The Sixteen in Durham

Durham Cathedral was the glorious setting for this visit of The Sixteen on their Choral Pilgrimage 2008 with the title "Treasures of Tudor England". And the treasures were works by sixteenth century English polyphonists Robert Parsons, Christopher Tye and Robert White.

I especially enjoyed Parsons's "O bone Jesu" which opened the second half of the concert and White's setting of the Vespers hymn "Christe qui lux es et dies", with polyphonic verses alternating with the Chant.

Although the choir's numbers had been enhanced to 29, the Cathedral is a vast space to fill but their accuracy, precision and firmness of tone ensured an always impressive sound.

As so often with concerts of this type of music, non-stop polyphony can get rather wearing on the ear. The opening chant verse of the Compline hymn was like a breath of fresh air. And much as I admired and enjoyed the performance I think that music of this type does really cry out for some sort of context. I missed the smell of burning candle wax, the whiff of incense, the chink of the thurible and the rustle of fine vestments...