in yesterday's Evening Standard by one of our Development Board members, Chris Blackhurst. All performing arts organisations in the UK are urgently reviewing their funding models. We at The Sixteen are lucky already to attract a considerable amount of private support from individuals, but the challenge is always on to encourage more.

York

2010-07-19T10:59:00.002+01:00

York is one of our favourite stops on our Choral Pilgrimage, and we have just had an amazing two day residency there as part of the York Early Music Festival: a concert for primary school children, a BBC Radio 3 Discovering Music recording, a packed-out evening concert in the Minster, and an Insight Day, all based on the music of Sheppard, Byrd and Tallis we are featuring on this year's UK tour. The Insight day set the music in context through lectures and discussions led by Sally Dunkley and John Milsom. John explored the detective work undertaken by musicologists to try and unravel when and for where particular pieces were composed, when the evidence is thin and requires considerable lateral thinking to come to any meaningful conclusions: Thomas Morley was sung in the gardens of the National Early Music centre as part of his explication!

Off to Munich tomorrow for a concert of Victoria in Ingolstadt on Wednesday evening.

Sunday Times free iTunes downloads this and next weekend

2010-07-09T13:38:00.004+01:00

A track from our Messiah recording features in a special Sunday Times iTunes free promotion this weekend, when 15 of the top UK orchestras display their recorded wares in an attempt to encourage people to explore music they might not be familiar with. The following week's promotion will include a track from our Samson recording. The Sixteen are joined by the London Symphony Orchestra, the Philharmonia, and The London Philharmonic Orchestra amongst others.

BBC Proms Archive

2010-07-08T09:30:00.002+01:00

Check out the newly launched Proms Archive, which you can search by composer, work or artist. My first discovery is that an aria from the work we are doing in Edinburgh next month was first performed in the Proms in 1897:

Wednesday 29 September 1897, 8:00PM

Henry Purcell Indian Queen, Z 630

- Aria 'I attempt from Love's sickness to fly in vain' Act 3

Hirwen Jones tenor

New Queen's Hall Orchestra (1895-1914, Queen's Hall Orchestra)
Henry Wood conductor

Monteverdi

2010-07-06T16:33:00.005+01:00

Just back from the last recording session for our Monteverdi CD at St John's Smith Square in London - sat in on the ravishing soprano duet Salve Regina, with Elin Manahan Thomas and Grace Davidson and a battery of continuo instruments. The complete Telegraph review of our recent Monteverdi concert performances has just appeared online.

Great Buxtehude CD review in July Classic FM Magazine

2010-07-05T11:16:00.004+01:00

Things digital...

2010-07-04T10:35:00.004+01:00

We are in the studio (well, St John's Smith Square, pictured) for the next few days recording the first of a 3-CD Monteverdi project. Musing yesterday on the vagaries of TV scheduling. Because of the outcome of earlier World Cup rounds yesterday afternoon's Germany v. Argentina match was on BBC 1, which meant the Women's Wimbledon final and subsequent matches were shifted to BBC 2, which meant the 4.05pm repeat of one of our Sacred Music programmes bit the dust.

Magic numbers and some reminders

2010-07-02T09:48:00.006+01:00

There is an interesting piece in Tom Service's Guardian blog today on composers and their clandestine codes. Read what he has to say about composers from Bach to John Zorn.

Tonight the Choral Pilgrimage reaches Milton Keynes. The concert is technically sold out but there might be a few returns on the door.

If you are nowhere near Milton Keynes you can hear our Monteverdi concerts from Spitalfields on BBC Radio 3 tonight at 7pm. Petroc Trelawny presents.

