For Singers

About the workshop repertoire

The Music
All music will be provided on the day, free of charge, with the option of purchasing the Byrd, Tallis and Song of Songs texts from Stile Antico at the workshop. Click here for a list of the pieces from which the repertoire will be drawn.

Music by Tallis and Byrd In 1575 Queen Elizabeth I granted a monopoly on music publishing to the two greatest composers of her day: Thomas Tallis and William Byrd. As a result, Byrd and Tallis published Cantiones Sacrae, a volume containing some of their finest works, and dedicated it to the Queen. We will sample motets from this book, as well as works from the two subsequent books published by Byrd alone, after Tallis’ death. The motets are particularly interesting for the texts chosen by both composers, often revealing a strong support for the recusant Catholic community whose faith had been outlawed by the Protestant Queen.

About Stile Antico

Stile Antico is an ensemble of young British singers, now established as one of the most original and exciting new voices in its field. Prizewinners at the 2005 Early Music Network International Young Artists’ Competition, the group is much in demand in concert and records exclusively for Harmonia Mundi. Their debut disc, Music for Compline drew superlative reviews, winning the Diapason d’Or de l'année, the Choc du Monde de la Musique, and attracting a nomination for the 50th GRAMMY awards. Their latest recording, Heavenly Harmonies was chosen as CD of the week by three UK newspapers, and was awarded the Diapason d'Or.

Working without a conductor, the members of Stile Antico rehearse and perform as chamber musicians, each contributing artistically to the musical result. Their repertoire ranges from the glorious legacy of the English Tudor composers to the works of the Flemish and Spanish schools and the music of the early Baroque. They are passionate about the need to communicate with their audiences, combining thoughtful programming with direct, expressive performances. They are also committed to developing their educational work, for which they have received generous funding from the National Lottery through Arts Council England.

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