Directed by Bill Hunt

Bill writes: In 2023 I had the pleasure of leading a workshop featuring verse anthems by William Byrd, the father of this musical form. This year we shall feature anthems by Orlando Gibbons to celebrate his quatercentenary (died 1625), in whose hands it arguably reached its finest expression.

The vocal scoring of sacred music from this period is not easy to replicate with modern voices – it is very clear that the voice ranges for which it was typically written are significantly different from the normal SATB ranges that we know today. To give you an idea, ‘Cantus’ or ‘mean’ usually denotes what we would now call ‘mezzo’: ‘Contratenor’ means a high tenor range (not a falsetto ‘countertenor’) and is sometimes best achieved by combining a normal tenor with an alto in a kind of pantomime horse arrangement. ‘Tenor’ was the name given to what we would recognise as baritone; and Bassus means a ‘real’, i.e. low bass voice.

Instruments: Viols of all sizes and soft wind (recorders, flutes) with a supporting role for well-behaved curtals in the chorus sections. Organ and lute are also welcome to join.

Places for Sopranos and for Recorder players are now full.
Applicants will be put on a waiting list for possible vacancies.

Online booking form (preferred)

Further details and postal booking form (PDF)