Baroque gets all jazzed up

2010-07-01T10:08:00.003+01:00

Ivan Hewett in the Telegraph on our Monteverdi concert with Julian Joseph: 'Time was when the performance of Baroque music was all about "getting it right", but fortunately those days have passed. The "early music" world has woken up to the fact that improvisation and risk-taking are what really bring this music to life. That's also true of many other traditions, and it was only a matter of time before someone tried to mingle the Baroque form of improvisation with another...... In these cross-cultural enterprises one side always calls the shots, and here it was definitely Monteverdi's ravishing sound-world, with its strummed lutes and dancing violins and high sopranos trilling and sighing in ectasy or agony...... It was when the jazz players felt able to ignore their 'charts' and rely on gut instinct that things caught fire. Joseph's harmonic side-shifts and cadences took on his usual energising swing, but also a Monteverdian "sigh" that seemed completely natural. The choir, too, loosened up; in one number there was a flamenco-ish tang at the end of a phrase, which Joseph was able to seize and run with. The final Salve Regina worked best, especially at its final flourish, where Joseph and [bassist] Hodgson spun a superb riff over the concluding cadence. For a work in progress, this was impressive. Let's hope it's only the beginning.'

James MacMillan: 'The 'creative artists' who attacked BP and the Tate do not speak for me'

2010-06-30T10:01:00.004+01:00

James MacMillan has entered the debate about BP's arts sponsorship, with a typically hard-hitting article in today's Telegraph: 'When I read that 171 artists had written to the Guardian attacking Tate Britain for accepting sponsorship money from BP, I couldn’t decide whether they were just being stupid, gesturally romantic in true luvvy style, or downright hypocritical. They were certainly being presumptuous in the implication that the arts community (whatever that is) would support them.

I for one, do not, and I know many others involved in culture who would profoundly disagree with their luddite, eco-fascist utopianism.'

Here's a link to the complete article and one to James' own recently started blog.

LondonJazz review

2010-06-26T08:12:00.002+01:00

Great review on the LondonJazz blog of our Monteverdi concert last Friday. Sebastian Scotney wrote: 'The trickiest, the most high-wire of the performances was "Che vol che m'innamori." Time and again Julian Joseph on piano and Mark Hodgson on bass pared the volume down, in order to hand over to the the two quietest instruments on the stage: the chittarone of David Miller or/and the harp of Frances Kelly. For my ears, it was Kelly's faultless judgment of the precise length of the silence to leave before taking over the story from Julian Joseph, and her judgment of dynamic and of mood in this piece, which produced the most deeply affecting moment of the evening.' Read the full review here.

Jazz meets Monteverdi on Radio 3

2010-06-25T11:57:00.005+01:00

BBC Radio 3 recorded our two Monteverdi concerts at the Spitalfields Festival last night for broadcast on Performance on 3 next Friday 2 July at 7.00pm. Reaction to our collaboration with Julian Joseph was excellent, and there was a stimulating discussion afterwards with members of the audience who wanted to unpick the perennial problem of how jazz musicians 'do jazz' and how you go on to combine its freedom and improvisiation with structured, notated music. What was remarkable was how our continuo section relished the occasion!

Julian Joseph joins The Sixteen

2010-06-24T09:28:00.004+01:00

Two more concerts at the Spitalfields Festival tonight: pure Monteverdi at 6.30pm (sold out) and then at 8.30pm our Monteverdi collaboration with jazz pianist Julian Joseph, who has also established himself as a jazz pioneer in the classical world. He was the first jazz musician to be invited to give a series of all-acoustic concerts at London's most prestigious classical venue, the Wigmore Hall. He has recorded duets by Milhaud, Stravinsky and Poulenc with Brazilian pianist Marcelo Bratke, combining them with his own arrangements of music by Duke Ellington, Chick Corea and Bill Evans, and collaborated with concert violinist Viktoria Mullova on her fusion project, 'Through the Looking Glass'. As a soloist, he has given recitals of Bartók and Prokofiev sonatas and performed Gershwin's Piano Concerto in F and the Rhapsody in Blue with some of the most renowned symphony orchestras in Europe. At the same time, Julian's own classically-oriented work never ventures too far away from his jazz focus. This is particularly evident in his writing for big band and strings or full symphony orchestra, in which he demonstrates an exceptional ability to orchestrate complex textures of rhythm and sound without losing the essential groove that is at the heart of jazz.

In this way he is ever pushing the boundaries, whilst building on the legacy of the great jazz composers ~ Duke Ellington, Gil Evans, Herbie Hancock and Jaco. The bass player tonight is Mark Hodgson. Details here (a few tickets still available as I write).

'Hello, Harry'

2010-06-23T11:44:00.002+01:00

Hotfoot back from Christ Church Spitalfields where, as part of festival residency, The Sixteen has been giving a specially designed introduction to Monteverdi's music to 400+ primary schoolchildren from Tower Hamlets. It is not every audience which greets the conductor with a yell of 'Hello, Harry', and then gets on with singing Monteverdi.

City Church of Christ the Cornerstone

2010-06-22T09:59:00.006+01:00

The Choral Pilgrimage pays its first visit to Milton Keynes on 2 July, with a concert at the City Church of Christ the Cornerstone. We are getting lots of calls about this concert, but I am afraid it is already sold-out. An intriguing building, it is an ecumenical church, opened in 1992 and dedicated by the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Reverend and Right Honourable George Carey (Anglican); His Eminence Cardinal Basil Hume, Archbishop of Westminster (Roman Catholic); the Reverend Desmond Pemberton, Assistant National Superintendent, Wesleyan Holiness Church; and the Reverend Dr John Newton, Chairman, Liverpool District Methodist Church (the Presidents of Churches Together in England). The Queen attended the Dedication service: a Roman Catholic Cardinal gave the sermon before the reigning monarch - the first time this had happened in over 400 years. An interesting anecdote given the history behind our Tudor repertoire this year.

James MacMillan at Spitalfields

2010-06-17T08:36:00.004+01:00

Erica Jeal in the Guardian enjoyed the first evening of our residency at the Spitalfields Festival: you can read her review here. Tomorrow night we give the first UK performance of James MacMillan's Miserere. We gave the first performance in Antwerp last August. It is a signficant addition to James' deeply-felt, deeply spiritual series of choral works. The programme includes works by Palestrina and Aenerio, and Allegri's famous setting of Psalm 51, Miserere mei.

Tickets: +44 20 7377 1362.

The Nation's Favourite Aria?

2010-06-16T09:28:00.005+01:00

Much as we at The Sixteen love the works of Henry Purcell, it does seem rather bizarre that Dido's Lament has just been voted the Nation's Favourite Aria in a recent BBC Radio 3 poll. Setting aside the argument of whether or not Dido and Aeneas is an opera, looking at the results it could be that a special interest group has been in action! Anyway, you can find details of our Purcell recordings here.

Membra Jesu Nostri

2010-06-15T09:24:00.003+01:00

Buxtehude's stunning work Membra Jesu Nostri features on one of our recent CD releases on CORO. This cantata cycle is a unique work. Based on texts from a medieval Latin hymn, ‘Salve mundi salutare’, the cycle contains seven cantatas each dedicated to a different part of Christ’s crucified body. The texts are based on the concept of an observer contemplating Christ’s body on the cross starting with his feet and moving up to his knees, hands, side, breast, heart and finally his head. Buxtehude plays cleverly with musical colours and textures and changes the mixture of voices and instruments to dramatic effect as the work develops.

Soloists Carolyn Sampson, Libby Crabtree, Robin Blaze, James Gilchrist and Simon Birchall are directed by Harry Christophers.

This CD and all our other releases are available from our online shop.

From Norwich to Spitalfields

2010-06-14T13:15:00.009+01:00

Another busy weekend for The Sixteen, with a sold-out Choral Pigrimage concert in Norwich Cathedral on Saturday, and then 17 mini-concerts in Silkweavers' Cottages in Spitalfields yesterday, our first project as Associate Artists at this year's Festival. Four groups of performers played in four houses for four audiences, who walked between the various venues, and then all coming together for a final event, performing pieces from John Dowland's A Pilgrim's Solace. Our next concert at the Festival is on Friday evening and includes the UK premiere of James MacMillan's Miserere.

Catch up with the latest tour news

2009-07-24T12:27:00.007+01:00

The Sixteen were in Lichfield and York in mid-July as part of their 2009 Choral Pilgrimage.

Near sell-out crowds braved the torrential rain to hear the group perform the a cappella Purcell & MacMillan programme ‘Bright Orb of Harmony’.

Before our rehearsal in Lichfield, hundreds of primary school children took part in a matinée performance. Based on a narration telling the story of Purcell’s life they sang pieces from the Pilgrimage programme as well as a rendition of ‘Come ye sons of art’ with actions!

This was the last matinée in a series of four that we’ve presented in collaboration with the National Centre for Early Music and Sing Up.

Everything you wanted to know about Handel but were afraid to ask.

2009-03-18T17:53:00.001Z

The greatest composer of all time? The Lloyd Webber of his day? Same difference?

Whatever your opinion of Handel, don't miss the opportunity to hear those of Donald Burrows (author of the definitive handbook Handel: Messiah), Jeremy Black (author of Eighteenth Century Britain) and members of The Sixteen on Sunday 5th April.
Held in the delightful and aptly Baroque Trinity College of Music, Greenwich, tickets are on sale now from the National Centre for Early Music and cost £30 (includes cups of tea and/or coffee)or £25 if booked with a Choral Pilgrimage concert ticket.

Book now: 01904 651 485

CP9 gets underway

2009-03-01T12:18:00.000Z

After more than a year of planning, the first day, of 27 days of reckoning was upon us last Friday as we were in Guildford Cathedral for the first performance of the 2009 Choral Pilgrimage. To add to the excitement the concert was being recorded for a CORO live disc that'll be on general release in April.

Check back here to watch a short 'making of' film in the next few days. In the meantime, it's on to the University cities of Cambridge and Oxford on March 13 & 14 respectively. The Sixteen formed in Oxford so it'll be an especially memorable performance for Harry Christophers as the group he formed, back in 1979, celebrates its thirtieth anniversary.

2009 The Year of Celebration

2009-01-27T14:55:00.000Z

Purcell was born 350 years ago in 1659 and Handel popped his clogs one hundred years later. We're celebrating these historic musical landmarks, alongside contemporary composer James MacMillan's 50th birthday and our very own 30th anniversary on our major national tour, The Choral Pilgrimage 2009.

We're touring to at least 25 venues across the UK with two different programmes - an a cappella Purcell & MacMillan programme which includes Purcell's heartfelt Funeral Sentences and James MacMillan's powerfully emotive A Child's Prayer, written in memory of the Dunblane Tragedy. In 6 venues we'll be performing Handel's Coronation Anthems with both the choir and orchestra of The Sixteen - a celebration not to be missed.

Visit our website to see what and when we're performing near you!

http://www.the-sixteen.org.uk/tours/tour_cp_dates.htm

Christmas is coming

2008-11-11T15:32:00.000Z

It's getting dark, the Christmas lights are up and crackers are on sale at the supermarket. But the sign that the festive season is truly upon us is The Sixteen's glorious Messiah, which they'll be performing along with a stellar line-up of soloists, at the Barbican Hall on Wednesday 3 December 2008. BBC New Generation Artist Elizabeth Watts will be joined on stage by Catherine Wyn-Rogers (who can be heard on our new recording of Messiah 'graphically evoking the refiner's fire'), James Gilchrist and Christopher Purves, also to be heard on our new recording 'adding a sonorous bass extension to his incisive baritone'.

Join us if you can for what promises to be a remarkable evening - not least because it will be the 150th time that The Sixteen have performed Messiah.

2008-10-01T15:06:00.000+01:00

It was a busy weekend with an Open Rehearsal on Saturday afternoon followed by The Sixteen's debut performance in St James' Church, Grimsby as part of the St Hugh's Festival.

Both events a great success.

Next up is the Kings Place festival opening weekend - 100 concerts in 5 days! The first of our 2 performances is now sold out but it will be possible to catch the foyer performance from 1pm on Sunday 5 October. Visit http://www.kingsplace.co.uk/ for details.

2008-09-25T15:56:00.000+01:00

Welcome to The Sixteen's new blog.

We'll be updating regularly with news, concert information and tales from touring at home and abroad.

This weekend The Sixteen is participating in the Mayor of London's Open Rehearsal initiative, giving members of the public the opportunity to go behind the scenes and see top arts organisations from a different perspective. It's going to be a busy weekend with almost 300 different events to choose from. You will find all the information by visiting www.openrehearsal.co.uk where events are listed by artform and by date.

There are only a handful of places left for The Sixteen's Open Rehearsal this Saturday - if you would like to attend please email info@thesixteen.com or telephone 020 7481 1184.